Bath history

The city of Bath has attracted visitors since Roman times. It is famed for its curative waters, for which the city is named, along with its spectacular Georgian architecture, magnificently displayed in the famous Royal Crescent. 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. The extensive ruins and treasures from the spring are beautifully preserved and presented using the best of modern interpretation.

Begun in 1499, Bath Abbey is the last of the great medieval churches of England. The West Front is unique as it depicts the dream that inspired the Abbey's founder, Bishop Oliver King, to pull down the ruined Norman cathedral and raise the present building on its foundations. Over the past twelve and a half centuries, three different churches have occupied the site of today’s Abbey. The present Abbey church founded in 1499, ruined after the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 by order of Henry VIII, was completed in 1611. Worship has taken place on the site of today's Abbey for over one thousand years and continues to this day with services taking place throughout the entire week.
Bath became the leading centre of fashionable life in England during the 18th century. It was during this time that Bath's Theatre Royal was built, as well as architectural developments such as Lansdown Crescent, the Royal Crescent, The Circus and Pulteney Bridge.

One of Bath’s most famous inhabitants was Jane Austen and Charles Dickens was a frequent visitor, setting much of Pickwick Papers there. Britain’s youngest Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger, is said to have visited the Baths to remedy the gout that plagued him most of his life.

The University

The University of Bath received its Royal Charter in 1966. It has established a strong reputation in teaching and research, being consistently placed as one of the top elite universities in national university league tables.

Famous Alumni

Alex James: member of band Blur, Neil Fox: radio DJ and TV presenter known as "Dr Fox", Sean Li: Hong Kong film actor, Russell Senior: formerly of the band Pulp, Chuck Pfarrer: American screenwriter, novelist, former US Navy SEAL, Edward Lowassa: former Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, Yang Jiechi: Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, Sir Stephen Gary George Dalton: Chief of Air Staff, RAF, Justin King: CEO of Sainsbury's, Stewart Till: Chairman of United International Pictures and Millwall FC, Bob Wigley: former Chairman Merrill Lynch, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Sir Julian Horn-Smith: former COO of Vodafone, Sheila Forbes: Principal St Hilda's, Oxford and Deputy Chair, British Library, Doug Altman: founder and Director of Centre for Statistics in Medicine and Cancer Research UK Medical Statistics Group, Matt Stevens: Bath and England rugby union player, Amy Williams: Olympic gold medalist, Marcus Bateman and Adam Freeman Pask,Great Britain Rowers.