Bath Highlights

The City of Bath

Fun fact time with Carrie: did you know that Jane Austen lived in Bath for 5 years? I didn't either until after we visited the Jane Austen Centre. So naturally the city and it's typical inhabitants found their way into her books. I will relate our time in Bath using a commentary between the main characters in Austen's novel Northanger Abbey, Mr. Tilney and Catherine Morland. 

"Have you been long in Bath?"

"About a week, sir."

Well, we only stayed three days; much shorter than the suggested 6 weeks in those times. On our first day, we took a free walking tour. On the tour, we learned why Bath was such an important town. Like its name implies, Bath exists because of its collection of hot springs and pools. These pools are filled with loads of minerals, which provides a great environment for healing. The Romans used it mostly for bathing but people from all across Europe traveled here as well to be cured from rheumatism and other illnesses. After the Saxons and Normans took over Britain, Bath fell out of the popular eye. Then, when Queen Mary was "cured" of infertility in 1687, the town regained its popularity. With the help of a young architect John Wood, who designed the Circus and the Royal Crescent, and engaging Master of Ceremonies Beau Nash, Bath became a place for the rich and fashionable.

"Were you never here before?"

"Never, sir."

"Have you yet honoured the Upper Rooms?"

"Yes, sir, I was there last Monday."

We visited the Upper Rooms twice actually - on Monday during our free walking tour, and again on Tuesday for good measure. The "Upper Rooms," or Assembly Rooms, were where the Victorians spent their evenings; the men drank and played cards, the women sat around and gossiped, and the young people danced and flirted. It was thrilling to stand in the very Rooms where real life Austen-like characters danced and chatted 200 years ago. 

"Have you been to the theatre?"

"Yes, sir, I was at the play on Tuesday."

We didn't make it to a play, per se... We did find some time to play though! At the end of our first day, we took a walk through Victoria Park. And what do you think we found? A super-playground!

We spent quite a bit of time here, and became quite jealous of the awesome play area these kids have.

"To the concert?"

"Yes, sir, on Wednesday."

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we walked by a busker of some sort - opera singers, indie rock bands and solo guitarists. The type of busker really impacted how long we stayed or how fast we fled from the many shopping areas.

"And are you altogether pleased with Bath?"

"Yes - I like it very well."

We liked Bath even better when we saw Bessie on the River Avon, which flows next to the town. Since she avoided James Herriot's assisstance back in Thirsk, she thought a dip in the Roman Baths would help her recover more quickly.

Day Trip to Salisbury

On our last day in Bath, we decided to leave the city behind and jump back into history...thousands of years of history. We took the Stonehenge Tours to Stonehenge (go figure, right?), Old Sarum, and Salisbury Cathedral.

From the time spanning 3,000-1,500 BC, Stonehenge was constructed. It was used as a burial ground and still is an accurate calendar. In fact, during the summer solstice, the sun rays will line with cast a direct shawdow from the heel stone to the altar stone in the middle of the circle. Also, literally thousands of people in tents and caravans will be there to witness it.

We traveled a little further forward in time to 500 BC to the settlement of Old Sarum. This was the original location of the present town of Salisbury. It has seen Bronze Age people, Romans, Saxons, and Normans. In 1220 AD, conflict between the church and the castle over water rights (the town was on top of a hill) opened the opportunity for the start of a new town, now Salisbury.

The monks from Old Sarum moved to this new location (right next to the Avon River) and began building their new cathedral. Thirty-eight years later, construction was finished. Remember the York Minster from a previous post? It took 250 years to complete that and most every other big cathedral in Europe. What was so special about the Salisbury Cathedral? 

Three things actually. Firstly, the foundation is only four feet deep. WHAT?! Yep, the cathedral was built on sediment that was contracted and compressed by water, which created a natural foundation. Secondly, the monks also leased out lodgings and shop spaces in the newly forming town. The rents from these leases provided a steady flow of income, ensuring that construction could continue quickly. Thirdly, the cathedral did not have to be rebuilt. Its structure has remained intact, with some support arches here and there, even through the bombings of World War II. The cathedral's spire, the tallest in England, was actually used by the Nazi pilots as a point of reference and were therefore expressly banned from bombing the cathedral or the city.