Historic Sites
A Guide to Bath

Historic Sites

Discover the rich history in Bath by visiting our historical sites.

Roman Baths

Visit the heart of the World Heritage Site. Around Britain’s only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water. See the water’s source and walk where Romans walked on the ancient stone pavements around the steaming pool. The extensive ruins and treasures from the spring are beautifully preserved and presented using the best of modern interpretation.

Pulteney Bridge

Pulteney Bridge, together with the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, is one of the world’s most beautiful bridges. Like the Ponte Vecchio it is one of a handful of historic bridges in the world with shops built into it. Built for William Pulteney by Robert Adams, the bridge was an attempt to connect central Bath to land on the other bank of the River Avon and make Pulteney’s fortune. In spite of its practical origins it is surely the most romantic bridge in the world, best viewed from Parade Gardens park by the crescent weir.

The Royal Crescent

The Royal Crescent, one of Bath’s most iconic landmarks, was built between 1767 and 1775 and designed by John Wood the Younger. This impressive landmark forms a sweeping crescent of 30 Grade I Listed terrace houses, and is without doubt one of the greatest examples of Georgian architecture anywhere in the UK.

No.1 Royal Crescent

No.1 Royal Crescent is a magnificently restored Georgian town house that creates a wonderfully vital picture of life in Georgian Bath. Built between 1767 – 1774 to the designs of the architect John Wood the Younger, the Royal Crescent is justly considered one of the finest achievements of 18th century urban architecture and represents the highest point of Palladian architecture in Bath.

The Circus

Alongside the iconic Royal Crescent, Bath also features another impressively rounded landmark: The Circus. Originally known as The King’s Circus, this remarkable sight consists of three curved segments of Grade I listed townhouses, arranged in a circular shape. The striking attraction was designed by John Wood the Elder.

The Pump Room

With its grand columns, magnificent interior and ornate decoration, The Pump Room truly embodies what was once the heart of the Georgian social scene, when high society flocked here to take the water.

The Bath Abbey

There is nowhere else quite like Bath Abbey. Magnificent stained glass windows, columns of honey-gold stone and some of the finest fan vaulting in the world, create an extraordinary experience of light and space. But there is more to it than that. There has been a place of Christian worship on this site for over 1,200 years and the Abbey remains very much a living church today with services taking place throughout the entire week.

The Cleveland Pools

Hidden away in Bathwick, on the banks of the River Avon, is the country’s only surviving Georgian lido. Built in 1815 in the shape of a small crescent, it was one of the earliest examples of a ‘Subscription Pool’ – built with private money for public use.

Jane Austen Centre

Celebrating Bath’s most famous resident, The Jane Austen Centre offers a snapshot of life during Regency times and explores how living in this magnificent city affected Jane Austen’s life and writing.

Prior Park Bath

Beautiful and intimate 18th-century landscape garden. One of only four Palladian bridges of this design in the world can be crossed at Prior Park, which was created in the 18th century by local entrepreneur Ralph Allen, with advice from ‘Capability’ Brown and the poet Alexander Pope.

Share by: