We couldn’t go to Bath and not visit the Roman Baths and they were well worth it. Going on a bank holiday weekend during the school summer holidays, was always going to be busy, but it was still possible to focus on the surroundings and dip in and out of a very interesting commentary on the (free) audio tour. The integral and very well presented museum gave a real insight into life in Roman times and the construction and significance of the complex of baths, steam rooms and plunge pool and their connection to the adjacent Temple of Sulis Minerva. The Roman remains were apparently discovered in Victorian times during the investigation of hot water leaking into basements in the locality, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Lots more information here: https://canvas-story.bbcrewind.co.uk/sites/rise-and-fall-of-roman-baths/
Please click on a thumbnail for the full picture and to enlarge it.
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- Reflection of the Abbey in the Great Bath.
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- The vent through which hot water from the neighbouring Hot Spring enters the Great Bath.
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- Statues of famous Roman emperors and governers around the balcony surrounding the Great Bath, erected in 1897.
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- Lion overlooking the Great Bath
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- A continuous feed from the Hot Spring to the Great Bath.
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- ‘Ambitious’ tile and mortar roof structures were erected on wooden two frames which were then removed when the mortar had set.
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- Prince Bladud, founder of Bath overseeing the King’s Bath since the 17th century.
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- The Kings Bath overlooked by the Pump Room
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- The Sacred Hot Spring which feeds hot water in to the baths
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- A view of a Bath through an arch
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- A bench on which to relax whilst taking the waters.
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- The underfloor heating system, or hypocaust, in the West Baths.
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- The overflow created by the Romans as part of the design to keep hot water flowing through the Bath complex.
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- A section of the Circular (cold) Bath to mark the end of a session in the steam rooms.