The Ancient City of Bath on Film
The historic Roman Baths. 1/100s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
Previously I wrote a blog about York, arguably the most beautiful city in England, but it is by no means the only ancient city in Britain. Very much a case of ‘it does what it says on the tin’, Bath is so named due to being the only place in the country to have true hot springs. The main attraction is of course the Roman Baths which date back almost two thousand years and saw use during the rest of the British Roman period. Despite the changes over the centuries which saw it further used before turning into the museum it is today, it is remarkably well preserved and is one of the best examples of it kind anywhere in the world.
The view of the city from Alexandra Park (click to enlarge). 1/640s 35mm F1.4 with polariser two photo panoramic.
And here’s the view from my Airbnb. Not quite as impressive but still very pretty. 1/250s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
I first visited Bath for a school trip all the way back in 2005, visiting not only to the Roman Baths but also the American museum. I was very keen to revisit the former as an adult as I had forgotten just about all the details and the museum would have certainly been updated since then. I brought along my Nikon F100 with rolls of Fuji Provia 100, hoping that slide film would really bring the city and its history to life.
The Great Bath which features on just about every postcard for the city. 1/100s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
The lower level has the Roman remains. 1/80s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
The King’s Bath (below) now built into more modern buildings. This bath is now once again at the same level it was during Roman times. 1/125s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
Entering into the museum. You can see on the left a scale model of what the site would have looked like during the Roman era. This image had a lot of dynamic range but the slide film has still held up well, giving a good sense of how dark it was in there. 1/30s 35mm F1.4.
The visit is split into multiple sections. As you walk in (with your audio guide) you are greeted immediately by The Great Bath, this is what most people are familiar with and what you will see if you look up photos of the Roman Baths. Everything from the pillars and below is from the Roman period, but everything above that are later additions, most of which are Victorian. There would have once been an impressive roof over the bath which has long since crumbled away but there are sections on display. Given its name it is also the largest bath, but it is by no means the only one. The next most significant one being the King’s Bath which now also sits at the same level it would have been during Roman era.
Thankfully the artefacts were well lit. 1/25s 35mm F1.4.
Whilst the waters were supposed to be good for your health they didn’t endow eternal life. 1/15s 35mm F1.4.
Proceeding inside you enter the museum which holds a large number of artifacts that have been excavated from the area over the decades. This includes everything from skeletons to coins to stone tablets that give insight into what life was like in Roman Britain. Many of the buildings that once stood are now gone, but a scale model gives an idea of what the site would have looked like and thankfully we still have both the gilded bronze head of the goddess Sulis Minerva and the Gorgon Head that would have decorated the temple. The city at the time was named Aquae Sulis after this local goddess. Sulis being the element from the local Celtic culture and Minerva from the newly arrived Roman one. Both artefacts were the highlight of the visit for me.
The gilded head the goddess Sulis Minerva. It would have once sat inside the temple as part of a cult statue visible only to priests 1/20s 35mm F1.4.
The remaining parts of the temple pediment which included the striking face of the Gorgon. Projections fill in the missing pieces as well as suggest what it would have originally looked like when it was painted. I had to patiently wait for it to cycle through to photograph the right moment. 1/20s 35mm F1.4.
Part of the hypocaust - an early version of underfloor heating. The pillars supported the floor while the gaps allowed steam to pass through and heat the room above. 1/15s 35mm F1.4.
As you go on further you explore more of the facilities before heading back outside to the lower level of the Great Bath, the same level as the Romans would have known. What really blows me away is the level of facilities available almost two millennia ago. They put most modern spas to shame. Not only are there multiple hot springs, but there is also a cold plunge bath (frigidarium) and steam rooms of varying temperature. There was the tepidarium which was warm, the caldarium which was hot and the laconicum with an intense dry heat. These were all created through the usage of hypocausts, an early system of underfloor heating. By moving between these facilities, bathers could become acclimated to the high temperatures of the baths as well as relax and refresh themselves. A large part of their popularity was derived from the supposed curative properties of the water. To top this all off there would have been a sophisticated bathing culture involving fragrant oils, servants, entertainment and of course food and drink. What a sight it must have been.
I briefly stopped off at my cousin’s house and couldn’t resist snapping a photo of their pretty goldfish. 1/40s 35mm F1.4.
I’m not sure why these decorations were up but the bright colours reflected well on the wet streets. 1/100s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
This old phone box was no longer in use but had made a good stand for hanging baskets. 1/50s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
Despite the low ISO rating of my film, I did manage to photograph even inside the dark museum without too many issues, especially given my fast 35mm F1.4 lens. Thankfully the exhibits were well lit and much of the baths are outside with large amounts of natural light. The green waters of the baths suit the colours of Fujifilm perfectly. Visitors are no longer able to bathe here (you need to go to the nearby modern spa for that) but you can drink the water with its peculiar taste. One to do for the experience.
Pulteney Bridge. 1/160s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
Pulteney Weir. 1/80s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
Pulteney Bridge is unusual in that it has shops on both dies across its entire span. It’s just like any other street in Bath. 1/160s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
Afterwards it was time to explore more of the city itself, something I had never done before. There isn’t much left of the original Roman town, at least not above ground, and much of what you see today comes from the 18th Century and later. This includes the unusual Pulteney Bridge which looks very much like a normal street with shops on both sides, my favourite being an antique map shop. Another feature from the Georgian period is the Royal Crescent with its curved row of thirty terrace houses. Another well known part of the city.
The Royal Crescent is another draw for tourists and made a great spot for photos for this couple on their wedding day. 1/400s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
St Michael’s Church - an example of early Gothic Revival. 1/125s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
Two things worthy of highlighting from before the 18th century are Sally Lunn’s and Bath Abbey. The former is a tea house dating back to 1680 and is another world-famous tourist attraction. Sadly, whilst I did have a look at it, as I was there on a weekend there was little hope of getting in without queueing for a long time and given time was limited, I decided to save this for another visit. The abbey dates back to the 7th century, only a few centuries after the Roman period came to an end and it is a mightily impressive building on the outside, one that towers over the nearby Roman Baths. I had great fun framing up the two together while visiting the baths. Sadly, I also didn’t have time to venture inside but a future trip to the Abbey before a spot of lunch at Sally Lunn’s sounds like a rather pleasant day out.
The Roman Baths archway is another late Victorian addition. It hides an old pipe that was originally used to carry hot water to a nearby spa. 1/400s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
Bath Abbey looming over the Great Bath. It’s quite a sight to see such impressive examples of architecture in a single view. 1/125s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
Bath is by no means an enormous city, but I hope I’ve made it clear that there is plenty to visit here over a couple of days. History, culture, good food and of course a trip to the modern-day spa (which while costly it worth it) will leave you refreshed both physically and mentally just like in Roman times. We may not have the best weather in the UK but we do have extraordinary history that I’d say is imperative to explore and appreciate.
I didn’t get a chance to go inside Bath Abbey on this trip. 1/500s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
But I would be keen to do that on another trip and also enjoy a spot of lunch at the famous Sally Lunn’s. 1/50s 35mm F1.4 with polariser.
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