Beautiful Bath: Day 1

Hey guys!

So my sister and I usually go on a little trip in the UK during the holidays. This Christmas, we headed off to Bath.

After hours of travelling, we saw many beautiful golden Palladian-styled buildings standing side by side. With only a few modern buildings scattered between these (mainly) Georgian beauties, we could tell we had arrived in Bath. Limestone from mines was used to construct the majority of these buildings. The popularity of the city partially stemmed from the spa and social life in the 18th century.

Day 1

We never made it to the hotel as planned. Instead, we stumbled across a beautiful little shop. Walking through the shop, our eyes scattered around at the merchandise. Various Roman oils, gemstones and necklaces begged us to stop but we were determined to not spend too much! Reaching the end of this shop; we walked through a corridor and ended up in front of a connecting archway.

Without reading the sign, my sister went ahead curiously. The lush smell of coffee tuned my eyes onto thick white napkins and silver cutlery glimmering in our direction. We realised we were in an old-fashioned restaurant! We curiously continued on as we spotted the incredible view through the steamy, large window which ran across the side. The baths!

The baths were made accessible to the public in 1897 and are absolutely stunning. ‘In Britain are hot springs adorned with the sumptuous splendour for the use of mortals.’ (Solinus 3rd century AD). People usually used a series of hot baths, with the Great Bath fed by the Sacred Spring as the focus, before cooling down in the ‘Circular bath’, a cold plunge bath!

You can’t bathe in them now (although I have been asked!) but, the baths still supply water to the local community. You are given an opportunity to try water... let’s just say, Edward Jordon (1632) said ‘And I would wish these waters to bee drunk hot as they are, for better penetration, and lesse offence to the stomach’...

Highlights of the baths were:

1. The views

2. Gorgon’s head

3. The mosaic

4. Reconstructed human face

5. Curse tablets

6. Gem stones

1. The views

Green, slightly murky but calming. Little riffles, enclosed within the stone, danced in the water. Steam continually rose up through the cold autumnal air.

2. Gorgon's head

This work of art is thought to have been created by talented sculptors from Gaul in the last first century AD. It is thought to be a Gorgon, a mythical creature killed by the Greek hero Perseus and given to the goddess Athena. Gorgon’s head was placed metres above those who looked at the temple pediment it was on. In the corners are Tritons, a dolphin’s head and an owl. Snakes are also intertwined within the hair. There are many other mysterious beauties to be found in the sculpture too. Can you spot them?

3. The mosaic

Stunning artwork from the Romans, often used as flooring.

4. Reconstructed human face

Archeological finds (bones) were reconstructed to show the face of a Roman man.

5. Curse tablets

People used to write on thin sheets of iron to prayer to the Gods after suffering injustice. E.g. I saw one about theft of Vilibia, probably a woman, suggesting she was a slave. Objects were very valuable to people of the time, as they usually had few personal belongings.

6. Gem stones

Beautiful gem stones which were found in the Roman drain in 1878 and date back to the later first century AD. They are thought to have been lost from rings or thrown in the waters deliberately by a grateful jeweller or gem cutter.

We do have another day to explore Bath but I wanted to share my excitement with you now! Hope you enjoyed.

Yours,

A Wildlife Wonderer xoxo