Bath & Northeast Somerset
Pultney Bridge, Bath B
ath is a World Heritage City with the city centre architecture a delight. To
appreciate some of this, walk through Laura Place, or cross Pulteney Bridge, with its small shops, it is not unlike the Ponte Vecchio. Great Pulteney Street houses the Holburne Museum. Bath Abbey is often referred to as the Lantern of the West, as there is more glass than stone in the walls. Te Woods family were largely responsible for the design of the old city, and with their love of trees, it is where the saying, ‘can’t see the woods for the trees’ , was originated.
Bath has something for everyone. Te Bath Postal Museum has the Penny Black. Te Victoria Art Gallery in Bridge Street, is a major venue for touring exhibitions. Te Bath Boating Station in Forester Road, is unique with tea gardens and licensed restaurant, a living museum with traditional wooden skiffs, punts and canoes for hire by the hour or day. Te Roman Baths Museum in the Pump Room is a fascinating place where a three piece orchestra plays daily. Beckford’s Tower and museum stands on the summit of Lansdowne with extensive views from its Belvedere reached by 156 steps. Te Museum of Costume, and Assembly Rooms in Bennett Street, tells the story of fashion
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over the last 400 years. Te American Museum at Claverton has 18 period furnished rooms from 17the century to19th century. Sally Lunn’s Refreshment House and Museum is the oldest house in Bath, and famous for the Sally Bun. Number 1 Royal Crescent provides an opportunity to see how a house in this wonderful crescent might have appeared when it was first built. Te Royal Crescent is popularly regarded as the climax of the Palladian achievement.
Apart from its historical appeal, Bath is a vibrant city with five theatres including the superb Teatre Royal, and six live music venues offering everything from classics to jazz and rock. Te younger generation are catered for with nine night clubs. Horse racing and many other sporting activities take place throughout the year. Bath has eight main parks, most of which are visitor attractions in their own right, especially the National Trust Prior Park.
Six miles south of Bath on the A39 Bath toWells road, are the small villages of Marksbury and Priston, and the Domesday Watermill which has been running continuously for 1,000 years. Priston has its own festival in mid September. Tis area is great horse riding country.
Nearby, Midsomer Valleys nestle between the lovely old city of Bath and the Mendip Hills. Te villages and the valleys boast a few fictional links, particularly to some well-loved nursery rhymes. Jack and Jill are believed to have fallen down a hill in the pretty village of Kilmersdon. In 1999 a medieval well shaft was discovered and is now marked with a plaque. Perhaps this is the well down which the pussy fell in “Ding, Dong, and Bell”. Not too distant, the picturesque village of Mells is dotted with thatched cottages, and this is where “Little Jack Horner” was said to have been the steward to the Bishop of Glastonbury during the reign of Henry VIII. Each spring the village holds a Daffodil Weekend.
During the Black Death plague in 1348, old Holcombe lost most its inhabitants. Te survivors founded the present day village up the hill which is associated with “Ring O Ring O Roses” rhyme. Te father of Scott of the Antarctic is buried in the old churchyard of this village.
Radstock is home to the Radstock Museum where a wide range of exhibits give an insight into much of Radstock’s varied history and geology. Writhlington School is notable for its orchid collection, which has won numerous awards, and houses the largest collection of orchids outside of Kew Gardens. Nestled on the edge of the Mendips Radstock, has access to spectacular routes for both walking and cycling with quiet country lanes and beautiful countryside.
WHAT’S ON 2017 26 May–1 June Bath Fringe Festival Central Bath
27 May–5 Aug Iford Arts Festival The Theatre Royal, Bath 17–18 June Bath Festival of Motoring 26 June–2 Aug Keynsham Music Festival Keynsham Memorial Park 2 July Bike Bath Bath Recreation Ground 8–17 Sept The Jane Austen Festival Central Bath 15–17 Sept Priston Festival Nr Bath 28 Sept–8 Oct Bath Children’s Literature Festival Central Bath
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