Bath: drop-dead gorgeous

By Kevin Jones

If they were to have a Drop-Dead Beautiful Award for an English town, surely it would go to Bath in perpetuity.

York, Oxford or Cambridge might put up a good fight; Chester has a fair bit going for it and you could make a strong case for picture postcard places like St Ives and Penzance.

However, Bath has it all - a gorgeous location, the best Georgian architecture in the whole of England, the beautiful River Avon and Pulteney Weir, a glorious Abbey with stunning Gothic architecture and centuries-old Roman heritage.

It reeks of Jane Austen-style gentility - indeed, the legendary English author lived in the city, which now boasts a museum in her honour - and is stunningly photogenic. Put simply, Bath is a must-see for any tourist in England.

Bath was founded by the Romans in 1AD, who chose to settle beside the only hot springs in the country.

Hence the name, which Australians always seem to get an ironic giggle out of for some reason. The Romans stayed for a few centuries and built extensive lead-lined baths, which are open to visitors today.

No first-time visit to Bath would be complete without a visit to the Roman Baths and the Pump Room.

If you're really brave, you can "take the waters" at the Pump Room - as the Romans and genteel Englishmen did over a millennium-and-a-half later - for their allegedly therapeutic qualities.

Be warned, however, "the waters" taste bloody horrible and you might be running for a nearby pub soon after.

By 400 AD and the end of the Roman influence in England, Bath had been abandoned. It remained a relative ghost town for hundreds of years.

Its rejuvenation began with the wool trade in the 15th Century and by the 18th Century, Bath was at the height of fashion.

Architects queued up to design and build the many fine Georgian buildings that survive today. After London itself, Bath became the ultimate society address.

Which is where Jane Austen came in. Interest in the premier English high society satirist has never been higher since Hollywood re-discovered the period costume drama.

If you're in Bath and you have a penchant for all things Austen, check out The Jane Austen Centre. This is a new permanent exhibition, which tells the story of Austen's experiences in Bath and the effect that living in the city had on her writing.

Other must-sees include Bath Abbey and Royal Crescent. The Abbey stands grandly alongside the Roman Baths Museum. A Roman statue stands over the Abbey, which was built in 1499 by Bishop Oliver King.

With a tower scaling 163 feet and Jacob's Ladders (stonework "ladders to heaven" gracing both front turrets), the Abbey is acknowledged as a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. The churchyard is surrounded by 18th Century buildings with the Roman Baths Museum located in the Abbey Courtyard.

Royal Crescent is the picture postcard scene that you'll find in every brochure that touches upon Bath.

The Crescent, which epitomises the grandeur of 18th Century Palladian architecture, was designed by John Wood the Younger and built between 1767 and 1774. No. 1 Royal Crescent has been restored by the Bath Preservation Trust and can be viewed as an authentic example of 18th Century decor and style.

Being a small city, Bath is a wonderfully compact place and most of its attractions are within walking distance of each other. It is also very handily placed for excursions to nearby towns like Glastonbury, Wells and Cheddar (with its marvellous gorge and caves).

With an interesting selection of museums, galleries, musical events, restaurants and gracious parks, visitors to Bath can choose from all the very best of past and present.

Do not miss it!

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