From North to South

Following our time in the north, in York, Edinburgh and the Highlands, we have traveled south, to the towns of Bristol and Bath.  

In Bath, we enjoyed a walking tour with a charming guide, who shared with us the history and architecture of the town.  But for the existence of three hot springs near the River Avon, we suspect Bath would be (a) called something else and (b) a much smaller town with less historical significance.  

After finding the hot springs, the invading Romans founded a new town in 43A.D., which has existed in some form ever since.  Over the centuries, the spa town’s fortunes have ebbed and flowed.  Beginning in the early 1700’s, Bath’s notoriety as a fashionable place to visit surged.  As a result, Bath became and remains a showcase of Georgian neo-classical architecture, with some later Victorian additions.  Today, walking through Bath is like going back in time about 200-300 years.  

Here are some highlights from our tour around Bath.  

Pictured below are two important buildings in the center of Bath, the Bath Abbey (a large church) and the Roman Baths building.  The original Roman baths are long gone, buried about 18 feet under the current town.

Next to the Roman Baths is the Pump Room where you can dine in luxury or drink a cup of water directly from one of the springs under the town.  

In front of the Pump Room, we spotted a surprise, a historical plaque about Mary Shelley.

Nearby, we spotted one of the other hot springs in Bath.  

During the glory days of Bath, there was a building boom that featured lovely Georgian architecture:  below are the famous Royal Crescent and the Circus (where Nicolas Cage once owned a house).  

Bath straddles the River Avon.  Below are two scenes: the Poultney Bridge which is lined with shops, and the some colorful trees and boats lining the river.  

We toured Bath Abbey, which is a lovely, well-lit church.  We thought the altar was well decorated with a contemporary altar cloth.  The ceiling was interesting, with its many ribs and painted sections.  

We also learned that the supposed first king of England was crowned in a church that once occupied the same location as the Abbey.  A stain glass window commemorates the event.  A similar rite of coronation will be used next year for Charles III’s coronation.  

Perhaps the best of our visit was seeing a filming location used in the Bridgerton series.  Check it out.  

Thanks for visiting Bath with us.