Bath

Last Saturday, we headed to Bath. It was finally a nice, sunny day, and the downtown core was bustling with people wandering the pedestrian area full of shops and sights.

Like Stratford, Bath sits on the River Avon. It is mostly situated in a valley, but climbs up the side of a hill. When we first arrived, we drove up the hill and got a good view of the rest of the city. The area up the hill seemed to be mostly residential, with steep, very narrow streets, but with a fantastic view. After a good look, we headed down to the city centre.

View of Bath from up the hill

Bath is another city that started out as an ancient settlement. During the period between 800 B.C. and 50 A.D. the hot springs found in the Bath area were probably treated as a shrine to the goddess Sulis, a goddess representing motherhood, nourishment and life. When the Romans took over in around 50 A.D., they called the area Aquae Sulis - the waters of Sulis. Over the next 300 years, the Romans constructed a temple and bathing area around the hot springs. However, these original baths were abandoned and ruined in a flood during the 5th century. Legend has it that the Battle of Badon was fought by King Arthur at Bath during the 6th century. The 7th century saw the founding of the Bath Abbey as a monastery. This abbey was rebuilt during the 12th century and the 16th century, then restored and renovated in the 19th century.

John de Villula, a Norman doctor and churchman, bought the city for 500 pounds of silver during the 11th century, becoming the Bishop of Bath. He was interested in the curative power of the hot springs and so new baths were built. During this time, the wool and cloth trade contributed enormously to the wealth of Bath. However, the next 5 centuries marked a decline in the city's prosperity and by the 16th century, the city was dilapidated and the abbey in ruins.

The buildings of Bath, made from iconic Bath Stone

In 1676, a book published by a doctor about the restorative powers of Bath's hot springs began to draw the attention of England's aristocracy. Beau Nash, a gambler and socialite, saw his opportunity in the early 1700s to turn Bath into a fashionable resort - and he did just that, raising money to repair and restore the city. During this time, as well, Ralph Allen owned the stone quarries near Bath. The stone mined at these quarries is called Bath Stone - the distinctive honey-coloured limestone from which most buildings in Bath are constructed. John Wood, both the Elder and the Younger, a father-son architectural duo, were the masterminds behind rebuilding the city, funded by Ralph Allen. Their idea was to recreate the feeling of a Roman city, which they definitely accomplished. Remains of the ancient Roman temple the goddess were also found during this time. With all these people and discoveries coming together, it's no wonder the city grew to be a popular spa destination and Bath's population increased 10-fold. Jane Austen lived in Bath between 1800-1805. There is a Jane Austen centre you can visit in Bath, which I wasn't able to visit, but if you are interested, here is the website for you: http://www.janeausten.co.uk/. In the late 19th century, the Roman Great Bath was found. The actual Roman Baths are below street level, but the upper portions were designed in the Roman tradition, though they are only a couple hundred years old.

Bath Abbey and the Pumps to the right

During the Second World War, buildings in the city were damaged, but mostly restored after the war. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 and it is a popular tourist destination these days.

The Royal Crescent

We really enjoyed walking around the city, taking in the Roman-style Georgian architecture and the sun! Unfortunately, after we stopped for lunch, it was mid afternoon and we didn't actually go inside to see the baths; there was quite a line up to get inside, and they were closing soon. We went to see the Circus and Royal Crescent. The Circus is an area of home built in a circular fashion. If you stand in the centre, the circular nature of the buildings amplifies your voice. We could hear tour guides telling their groups about the area, and clapping their hands to demonstrate the amplification. We also just barely had time to go in to see Bath Abbey.

Good food in Bath:

Inside the Bath Abbey

The Eastern Eye: This is a fantastic Indian restaurant close to the downtown area. This was our first stop as we were hungry when we arrived. It has won various well-deserved awards and yet the pricing was fairly reasonable. After a delicious lunch, we had a coffee (included with the lunch special) which was actually amazing! It seems like a strange thing to be praising an Indian restaurant for, but it was definitely a fantastic way to end the meal. http://www.easterneye.com/

Jacob's Coffee House: Right near Bath Abbey, this coffee house drew my attention with the vintage style turquoise sign out front and the wooden interiors. I wouldn't necessarily go back for the coffee - it wasn't bad, but it wasn't the best, - I would certainly return for the cakes. We had the apple cider cake, which had a full, rounded apple flavour and wasn't too sweet. I would definitely love to try some of the other cakes. http://jacobscoffeehouse.com/

That's all for now! Thanks for reading :) Next time, I will tell you all about our trip to Dover and the discovery of my new favourite castle...

xox