I was happy to find out that Bath would be the venue for our February walk in the past history walk.  I grew up between Bristol and Bath and my father went to school in the city so I have watched it change over the years.  Jane Austen would probably recognise the centre but there is also a side to the city the tourists miss.   It has a large student population.  Bath University is particularly well known for sport and many athletes train there.

We met for our walk at the back of Bath bus station.  If you plan to visit the city I suggest arriving by bus or train as parking is very difficult. There are several park and ride schemes nearby and the main bus station and train station are close to the city attractions.

Bath is the only English city to be given UNESCO  world heritage status. For the locals, this is a mixed blessing. I remember when I was at University one of my history lecturers asked me if it was like living in a museum. In summer it can be difficult to move through the city because of the number of tourists but they also bring us much prosperity.

This walk was a brief introduction to the history of Bath which we hope to explore in more detail later.  I have provided a potted version here.

The Romans

There is a Celtic legend that the hot springs at Bath were discovered by a swineherd named Bladud who found that the hot mud cured a skin disease his pigs had been suffering from. He later became a tribal leader and established a shrine in Bath to the goddess Sulla. Although there is no evidence for his existence there are a lot of iron age settlements around Bath.  The city itself is supposed to be built in the crater of an extinct volcano.

Bath guidebooks usually date the history back to the Romans who were drawn to the hot spa water and built a magnificent Bath Complex. to enjoy it. Much of this survives or has been restored though unfortunately, you can not swim there any longer. You can taste the water but be warned it tastes vile.

Another reason why we met behind the bus station is that it is close to the route of the Roman Fosseway a road between Exeter and Lincoln. Here the Romans built a bridge to cross the river Avon. As well as enjoying hot baths the Romans were attracted to the area to mine lead from the nearby Mendip hills.

The Medieval Period

After the Romans left Bath seems to have declined in importance.  However, the magnificent Bath Abbey was built during the medieval period. The medieval legacy is preserved in the names of the roads, Eastgate, Southgate, Westgate and Northgate even though the walls and gates have disappeared.    The Abbey was partly destroyed by Henry VIII during the dissolution of the monasteries, but the building was given to the people of Bath as a parish church. The medieval gothic interior is beautiful. There is an ongoing project to use some of the hot natural mineral water to provide underfloor heating. I think the Romans would have approved.

Sally Lunn’s house is often claimed to be one of Bath’s oldest buildings. Archeologists suggest that it may have started as a Roman taverna. Certainly, it would have been close to the Roman baths and the site may also have been used as lodgings for pilgrims visiting the abbey. It is claimed that Sally Lunn was a French Huguenot refugee (Solange Luyon) who fled to Bath in 1680 after escaping persecution in France. Visitors can visit the kitchen where She began baking the large brioche bun that still bears her name and enjoy one of her famous Bath buns.

The Georgians

Bath markets itself as a Georgian city.  In the 18th century, Bath stone was quarried from the nearby hills to build the famous crescents.  The aristocracy would descend on Bath to take the waters or play cards.  This was vividly described by Jane Austen, perhaps Bath’s most famous resident who does not seem to have enjoyed her stay much. If you visit the assembly rooms and nearby fashion museum, you can take afternoon tea and children and adults can dress up.  You can imagine yourself in a scene from one of her books or visit the Jane Austen centre.

During this period William Herschel who had been an organist in Bath discovered the planet Uranus. You can visit his house and see the telescopes he made.

Pulteney Bridge was built by Sir William Pulteney close to the site of the old Roman bridge to enable development on the other side of the river.

The Modern city

Bath was linked to Reading by the Kennett and Avon canal and later Isambard Kingdom Brunel built his famous Great Western Railway between Bristol and London with a station in Bath.

Bath was badly bombed during the second world war.  It was not considered a target, but the Germans carried out what became known as the Baedeker raids. They targeted cities given a high rating in the Baedeker guide books in retaliation for British bombing raids on Germany. Thankfully, it has been largely rebuilt using Bath stone.

Bath has built a new spa complex where visitors can swim in the hot mineral waters just as the Romans did.

Photos for this blog post were used with permission from VisitBath

If you enjoyed this post you might like two national trust houses to visit near Bath.

Trip Advisor has a lot more suggestions for things to do in or near Bath.