A Week in Bath, UK

We spent the past week in Bath for Christmas with Luke's family, and checked out some of the sights nearby!

Walking around Bath

We tried to see a few museums and places before the beginning of the Christmas season, but unfortunately many of the attractions are closed during the winter, so we didn't get the chance to see some of the sights. Oh well, next time!

We should also probably mention that we were both in Bath for a few weeks in December 2012, so before this trip we've had a chance to check out some of the more famous sites including the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent, and Victoria Park. Last year we also went to the Pump Rooms for afternoon tea, the Herschel Museum, the Fashion Museum, and Thermae Bath Spa. We also took a couple of day trips which included Stonehenge, Bowood House, Bristol Zoo and Wookey Hole Caves. We even made a day trip to Wales to see Chepstow Castle and Tintern Abbey.

This time, we weren't in Bath for as long, and Christmas celebrations were mixed in so we didn't do as much sight-seeing. but we did get to take in a few museums throughout our visit.

Last Sunday we visited Prior Park Landscape Gardens, which were created by Ralph Allen, a local entrepreneur who started their development in 1734. They were formal gardens at the base of his mansion. However, he had no heir so the property changed hands often and the gardens went in disrepair until 1993. Archaeologists discovered the layout and history of the garden, and it has been restored similar to its original glory.  It is currently made up of a some winding paths, a few lakes, some wilderness, a Palladian bridge, and the ruins of a Gothic temple. 

It was a great Sunday walk, with a great view of Bath, and afterwards we enjoyed some tea in the tea hut near the exit.

Then on Monday we visited the Holburne Museum, an art gallery which houses the eclectic collection of Sir Thomas William Holburne, as well as newer pieces. Sir Thomas William Holburne was a second son, destined for the military life until his older brother died in battle and he inherited the family fortune. Throughout his life he collected a variety of trinkets, art pieces and books. The building which currently houses the museum was originally a hotel but has been the home of the Holburne Museum since 1916. 

During our visit, there were a couple of temporary exhibitions; one was called 'Characters', showing depictions of people, real and imaginary, and the other one was an impressive collection of Christmas cards by wood engraver Simon Brett. They were both interesting exhibits and were completely different from the other 16th and 17th century portraits. 

Then on Tuesday (Christmas Eve), we visited the Jane Austen Centre, which is located near where she lived for a few months in 1805. She lived in Bath a couple of times during her life and the Centre is about the effect that her time in Bath had on her, as well as other interesting things from Georgian Bath.

The Jane Austen Centre located in a small building, and the visit started with a talk on Jane Austen by one of the staff members. Our guide was very knowledgeable and its a nice change from just reading information off a panel. Then we made our way to the exhibit downstairs, watched a film, and played dress-up with some Georgian attire.

Then on Wednesday/Thursday we had some Christmas Celebrations with Luke's family! A couple of days with lots of people, lots of food, and lots of fun.

Here are some more pictures of our visit to Bath!