Bath Area

This description of Bath has the following headings: Introduction, Landscape, Bath, Bristol, Market Towns and Villages.

Introduction

Bath has attracted multitudes of visitors for two thousand years since the Romans discovered the benefits of its hot springs, unique to their colony of Britannia. But Bath’s attraction has always extended beyond its spa to its central place in a region of exceptional interest. In every sense it is an unusually and highly favoured region. It has a pleasant climate, thanks to its sheltered position. It is blessed with an exceptionally varied and attractive landscape, natural and man-made. And it offers visitors much to attract their attention.

From the early Middle Ages to the mid-19th century, these sheltered river valleys were the centre of Britain’s cloth trade. The Avon and its tributaries provided the power, the hills provided the wool. Except for London, it was the richest part of Britain. After the collapse of the cloth trade, it reverted to agriculture and was by- passed by the smoke- stack industry which spread over much of Britain. The legacy of the cloth trade is the unequalled number of delightful market towns and villages which lie within easy reach of Bath.

In Roman times, and well into the Middle Ages, Bath was the first point upstream on the Avon where the river could be bridged. Until the later Middle Ages Bath was also a major port, serving its prosperous interior. But, as the lower Avon silted up and ships became bigger, downstream Bristol gradually became the region’s primary gateway.

Bristol had always been a major trading port. In Roman times the main trade was the export of British slaves to the Mediterranean. In Saxon times its main trade was still with Europe, Wessex wool and grain being traded for wine, pottery and metal ware. By Elizabethan times its trade involved the export of cloth. In Georgian times Bristol’s trade had taken the triangular form of British merchandise to West Africa, slaves from West Africa to the New World, and raw materials such as cotton and tobacco back from America to Bristol. From this time Bristol developed into the major city it is today.

Economically, the Bath area is dominated by the city of Bristol which has grown thanks to its strategic position where the Avon meets the Severn estuary. But the region’s tourism capital is the much smaller city of Bath.

Landscapes

The Mendips

The Mendip Hills begin only a little over 10 miles south of Bath. They have been designated as one of the 41 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in England and Wales. This consists of a limestone landscape that offers an open windswept plateau, wooded combes, steeply cut gorges and flower rich valleys. Also included are two National Nature Reserves, the famous Cheddar Gorge and the Wookey Hole Caves.

The Mendips' most dramatic landscape is in the centre of the AONB. The hills rise to a high, bare plateau around Priddy and Charterhouse, criss-crossed by dry stone walls and rich in ancient Bronze, Iron Age, Roman and medieval field monuments Traditionally this is sheep farming country and the ancient Priddy Sheep Fair still takes place. Other areas of the AONB are well-wooded with a prosperous farmland fringe.

The Mendips are home to a wide range of outdoor leisure activities The hills offer walks through wooded country, steep side valleys and the hill tops that offer views towards the Bristol Channel and over the Somerset levels, among them the Mendip Way and a series of other walks. Quiet country lanes, are a feature of the area, and cycling through is also popular. Then there is caving, an activity that is so much associated with limestone country. The variety of fauna and flora, the charming villages and the welcome in the pubs add to the area’s appeal.

And, when the visitor is ready for attractions of a different sort, the beautiful cathedral city of Wells and the city of myths and legends, Glastonbury are both close by and Bath is not much more that 10 miles away

Market Towns and Villages

The importance of its past cloth industry is evident in the large number of market towns and villages in this compact area. We have picked out those of particular interest to the visitor from abroad: Bradford- on-Avon, Calne, Chippenham, Corsham, Frome, Glastonbury, Malmesbury and Wells. For quick facts on each, click on the individual sites. Except for Glastonbury and Wells, all these small towns lie in the northern half of the area, in river valleys, and were once thriving cloth centres. Glastonbury and Wells lie further south, at the foot of the Mendip Hills, and are special for their religious history. Glastonbury is said to be the first Christian site in Britain, founded in the Roman era. Nearby Wells was founded by King Ine, first King of Wessex, in the late 7th century, to demonstrate his political power and religious conviction. The region boasts over a score of villages of special interest. Details of our top ten are below: Badminton, Castle Combe, Chew Magna, Edington, Lacock, Marshfield, Norton St Philip, Nunney, Steeple Ashton and Wedmore.

More detailed information on all these towns and villages can often be found on their own websites. For those preferring print, we recommend the following four publications (produced for the AA - the Automobile Association): Treasures of Britain; the AA Illustrated Guide to Britain; the AA Book of British Villages; and the Ordnance Survey Leisure Guide to Wessex.

Bath

Bath is often described as the best preserved and most beautiful 18th century city in Britain – or the world. And so it is. But its more than that. As its name suggests, its sustained popularity over two millennia has been based on the comforts offered by its hot springs. In the 10th century it acquired new significance as the place selected by the Kings of Wessex to mark their final victory over the kings of Mercia. In 973 the west Saxon ruler Edgar, the first King of England, chose to be crowned in Bath. This brought to an end the long period of neglect suffered by Bath while it remained the hard fought boundary between the two most powerful kingdoms in Saxon Britain. Edgar’s coronation was immediately followed by the building of its first Abbey and its consequent recovery, based on early control of the region’s cloth trade. By the 17th century this role had been taken over by Bristol. Bath had fallen into serious decline. But local entrepreneurs then re- invented the town, transforming Bath into a pleasure resort for Britain’s Georgian elite.

By the early 19th century the elite had moved on and the town re- invented itself again as the favourite retirement place for Britain’s wealthy middle class. Much of Bath’s Georgian architecture was erected in this post- Georgian period. More recently, the town has successfully reinvented itself yet again as a tourist centre, offering not only its past but its present choice, unrivalled in any town of only 100,000 inhabitants, of hotels, restaurants, museums, theatres and shops of every sort. The main historic attractions can be quickly listed: the Roman baths; the late medieval Abbey and its internal monuments; the Georgian Pump Room and the Assembly Rooms (now housing the world’s largest collection of costume); the Royal Crescent (No. 1 is preserved as an example of interior Georgian design), the Circus and Queen Square; and Bath’s answer to the Ponte Vecchio, the Pulteney Bridge. But in the case of Bath, the whole is greater than the sum of these parts. Bath’s past has created a unique environment for enjoying the present.

Bristol

Although overshadowed as a tourist centre by Bath, the sprawling cosmopolitan city of Bristol has much to interest the visitor. Its most exciting single feature is its old harbour, transformed since its main shipping use moved downstream to the docks of Avonmouth. Severe war damage, and ill planned postwar development, robbed the town of much of its historical interest. Among important early features to escape were the splendid cathedral (the 12c chapter house is particularly fine) and its college green; the abbey church; the church of St Mark (well endowed by city merchants) and the 13c church of St Mary Radcliffe (among the largest in Britain).

The 18th century is best represented by the upmarket Georgian residential district of Clifton; and the 19th century by Brunel’s three masterpieces: the Clifton suspension bridge and its newly opened interpretation centre; the Temple Mead railway station (recently transformed into a museum of the British empire); and the SS “The Great Britain”. Brunel’s transatlantic liner finally returned to the actual dock where it had built in 1843. It was then carefully restored. It has now just been completely re- furbished in time for the 2006 holiday season. Two other major waterfront attractions to be uplifted are the Arnolfini gallery and the interactive Harbourside complex.

E-mail
Website

Market Towns

Bradford-on- Avon (5m/8k SE of Bath)

Often described as “mini- Bath”, Bradford-on-Avon clings to the banks of the Avon as it enters the limestone hills on its way to Bath. The town is famed for its late 10th century Saxon church, considered the oldest and best preserved in Britain, and for its huge 14th century Tithe barn. It is famed not only for other monuments, but also for its unspoilt Georgian townscape. Unlike Bath, these 18th century buildings commemorate Bradford’s history as a working town devoted to the manufacture of cloth. Terraces of weavers cottages, and grand mansions built for wealthy clothiers, are concentrated in the steeply shelving lower slopes of the town. It is worth clambering up the town’s narrow alleys to admire the view of the town below, the fertile Avon valley beyond, and the white horse cut into the chalk hills on the distant horizon. This is no mere outdoor museum. Its visual quality has attracted a wide range of antique dealers, speciality shops, restaurants and pubs.

Calne (15m/24k NE of Bath)

Another old cloth town occupying a key historic site where a major branch of the Avon river met the old stage-coach highway from London to Bath. Although less spectacular than Bradford, it retains the special atmosphere of a market town. Particularly attractive are the Georgian buildings around the Green. Its oldest pub, the Lansdowne Arms, goes back to the Middle Ages, its name honouring the Lansdowne family whose splendid seat, Bowood, lies just outside the town. Bowood is admired for its 1,000-acre park, open to the public, including its rhododendron garden (May- June). To the east of the town and within minutes on foot lie the North Wessex Downs which offer superb hill- top views and walks.

Chippenham (10m/16k NE of Bath)

At first sight Chippenham might appear to have little to attract the visitor. In the 19th century it expanded out of recognition as an important rail junction. More recently it has been designated as a centre for economic growth and is now undergoing further rapid expansion. But in the old heart of the town there is plenty to see, much going back to the 15th century or earlier: good examples are the twin-gabled town hall (now the museum); the Hungerford Chapel (within the parish church); and the medieval 20-arch bridge spanning the Avon. On the outskirts of the town is a remarkable oddity: a four-mile 17th century stone causeway built to allow pedestrians to keep their feet dry.

Corsham (8m/12k NE of Bath)

Yet another ancient weaving town, complete with cobbled streets, Flemish- gabled weavers’ cottages, pedimented alms-houses, and old school (with original 17th century seating and master’s desk). The town’s highlight is Corsham Court, seat of the Methuen family. The splendid mansion (renowned in particular for its fine collection of old masters) and its park (another example of Capability Brown’s genius) are both open to the public. On the edge of the town is a district famous for another reason: it was the home of a certain Moses Pickwick whose coach carried Charles Dickens on his journeys between London and Bath. Beneath the town lies a honeycomb of caverns and tunnels that were originally excavated to remove stone. In World War Two and during the Cold War several were used for military purposes. Some are now being re-opened for public viewing.

Frome (10m/16k S of Bath)

The town grew where the southern tributary of the Avon cut through an outlier of the Mendip Hills to the west. The Frome river generated the water power for what became in the 17th century one of the region’s most important weaving towns, with a population rivalling that of Bath. After a period of economic decline the town is now enjoying recovery, with busy restoration of many buildings from its golden age. Cheap Street and its rushing open conduit is particularly picturesque. Other examples: Catherine Hill and its maze of narrow streets; Sheppard’s Barton and its complete street of 18th century weavers cottages; and the expertly reclaimed artisans district known as Trinity. Frome has another claim to fame: it is the market town serving the nearby Longleat estate. Longleat House is the present home of the Marquess of Bath and the seat of the Thynne family since the Elizabethan age. It was the first historic home in Britain to open its doors to the public.

Glastonbury (22/35k SW of Bath)

Marking the southern boundary of the Bath Region, Glastonbury occupies a very special place in the history of Wessex. The first Christian church in Britain was established here during the Roman period, on the site of a natural spring that was soon recognised as a sacred well. It is the centre of Arthurian legend, where the sword Excalibur is said to have been thrown into the lake of Avalon and where King Arthur and Queen Guinevere is reputed to be buried. Once the Saxon King Ine took control over this central part of Somerset, in the late 7th century, he converted its little church into the now ruined Abbey which has ever since been a centre for pilgrimage, its following at times exceeding that of Canterbury. The richly decorated stone frontage of the 15th century George & Pilgrims Hotel includes the arms of the Abbey and of King Edward IV. The court house, known as the Tribunal, contains relics of the nearby Iron Age lake- village of Meare; among many artefacts rescued from the peat is a dug- out canoe and the hub of a cart-wheel.

Malmesbury (18m/30k NE of Bath)

Occupying a spectacular site, high above a sharp bend on the Avon River, Malmesbury’s strong defensive position played an important medieval political role. In the late 7th century, once King Ine had consolidated his position as ruler of Wessex, he transformed its Benedictine monastery into an Abbey and started to develop Malmesbury into a cultural centre to rival the great Abbeys of the northern kingdom of Northumbria. It duly became the first town in England to be recognised officially as a borough. Today’s Abbey is Norman – it is particularly noted for the fine Romanesque sculpture on its west porch -- but it contains interesting relics of the the 7th century and of is first Abbot, the great Saxon scholar Saint Aldhelm. Adjacent to the abbey are five acres of privately run Abbey House Gardens, widely acclaimed for their extensive display of roses and for their ingenious floral presentation. The Abbey is still the centre of an exceptionally well preserved medieval market town, a striking example being the 15th century stone market cross by the entrance to the Abbey.

Wells (18m/30k S of Bath)

In the late 7th century King Ine created a new town only a few miles away from Glastonbury and named it Wells. He built its first cathedral and appointed its first bishop to confirm the power of Wessex. He named his new town after the spring that still bubbles up in the grounds of the bishop’s palace. Wells quickly developed into the main local market town. Its prime attraction remains the cathedral, famed for its magnificent west front, with some 350 carved stone figures, for its architectural interest, for its medieval clock, and for its serene precinct, lined with the medieval houses and offices of cathedral dignatories. The powerful influence of the church always inhibited industrial and commercial development. As a result the market square and the surrounding streets have successfully retained their medieval character, a prime example being the unspoilt 14th century Vicars Close. A mile or two to the north are the remarkable limestone caves of Wookey Hole which have attracted tourists since the 15th century. Its museum is well worth a visit.

Villages

Badminton (10m/16k N of Bath)

A pair of adjacent villages belong to the Badminton estate, ancestral home of the Dukes of Beaufort. Great Badminton has a fine set of estate cottages and houses, including almshouses, in distinctive Beaufort style. Little Badminton is a traditional Cotswold village with thatched cottages and farm buildings clustered around the village green, complete with dovecote. The Ducal chapel traces back to the 12th century. Badminton House dates back to the 17th century. Badminton Park is considered to be birth-place of fox hunting. It is still the venue for the annual Horse Trials, a three- day event every April.

Biddestone (8m/13k NE of Bath)

A classic country village with village green, pond and pub, surrounded by neatly kept stone cottages. A perfect place to halt and sample the local real ales.

Burrington (15m/22k W of Bath)

Nestling at the foot of spectacular Burrington Combe – a steep ravine running northward down from the Mendip Hills – the stone cottages and bright gardens of the village cluster round the interesting 15th century church of Holy Trinity. The ramparts of Dolebury Warren, an Iron Age fort, lie two miles west of the village.

Castle Combe (8m/13k NE of Bath)

Said to be Britain’s most photogaphed small village, Castle Combe has little changed since the day when it was an important centre for making cloth. Its fast flowing stream, the Bybrook, is lined on both sides by immaculately preserved honey-coloured 17th century stone cottages. Conscious of the village’s reputation, proud owners vie over flowers and gardens. Special features include the triple-arch bridge across the stream, the 15th century stone cross (marking the site of the old wool market) and the 15th century church (with a 13th century chancel wall). To prevent congestion, only residents cars are permitted in the village, visitors being expected to arrive on foot from the car park above the village.

Edington (13m/21k SE of Bath)

At first sight, the quiet unspoilt village of Edington, on the north- west escarpment of Salisbury Plain, might seem to offer little of special interest to the visitor from abroad. But the noble 14th century church, standing just outside the village, is alone well worth a visit. High above the village, on the edge of the down, are the massive ramparts of Bratton Camp, a prehistoric fort. Close by is one of best preserved of Wiltshire’s chalk-cut white horses. The hill top also attracts kite fliers and para- gliders. Historians reflect that this was the site where in 878 King Alfred finally defeated the Vikings, thus firmly establishing the House of Wessex on England’s throne.

Lacock (10m/16k W of Bath)

Rivalling Castle Combe for its appeal to photographers, the village of Lacock also has the distinction of being entirely owned by the National Trust. This has effectively ruled out any unsympathetic development that could have spoilt its extraordinary beauty and character. Although it has medieval touches, today’s Lacock essentially belongs to the golden age of the cloth trade from the 15th to the 18th century. The medieval Abbey was converted in Elizabethan days to a private mansion, now famous for where photography was invented. Its oriel window was the subject of the world’s first photograph. The National Trust has expertly converted an adjacent 16th century barn into a museum of photography. Other special features are the tithe barn and the lock-up. National Trust care has also secured the preservation of the village’s pubs; most striking is the unspoilt 15th century “Sign of the Angel”.

Marshfield (7m/10k N of Bath)

One of the few Cotswold stone villages in the region owing its life not to wool but to grain, Marshfield developed as a centre for providing wheat and barley to rapidly expanding 18th century Bath. The local community soon realised that money was to be made turning barley into malt. Today’s main attraction comprises the malthouses, malstster’s mansions and workers’ cottages that were built to serve this trade. Just outside the village is a road-side set of three large stones; these mark the junction of three Wessex counties -- Gloucestershire, Somersetshire and Wiltshire – as originally laid out by King Ine in the 7th century.

Norton St Philip (6m/10k S of Bath)

The 14th century George Inn was originally well known to wool traders for its regular wool market. Its premises were largely devoted to the storage of wool. Today it is popular for its reputation – it might well be the oldest pub in England -- and for its atmosphere. It has changed little over the past six hundred years. Another reminder of the 14th century takes the form of nearby Farleigh Hungerford Castle, now well preserved and presented by English Heritage. A curious feature of the village is the school’s extravagantly Victorian Gothick design.

Priddy (15m/25k SW of Bath)

High on the windswept Mendip Hills is the grey- stone village of Priddy. This has long been sheep country. Even earlier it was a centre for lead mining. Sheep still rule here. The village green, notable for its stack of sheep hurdles, is the venue for the annual late- August Sheep Fair. Its small church, set in a huge church-yard, has many items of interest from Norman and Elizabethan periods. Priddy today draws a stready stream of walkers, attracted particularly by the Ebbor Gorge, by the Deer’s Leap, and by the fine views over the surrounding countryside. For the fit it is also within walking distance of the spectacular lime- stone rock formations and caves of Cheddar and Wookey. Information on walks is readily available, together with Somerset cider, at the New Inn.

Wedmore (20m/33k SW of Bath).

Stone masons from nearby Wells carved the elaborate doorway for the 12th century church that is also well known for its unusual murals and its oak benches. The attention then given to the church probably commemorates an earlier local event of AD878, the Peace of Wedmore. This marked King Alfred’s final defeat of the Vikings. The village has a remarkable setting. It is surrounded by the marshland of Sedge Moor. Its elegant Georgian and Victorian houses speak both of the conversion of marsh into meadow and orchard, and of prolonged production of cheese and cider.

 

move to top

 

World Heritage Sites of Wessex

 

These details were last updated on
26 AUG 2007