A trip to Bath would not be complete without a visit to the famous Roman Baths. Compared to the interior, the entrance to the Baths is quite unassuming, but stepping inside reveals an Aladdin’s cave. Archaeologists have been studying and recording the site since at least the 1700s.
It was the Romans who ‘tamed’ the hot springs formed by water falling as rain on the Mendip Hills which then percolated through limestone to a depth reaching 4,300 metres. During this process natural heat boosted the water temperature up to 96 degrees Centigrade. The hot water then rose to burst through the land surface as hot springs… and it still does.
The Romans considered the springs were sacred to the Goddess Sulis. Baths and a Temple (of Sulis Minerva) were constructed (circa AD75), and the resulting settlement – primarily a destination for pilgrims – was named Aquae Sulis. The site today includes several baths, one being the much-photographed Great Bath (a swimming pool), the hot spring, the remains of steam rooms, underground heating systems, and some fine statues overlooking the visitors.
But it was the minutiae that also captured our attention. Amongst the exhibits was a collection of little pieces of pewter or lead dating back to the 2nd century. These are known as Roman curse tablets that were inscribed and thrown into the Bath’s spring where the spirit of Sulis Minerva lived. These were mainly from individuals suffering from an injustice and they hoped the culprit would be punished as a result. Many of the tablets can still be read, mostly relating to theft, such as of a bracelet, silver coins, or a hooded cloak. One person reported the theft of a section of a plough; another referred to stolen silver coins.
Other visitors would have felt upset too, at the loss of engraved gemstones. These were reminiscent of cameo rings today and were found in the main drain. It is considered that the warm water in which people relaxed may have softened the material holding the stones within the rings.
Nearby the Baths a hoard of almost 18,000 silver coins had been buried, the earliest dated 32BC and the latest 275AD. Some came from abroad, reflecting international trade in the area. Some were even forgeries. A considerably amount was on display.
What could be easily overlooked is that the Roman Baths, although large inside, are considered to be just a small part of what was a walled settlement. Underneath the surrounding tightly-packed town today may remain the foundations of another bathhouse, shrines, a theatre, temple, residences and mosaics.
We could have spent most of the day at this site alone, but time was of the essence and we also squeezed in the Assembly Rooms. This site was designed by John Wood the Younger in 1769 with the purpose of providing a most suitable venue for the rich and noble to converse, dance and take tea. At this time, we were to read, for medical reasons gambling was recommended – its distraction was beneficial for taking the mind off one’s ailments. Visitors to the Assembly Rooms included Jane Austen (a museum dedicated to her is nearby), Samuel Johnson, Handel and Haydn.
Those days of finery are now gone but the Assembly Rooms still form a meeting place for some. The interior can still be viewed, hung with chandeliers; tea can be taken, and its Fashion Museum visited.
Also worth seeing is No 1 Royal Crescent, built by John Wood the Younger. Visitors can get an insight of the upstairs downstairs life in Georgian times. Unfortunately, the site had closed for the season the day we arrived, but something at the entrance caught our attention. This was a link-snuffer. Before streets were lit, link-boys holding a flame could be hired to direct people to their required addresses. They have been mentioned by Shakespeare and in the novels of Dickens. When arriving at the destination the boys would snuff out the flame in the snuffer in order to save their valuable tallow. Some link-boys however were engaged by criminal gangs.
Copyright: Words and photos, Sue Barnard 2022
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