It’s time to step into the shoes of the Georgians. ‘Must-see’ areas of Bath have to include the Royal Crescent and The Circus. In the 1700s many of Bath’s narrow medieval streets were replaced with fine Palladian squares, terraces, crescents and pleasure gardens. Famous names of note were architect and town planner John Wood the Elder (1704-1754) and his son John Wood the Younger (1728-1782).
Wood the Elder, having a penchant for Palladian architecture and Bath’s historic roots, and the younger Wood, were responsible for the laying out of Queen’s Square which, in 1830, was visited by the young – later to become Queen – Victoria, who it is said never returned again. They also designed The Circus and Royal Crescent. Recognition of their work in more recent years was said to be, by no other than Sir Bannister Fletcher in his ‘A history of Architecture’, “The most spectacular examples of 18th century urban development.” He added: “References to the Roman past of Bath are evident in The Circus, with its three storeys of paired half-columns, and in the Royal Crescent, unified by a giant order of engaged columns.”
Just as an aside, Sir Bannister Fletcher’s work is a classic reference for those interested in architectural history. How lucky was I to come across a fine copy of this weighty tome in a charity shop. A win win, situation for all. His greatly detailed line drawings are (once seen) highly recognisable and the descriptive detail most interesting. However, back to Bath!
If you take the opportunity to see an aerial view of Bath on-line it will be well worth the effort. Better still – take a balloon ride.
Casting aside for one moment the Woods’ tremendous designs, contributing to the accolade of Bath being a UNESCO site were some of the materials used. In steps businessman Ralph Allen (1693-1764) who, having made his wealth from developing the national network of postal routes (Bath has its own Postal Museum, but not always open), owned the local quarries that supplied the honey-coloured building materials from which many of Bath’s grand houses are constructed. Allen also commissioned the nearby Prior Park with its Palladian mansion, but more about that in a moment.
A keen eye when walking along the Woods’ Royal Crescent will reveal several plaques. Notable residents have included Sir Isaac Pitman of shorthand fame (it served me well over the years); Henry Sandford, a retired businessman and Irish MP described as a ‘gentleman of the most benevolent disposition’ (a phrase not generally used today); and concert conductor Thomas Lindley whose daughter Elizabeth eloped with playwright, poet and one-time owner of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Richard Brinsley Sheriden.
Note should also be made of Elizabeth Montagu’s residence at No 16 (now an hotel) where she hosted ‘blue stocking’ events – a literary discussion group emphasising education and mutual cooperation for men and women. Those blue stockings were not, in fact, belonging to the 18th century ladies, but to botanist Benjamin Stillingfleet who, not dressing for the occasion, turned up in basic blue worsted stockings, and obviously was not allowed to forget it!
Another noteworthy aspect is the view from the Royal Crescent over the Royal Victoria Park opposite. A well-placed ha-ha running parallel to the buildings kept out the riffraff. Even today, this area is private and for residents only.
Unfortunately for Wood the Elder he did not live to see the completion of The Circus (formerly King’s Circus). He died soon after the first stone was laid. It was his son who continued the work that included serpents, acorns and nautical symbols on the buildings’ frontages. The Circus design was said to be based on Stonehenge, with the same diameter. At the time of our visit the central green space was being used for a Sunday afternoon hymn-singing gathering.
If time is of the essence, or legs tire from the continuous uphill-downhill walking, a hop-on, hop-off bus is a quicker way of seeing the town and surroundings (even though the pollution and 15-minute regularity is not popular with the locals). It was by this means that we travelled to Prior Park, now in the hands of the National Trust.
This visit came as a shock since my previous garden history-focused trip five years ago. And it was all down to some little critters, Pacifastacus leniusculus, or the American signal crayfish. The native species (white-clawed Austropotamobius pallipes) have been gradually eradicated by the aggressive and fertile signal species that has a fondness of burrowing into the banks, which opens voids, made larger by flowing water. Consequently, two of the lakes had been drained and almost half of the park was cordoned off while construction works were carried out using heavy machinery. One wonders what Ralph Allen and his contemporaries would have made of it.
Prior Park has suffered over the years. The school on site was once Ralph Allen’s mansion and what a view he would have had, high up overlooking Bath. When creating the garden he consulted Alexander Pope and Lancelot Brown, who carried out the works that incorporated three lakes and a magnificent Palladian Bridge (still spectacular, and one of only four worldwide). When the National Trust took ownership of this historic site in 1996 the garden was in disrepair. Such gardens are an uphill struggle (very much so in this case with its heart-attack climbs), but the custodians are looking to a bright future once the works are completed and restoration to its 18th century ideals are brought back once again.
If strolling is your thing the National Trust has designed a six-mile walk around Bath taking in some fine views and history, otherwise those hop-on, hop-off buses will provide a more relaxing trip through some areas as long as you can duck the overgrown branches from the open top deck, which somewhat restrict the view (usually where it matters most!).
Copyright: Words and photos, Sue Barnard 2022