Best of Bath Walking Tours - Georgian Tour

Bob takes you through the heart of Georgian Bath and includes the Abbey Church Yard, Hot Springs, Old City Wall, Mineral Hospital, Queens Square, Roman Baths, Assembly Rooms, Circus, Royal Crescent, Gravel Walk, Pulteney Bridge, Guildhall and Market and much more.

The tour starts from the Abbey Churchyard in front of the iconic Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly known as Bath Abbey, which is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery. Founded in the 7th century, Bath Abbey was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries.

The Roman Baths are well-preserved thermae in the city of Bath, A temple was constructed on the site between 60-70AD in the first few decades of Roman Britain. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the original Roman baths were in ruins a century later. The area around the natural springs was redeveloped several times during the Early and Late Middle Ages.

Construction of this hospital began in 1737, which heralded a new period of faith and scientific belief in the healing properties of Bath's mineral waters.

Queen Square is a square of Georgian houses and is the first element in the architectural sequence in Bath, which includes the Circus and the Royal Crescent. All of the buildings which make up the square are Grade I listed.

During the Georgian era, Bath became fashionable, and the architect John Wood, the Elder, and his son laid out new areas of housing for residents and visitors. Assembly rooms had been built early in the 18th century, but a new venue for balls, concerts and gambling was envisaged in the area between Queen Square, The Circus and the Royal Crescent. The new or upper assembly rooms opened with a grand ball in 1771 and became the hub of fashionable society, being frequented by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, along with the nobility of the time.

The Circus is a historic ring of large townhouses in the city of Bath, Somerset, England, forming a circle with three entrances. Designed by architect John Wood, the Elder, it was built between 1754 and 1768, and is regarded as a pre-eminent example of Georgian architecture. Each segment faces one of the three entrances, ensuring a classical façade is always presented straight ahead.

The Royal Crescent is a row of 30 terraced houses laid out in a sweeping crescent in the city of Bath, England. Also designed by the architect John Wood, the Younger and built between 1767 and 1774, it is among the greatest examples of Georgian architecture to be found in the United Kingdom and is a Grade I listed building.

Pulteney Bridge is a bridge over the River Avon. It was completed by 1774, and connected the city with the land of the Pulteney family which it wished to develop. Designed by Robert Adam in a Palladian style, it is highly unusual in that it has shops built across its full span on both sides.

The Guild Hall is an indoor market wander around and you will find some interesting stalls. The market is housed in a beautiful building. The market has been established since 1284.

At the end of the walk, we return to the Abbey Churchyard and spend as much time as you like discussing points of interest about Bath with your guide Bob.