Bristol & Bath January 2006

y parents came over to Bristol for a short weekend during January, and we made a day trip to Bath, we did all the usual things, and the standard bar and pub thing as well as a couple of eateries; basically the regular kinda thoroughfare... so here are the photos.

Bath Abbey

Anne at Pultney Bridge

The Wear

Bath is a spectacularly beautiful city which stands on the River Avon among the hills of England’s West Country. The city’s compactness and striking architecture - Roman baths and sweeping Georgian terraces - combine to produce one of the most elegant sights in Europe. The ancient Celts, who first inhabited this area, believed that Bath’s hot springs were sacred, but it was the Romans who built the temple and the famous baths - now restored to their original grandeur

In the early eighteenth century, under the direction of the socialite, Beau Nash, Bath became England’s premier spa town, where the rich and celebrated members of fashionable society gathered to ‘take the waters’ and enjoy the town’s theatres and concert rooms. During this period the renowned architect, John Wood, laid the foundations for a new Georgian city to be built using the honey-coloured stone that gives Bath its mellow and indefinable quality

However, Bath is far from being a fossilised museum piece. Besides the annual Bath Festival - now recognised as one of the most prestigious in Europe - there are countless other Arts activities spread over the year. Art is permanently on show at the Victoria Art Gallery, at the University-run Holburne Museum and at many other, more intimate, galleries and shops. Bath is also home to museums of East Asian Art and Costume

Edwin and Anne at the Roman Baths

Bath Abbey

Begun in 1499, Bath Abbey is the last of the great medieval churches of England. The West Front is unique. It depicts the dream that inspired the Abbey's founder, Bishop Oliver King, to pull down the ruined Norman cathedral and raise the present building on its foundations. Over the past twelve and a half centuries, three different churches have occupied the site of today’s abbey: An Anglo-Saxon Abbey Church dating from 757, pulled down by the Norman conquerors of England soon after 1066. A massive Norman cathedral begun about 1090. It was larger than the monastery could afford to maintain and by the end of the 15th century was in ruins. The present Abbey church founded in 1499, ruined after the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 by order of Henry VIII. Worship has taken place on the site of today's Abbey for over one thousand years. However, first and foremost it is home to a thriving family of believers, a mixture of beautiful buildings and modern activity. Coach drop off at Orange Grove. Chaplains available pm. Prayer chapel available

Signs

A bit cheeky!!!

Guildhall

The Guildhall is magnificent, with its royal portraits and crystal chandeliers. The Georgian interior of the Banqueting Room is possibly the finest in Bath

A couple of beers in the Saracens Head whilst watching the footie

Granny chairs...

Old Town

Bath Aqua Theatre of Glass

Enjoy the ancient skills of the glassblowers and stained glass artists, in this unique working museum, in the heart of the artisan quarter of Bath. Bath Aqua Glass is coloured by adding Copper Oxide to molten glass, creating beautiful aquamarine colour, reminiscent of the Spa waters, which contain Copper that taint the waters a green hue

Britain's finest Georgian city is brimming with things to do and see. With around 5,000 buildings 'listed' because of their architectural merit, a wander around Bath reveals a treasure trove of interest and fascination. The city boasts a remarkable range of museums, galleries and exhibitions covering almost every subject under the sun - why not walk where the Romans walked at the Roman Baths, see a birds-eye view of the city's golden terraces and green countryside from Beckford's Tower, discover Bath's most famous resident, Jane Austen at The Jane Austen Centre, watch a demonstration of Bath's unique Aqua Glass being hand-blown at The Bath Aqua Theatre of Glass or enjoy a meal at the oldest house in Bath, Sally Lunn's Refreshment House and Museum. For a full list of all the attractions in Bath please use the search facility on the right. When it comes to shopping, it's a case of quantity and quality. Bath has more - and better - shops than a city ten times its size. It's a shoppers paradise - in addition to all the familiar names and big stores there's a fabulous choice of smaller specialist and independent shops...all wrapped up in a compact, visitor-friendly centre that's a delight to explore