20 Facts about Bath, England, that you NEED to know!
Bath, England, is an amazing place to visit! If you’re thinking of visiting Bath, then check out these 20 facts about Bath that you NEED to know and can impress everyone you’re travelling with!
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Contents:
Why visit Bath?
Why visit Bath? Bath is a great place to visit if you love history, as Bath is rich in it. There are plenty of different things to learn about, such as the city under Roman occupation and medieval times. It is also filled with beautiful architecture, which looks stunning all throughout the year.
Additionally, there are so many great, independent shops in Bath – making it an amazing place to visit if you love shopping and would like to find something quirky and unique. There is something for everyone to enjoy in Bath!
Bath is located around 111 miles (179 km) from London. This means it takes around 2 hours to drive, and just 1 hour 20 minutes on the train – so it’s very accessible if you want to visit both of the amazing destinations. The closest airport to Bath is Bristol Airport (BRS), which has a lot of low-cost airlines arriving and departing from, so it’s fabulous if you’re coming from another country in Europe, like Krakow or Lisbon.
Things to do in Bath:
If you’re visiting Bath for a few days or simply just as a day trip, then check out these great things to do in Bath that almost everyone will enjoy:
- Bath Jane Austen Centre – Lovers of the infamous author, Jane Austen, can’t miss a visit to the brilliant Jane Austen Centre! You will be able to learn all about the life and writings of Jane Austen, and you’ll even get to try your hand at writing with ink and wearing the traditional dress of the times.
- Bath 1.5 Hour Guided Walking Tour – Understand the history of Bath on a deeper level with this informative Bath guided walking tour. The friendly guide will tell you everything you need to know about the impressive city, and you’ll even learn some great tips too!
- Bath TootBus Hop On Hop Off – The Bath TootBus is a great way to get around Bath and see it all if you prefer not to walk as much, and let’s be honest, the English weather isn’t always the best. This tour is great value for money and ideal for all types of tourists.
- From London: Bath, Stonehenge and Windsor Full-Day Tour – If you’re thinking of visiting Bath from London, then this fantastic tour is for you! Transport is included to all of the destinations, meaning you don’t need to worry about anything, and it’s also great value for money.
20 Facts About Bath, England, That You NEED to Know:
1. Uranus was discovered in Bath…no that’s not a joke! On 13th March 1781, William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus from his home in New King Street, Bath. Today, you can visit his Georgian house and view his collections in the museum dedicated to him. This is one of the most surprising facts about Bath.
2. A whopping 17,500 Roman coins were found in 2007! The coins were discovered in The Gainsborough Bath Spa. They were discovered to have been from 30 BC to 274 AD – which is a really long time ago. If you wish to visit the ‘Beau Street Hoard’, you can see them on public display in an interactive exhibit at the Roman Baths, which is highly worth visiting.
3. Jane Austen lived in Bath in the early 19th century. She is one of the most famous writers in England and has written iconic books, such as Pride and Prejudice – making it one of the best facts about Bath if you’re a lover of literature.
4. In 1987, Bath gained the title of UNESCO World Heritage site. Bath was given this amazing title due to its beauty and history. If you were unsure about visiting Bath, then hopefully, the UNESCO World Heritage title will help convince you to visit to see its beauty.
5. In 1942, Bath was targeted by Hitler. Hitler hoped to destroy as much of the city as possible in order to hurt the spirit of the country. These targeted air raids are now known as the Baedeker raids. Some of the buildings that were damaged during these raids were: Bath’s Assembly Room and some houses in the Circus.
6. In 1830, Royal Victoria Park was opened by Princess Victoria, who was 11 years old at the time. It was the first park to be named after her and even has an obelisk dedicated to her. After opening the park, she never returned; this is because a comment was made about her, saying that she has a bad dress and thick ankles. As she was so upset by this comment, she never returned to Bath again.
7. Bath has its own currency called Oliver. It was named after Dr William Oliver, who was a Physician and philanthropist, and which is used as a discount voucher. The currency was officially launched in Bath in 2011 and can be used as a coupon to receive discounts at local businesses. This is definitely one of the least-known facts about Bath!
8. Pulteney Bridge is one of only three other bridges in the world that have shops across the full span of each side. This easily makes it one of Bath’s most famous attractions, and makes it look beautiful in Instagram photos!
9. Bath has its very own Fashion Museum. The museum can be found in the Assembly Rooms in Bath, and it was started by Doris Langley Moore in 1963. It covers all things fashion from the late 16th century to the modern day. There are over 100,000 objects in total in the collection, and there are around 130,000 visitors a year – so if you find this one of the most interesting facts about Bath, be sure to give it a visit.
10. A lot of famous films and TV shows have used Bath as a filming location. Some famous productions you may recognise that were filmed in Bath include: Inspector Morse, Les Miserables (2003) and The Duchess.
11. In 1997, Bath was home to the first farmers market in the UK. This is one of the most useful facts about Bath if you’re on the lookout for fresh, quality produce due to there still being regular farmers’ markets held around the city.
12. If you’re an art lover, then the Victoria Art Gallery is definitely worth a visit. The Victoria Art Gallery opened up in 1900 in order to celebrate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. There are over 1500 pieces of art.
13. The total population of Bath is around 101,557, based on the 2021 census. In comparison, the population of the city was 40,020 at the 1801 census, making it one of the largest cities in Britain at the time. The city covers a total area of 29 square kilometres (11 square miles).
14. Charles Dickens liked Bath so much that in 1840 he is said to have come up with the character of Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop because of Bath. He first visited Bath in 1835 and stayed at the city’s oldest pub, The Saracens Head.
15. The Royal Crescent is some of the best Georgian architecture in the United Kingdom and is listed as a Grade I building. It is a row of 30 terraced houses in the shape of a crescent, hence the name. John Wood is the architect who designed it, and it was built between 1767 and 1774.
16. Bath inspired Mary Shelley to finish writing Frankenstein, and she even lived there when she was 19. Mary Shelley lived at 5 Abbey Churchyard and wrote most of Frankenstein at that residence. Today, there is a plaque on the site if you’re interested in visiting where one of the most influential books was written.
17. The spa water from the Roman Baths contains 43 different minerals, such as Sodium, Magnesium and Calcium. If you’re interested, you can even still try the water from the Roman Baths!
18. The chandeliers in Bath’s Assembly Rooms Ballroom are insured for £9 million. They were designed in the 1770s – and still look as impressive today. A visit to the Assembly Rooms Ballroom is worth it just to see the chandeliers hanging there.
19. Archaeologists believe that the main spring in the Roman baths was used as a shrine dedicated to the goddess Sulis. In fact, the name Sulis continued to be used after the Roman invasion, appearing in the town’s Roman name, Aquae Sulis, which translates to “the waters of Sulis”.
20. One of the last facts about Bath for this post is that an inhabitant of Bath is known as a Bathonian. But if you’re visiting as a tourist, you’ll be pleased to know that there are over 300 choices of accommodation that you can stay at. The city also has about 100 restaurants and a similar number of pubs and bars.
Bath FAQ:
Bath is called Bath because of the famous Roman Baths that are located there.
Bath was founded in 1AD – making it really old, around 2023 years old in total.
Bath is most famous for its history. The Roman Baths are some of the biggest and most well-known attractions in Bath, with tourists travelling from all over to see them.
The oldest building in Bath is Camden Crescent, which was built in 1788 by John Everleigh.
20 Facts About Bath, England, That You Need To Know – Conclusion
After reading this post, you’ve hopefully learnt some of the most fascinating facts about Bath that there are! Which facts about Bath surprised you the most? Are there any facts about Bath that you think deserve to be on this list but aren’t? Feel free to contact me if you would like any more information! If you liked this post, then you might also want to check out these posts too:
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