Bath, Somerset

Here we are in Bath, a World Heritage Site. Bath is famous for its hot springs, Roman baths and stately Georgian architecture.

Rolling into the city of Bath in our coach

Great Pulteney Street

The Circus


Strolling along one of the mainstreets


The Roman Baths

The domed ceiling at the reception hall


The Great Bath - Built by Romans in the first century

The hot water in the spring rises at a rate of 1,170,000 litres each day at 46°C. It bubbles up into the King's Bath which was built in the 12th century AD.

The pool of the Great Bath, heated by the ancient Sacred Spring. The spring and the temple complex were dedicated to the goddess Minerva.

12 facts about the Bath House:-
1. There were hot, warm and cold baths
2. Water was heated by a boiler over a fire
3. The hot room was called the caldarium
4. The cold room was called the frigidarium
5. Men and women used separate bath houses
6.The floor might be covered with a mosaic
7. You had to pay to use the baths
8 .You could buy refreshments at the baths
9. People did weight lifting at the baths
10.Public slaves could give you a massage
11. There was no soap so people used oil instead
12. Sticks called strigils were used to scrape dirt off the body

source - http://www.historyonthenet.com/Romans/bath_house.htm


The Celtic people were well aware of the curative powers of the hot springs. In 863BC Prince Bladud supposedly took a dip and had his leprosy cured. He is said to have dedicated the area to the Goddess Minerva.

The Romans arrived in Britain in AD43. They discovered the wonderful thermal springs and established the town of Aquae Sulis, meaning 'Waters of Minerva'. They developed the baths as a scaled down version of the great baths back home. The original plan included heated rooms, steam rooms, baths, swimming pools, a gymnasium, playing field and social rooms for eating and drinking. Around the site was the Temple of Sulis Minerva. The temple was believed to bring good fortune to those who bathed there.

source - http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Burkes-Backyard-Overseas/Roman-Baths-UK/2864

Costumed characters alongside the Great Bath

Model of the Bath Temple Complex

Gorgon's Head from the Temple Pediment

Goddess Sulis Minerva

Bath Abbey



A statue in front of the Bath Abbey

The Bath City Hop On Hop Off Bus

Bath and the Somerset countryside

Jane Austen lived at No 4 in this house