Bubbling through Bath

Cara/Andrea here, battling through power outages here in Connecticut, so sorry for the delay!

In keeping with our recent travel theme, I’m talking today about the city of Bath—which for many of us is a foreign destination, albeit not quite so exotic as Delphi or the Acropolis. It has, however, a rich and fascinating history, with ties to the ancient Romans as well as the native Celtic tribes. So when it came to choosing a setting for Alessandra, my current heroine in To Surrender To A Rogue who is an expert in classical antiquities, I immediately thought of Bath. What more perfect place for a Regency story involving art, romance and a dash of mystery! So let’s take a quick dive into history . . .

According to legend, Bath was founded by Prince Bladud, father of King Lear, who suffered from leprosy. Banished from his realm, he was forced to herd pigs, who also suffered from a skin ailment. However when the animals bathed in the thermal mud and waters they were supposedly cured—as was a grateful Bladud, who established a city on the site.

Its reputation as a powerful healing spot also attracted the invading Romans, who created a magnificent temple and thermal baths in 50 AD dedicated to Sul, a Celtic river goddess and Minerva, the Roman Goddess of healing. They named the city Aqua Sulis (the waters of Sul), and today these Roman constructions are still very much in evidence, serving as a popular tourist attraction. In case you are wondering, the temperature of the water when it comes up from the ground is 116 degrees Farenheit and contains 43 different minerals. The main spring produces approximately 240,000 gallons per day, and astonishingly enough, it still circulates through the original Roman plumbing.

The first monarch of Britain, King Edgar, was crowned in Bath over 1,000 years ago. In the Middle Ages, Bath became a center for making woolen cloth. (Regency readers may recognize the term Bath superfine) The industry declined in later centuries, but the healthful hot springs remained very popular. (In the early 1600s, Anne of Demark, wife of James I came seeking a cure for dropsy.) By the mid-1660s, its mineral water was being bottled and sold around England.

For Georgian and Regency readers, Bath really took shape during the 18th century, when a group of rare talents combined to change the architectural and social landscape of Bath, transforming it into a fashionable watering hole for the rich and famous. Architect John Wood the Elder laid the foundation with his creation of Queen Square and The Circus in the early 1700s. His son, John Wood the Younger then designed the famous Royal Crescent and the original Assembly Rooms. Robert Adam followed with the glorious Pulteney Bridge, named after the first Earl of Bath, in 1774.

According to Matthew Hargraves, in his book Great British Watercolors, Bath has been described as “probably the only holiday resort city designed in good taste.” With its rich, golden limestone, elegantly proportioned buildings and lovely gardens, it exuded style and sophistication. Indeed, the author Tobias Smollett had one of his characters call it “an earthly paradise.”

A big part of its social allure was due to the efforts of the legendary Richard “Beau” Nash. From 1704 through his death in 1762, he served as “Master of Ceremonies” for city, overseeing the Assemblies and establishing the rules of propriety for most all leisure activities. He was, in effect, the arbiter of style, and set the “ton” for proper behavior. (One of his decrees was that all balls should end at 11 pm so that people could get their proper rest.) Under his guidance, Bath flourished.

Like the spas towns of today, Bath during the Regency era attracted a well-heeled crowd looking for both relaxation and entertainment. The Pump Room, where people came to take a glass of the mineral water known as “Bath champagne” was de rigeur for a daily promenade. People came to exchange gossip and to see and be seen. In the evening there were balls, assemblies, card parties, and other activities, such as evening picnics in Sydney Gardens. Though the etiquette was a bit more informal than that of London, there were still plenty of rules governing every little detail of daily life. One of my favorite fashion decrees reads: “That no gentleman in boots or half-boots be admitted into the Ball-Rooms on ball-nights, except Officers of the Navy, or of the Army on duty, in uniform; and then without their swords. Trowsers or coloured pantaloons not to be permitted on any account.”

Countless Regency romances are, of course, set in Bath, beginning with Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. Austen, who lived there from 1801-1806, was not a great fan of the city—she thought it “ a place of vapor, shadow, smoke and confusion.” However, her heroine, Catherine Morland, sees it a little differently: "Here are a variety of amusements, a variety of things to be seen and done all day long, which I can know nothing of there...I really believe I shall always be talking of Bath--I do like it so very much... Oh, who can ever be tired of Bath." Persuasion, one of my personal favorites, is another Austen book that comes to its conclusion amidst the dancing and promenading of the beau monde in Bath. Georgette Heyer was also fond of Bath as a setting for her stories. Regency Buck and Bath Tangle give a delightful glimpse of life in the city.

Have you been to Bath? And have you a favorite novel set in the city? I sheepishly confess that I’ve not yet had a chance to visit, so all my descriptions are based on photographs and eyewitness accounts. I can just imagine how beautiful the honey-colored afternoon light must look drizzling over the limestone. Sigh. It’s on my list for the next visit to England.

And to celebrate the June release of To Surrender To A Rogue, a winner will be chosen at random from those who leave a comment here between now and Wednesday morning to receive a signed copy of the book.

Comments

[Kat]

First I must say I have never visited Bath; however that being said the town intrigues like no other. I recently viewed an Antiques Roadshow set within the Assembly Rooms at Bath. Everything seemed so familiar to me. It amazes me how well authors can describe the settings so accurately in their stories. A visit to bath is on my "bucket list".

[Deb]

Thank you for the post, Cara. I always enjoy learning about historical places. I have never been to Bath nor England. I agree with Kat that some authors do a wonderful job of describing places and it makes you picture them in your head. Congrats on the release of TSTAR!

[Susanna Fraser]

The year I lived in England I was working in Bristol, which is 15 minutes by train from Bath. So I'd often go there for a quick history geek getaway. It's rare to find so much of the past layered together in one spot, and I could spend hours in the Museum of Costume alone.

The first time I was there, when I walked into the Assembly Rooms the guide at the door apologized that one of the rooms was shut off in preparation for a wedding that evening. I said, "You can get MARRIED here?!" The guide instantly started pitching it to me, loading me down with brochures on weddings and events, despite my protestations that I wasn't planning on getting married anytime soon, I was sure we couldn't afford it, I was an American with an American boyfriend I'd only been dating a month, etc. Turns out England had only recently started allowing weddings outside of churches and register offices, and the Assembly Rooms wanted to drum up business.

(I did end up marrying that boyfriend, but in our church in Seattle. The Assembly Rooms would've been memorable, but too few of our relatives could've afforded the trip.)

[Patricia Rice]

I've been to Bath, but only for a few hours on the way to somewhere else. I've always found its history to be fascinating and would really love to spend time there to develop a story in the back of my head... But it doesn't involve dukes or beautiful heroines so it probably needs to stay inside my head. "G"
It takes time, and probably early morning hours, to sit there and peel back the layers of modern civilization to see what Austen saw, but I'd love to give it a try!

[chey]

I have been to Bath. I enjoyed the tour of the city.

[cyclops8]

I've never visited Bath, but I would love to visit the spa and the Jane Austen Center.

[Anne Gracie]

Lovely blog Cara/Andrea. I first fell in love with Bath from Georgette Heyer's novel that are set there or end up there.

I've been to Bath a few times since then, in summer and in winter, and I do understand why Jane Austen would have called it “ a place of vapor, shadow, smoke and confusion.”

In winter in particular, there is a lot of mist in the morning and evening, and with wood and coal fires burning non-stop, it would have added to the smoke and shadow. Add to this the effect of the katabatic air currents (cold air that drifts downward from higher areas) that would tend to pool in the valley, well, I can understand it, even though to this Aussie, even the smoke and fog was magical.

But when the sun burns off the mist and all that beautiful golden stone is revealed — sigh, it's just gorgeous!

[donna ann]

I've not had the pleasure to visit but appreciate the insight you've provided. Hadn't realize what an interesting history it had.

[Chelsea B.]

I've never been, nor do I *think* I've ever read a book that takes place there. I didn't even realize there were so many that did!

[Lyn S]

I love serendipity. Started reading "To Surrender" while waiting for healing waters (OK a prescription of antibiotics), saw the title of this post in my RSS and thought what a coincidence, then found this article about Roman Gladiators found in a dig in York today.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/england/york_and_north_yorkshire/10253483.stm. It all brightened my day. Here's to more unexpected treats (though anything from the Wenches is always a treat).

[maryjoputney]

**The main spring produces approximately 240,000 gallons per day, and astonishingly enough, it still circulates through the original Roman plumbing.**

Those Roman engineer dudes really knew how to BUILD! I'm been to Bath, though just a brief stroll around, and it really is as beautiful as its reputation. IIRC, those hills are steep, too! Walking about Bath would keep one fit.

[Andrea Penrose]

Apologies all for being missing in action today. A storm knocked out power in the area and my phone and internet were down for nearly 24 hours. But am back on line, huzzah!

Kat, I wish I had seen the "Roadshow." Sounds like a fabulous episode.

And Deb, thanks so much for the congrats on the book. I hope I do Bath justice in its pages.

[Andrea Penrose]

Lovely description of the mists and sunlight, Anne. makes me even more eager to get there soon!

[Andrea Penrose]

Lyn S, I hope you are feeling better! Thanks so much for the link to the Roman gladiators—I love how these new discoveries keep coming to light!

Hope you enjoy TSTAR!

[Andrea Penrose]

LOL, Mary Jo. Maybe we should send a contingent of Roman engineers to the Gulf to work on the plumbing problem!

[Jenny]

I first visited Bath summer 1970 with two friends. We stayed in the Bath Youth Hostel which was at the TOP of a hill (everything seems to be at the top of a hill in Bath). We went exploring and could see this castle way up on a hill and decided to climb to it. We tramped through medows of buttercups, past a number of kitchen windows where the owners gawked at us, and finally reached our castle, which turned out to be a folley! We had a wonderful day, me from Australia and my two Canadian friends.

[Andrea Penrose]

Jenny, that sounds lovely! Spur-off-the-moment explorations, where you stray off the beaten path, are what makes travel so memorable.

[theo]

The first real descriptions I can remember reading were Anne's in Perfect Rake. Till that time, Bath was a place that I'd only heard about in passing.

I'd love to go some day. Then again, I'd love to live in England or Scotland some day. So much history to be walked through.

[CrystalGB]

Hi Cara. Great post. Bath sounds amazing. I have never been there. I love the cover to your book. It sounds wonderful.

[Andrea Penrose]

Theo, I'll be housemates with you for that stay in England and Scotland! I'd love to live there for a time too.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thanks, CrystalGB—so glad you like the cover.

[Ranurgis]

I was lucky enough to be able to take a tour through England and Scotland during a 10-year stay in Europe. Though I wasn't able to see as much of Bath as I would have liked to--if I saw the Assembly Rooms, I've forgotten them--we did see the baths, and being used to spa water, I drank some of it. Not the tastiest but not the worst either. I loved the architecture of the city: the wonderful abbey, the famous Royal Crescent and the whole layout of the city. I loved the whole place and my biggest regret was that we had so little time there.

However, I did take the time to do one thing on my own: I had found out that General Wolfe, he of the Battle for Quebec City in 1759 had been born there. So I searched the streets behind the Abbey and found a house with a plaque commemorating it. I was particularly interested in him since I had attended a school named for him. Oddly enough, at about the same time as I was in Bath, my sister went to a school named for his French adversary, General le Marquis de Montcalm. I never did get to see his hometown.

Bath is well worth a trip and there are so many other interesting places in the surrounding area. I hope you all get a chance to go some time.

[Elizabeth Hawksley]

I set my novel The Hartfield Inheritance in Bath and went up for the day plus camera, notebook and watch to do some research.

Bath is on a steep hill. I swiftly realized that, far from my heroine being able to get from the Pump Room to the Assembly Rooms within minutes, it would be a twenty minute slog uphill.

I spent most of the day, watch in hand, walking between the various locations I wanted to use to see how long it took. I got back home that evening (London) exhausted but much fitter!

[Andrea Penrose]

What a great story, Ranurgis. Thanks for sharing.

[Andrea Penrose]

Elizabeth, that's interesting to know . . . I had heard of the hills, but hadn't realized the streets were quite so steep . Sigh. Certain things really need "boots on the ground" to get the full appreciation. The internet is all very well, but I wish I could visit every place I write about.

[Lauren]

Great post. I just visited Bath for the first time last month. It was brillant. I knew it's Georgian history but was surprised by the extent of the Roman ruins.

[Sharon]

Another example of why I love this blog, and Historical Romance in general. I love learning things while I'm enjoying the story, which you have once again demonstrated wonderfully. Thanks!

[Andrea Penrose]

I'm envious, Lauren. I may get to England in August, and Bath will definitely have to be a stop!

[Andrea Penrose]

That's so nice of you, Sharon. I'm so glad you enjoy the Wenches and all the research we put into our stories. As you can tell, we truly do love history!

[runner10]

Informative post.
I have never been to Bath.
Sounds beautiful.
I would love to read Cara's book.

[theo]

Cara, you have a deal! Because with the way my family has been lately, I'm certainly not taking them! So I'll have the room :o)

*sigh*

[Andrea Penrose]

LOL, Theo! Let's back our bags. And leave family to do the dishes and take out the trash.

[Nicola Cornick]

What a super post! You've made me very keen to visit Bath again, Cara/Andrea. I volunteer to be your tour guide!

I believe Bath is built on seven hills, like Rome. It certainly feels like that when you are slogging up them, as Elizabeth mentioned! I've always been intrigued as to why Jane Austen didn't like Bath. It would have been fascinating to see the city through her eyes. I think it one of the most beautiful places I know - and the retail therapy is as good as the history!

[Andrea Penrose]

Nicola, I would love to tour Bath with you! I may be able to wangle a trip to England in August.

I was surprised to discover that Jane didn't like Bath. Seeing as she enjoyed a party and dancing, (as well as observing people) I would have thought she'd find it stimulating. What a pity so many of her letters to Cassandra were destroyed.

[Kim in Hawaii]

Aloha, Cara! Great post about Bath. I have flow in/out of Bristol to see Roman Ruins in Wales, Devon, and Cornwall, but never stopped in Bath. I know it is the Mecca of Jane Austen and Regency Romance, so it remains on my "To Be Visited" list!