Bath, Somerset

For the constituency located in the city, see Bath (UK Parliament constituency).

Bath
City
Skyline of Bath city centre with Bath Abbey
Map of Somerset, with a red dot showing the position of Bath in the north east corner
Map of Somerset, with a red dot showing the position of Bath in the north east corner
Bath
Location within Somerset
Population94,092 (2021 Census)[1]
DemonymBathonian
OS grid referenceST750645
• London97 miles (156 km) E
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBath
Postcode districtBA1, BA2
Dialling code01225
PoliceAvon and Somerset
FireAvon
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
Official nameCity of Bath
CriteriaCultural: i, ii, iv
Reference428
Inscription1987 (11th Session)
Area2,900 ha
Part ofGreat Spa Towns of Europe
CriteriaCultural: ii, iii
Reference1613
Inscription2021 (44th Session)
List of places
UK
England
Somerset
51°23′N 2°22′W / 51.38°N 2.36°W / 51.38; -2.36

Bath (RP: /bɑːθ/;[2] local pronunciation: [ba(ː)θ][3]) is a city in Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths.[4] At the 2021 Census, the population was 94,092.[1] Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, 97 miles (156 km) west of London and 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Bristol. The city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and was later added to the transnational World Heritage Site known as the "Great Spa Towns of Europe" in 2021. Bath is also the largest city and settlement in Somerset.

The city became a spa with the Latin name Aquae Sulis ("the waters of Sulis") c. 60 AD when the Romans built baths and a temple in the valley of the River Avon, although hot springs were known even before then. Bath Abbey was founded in the 7th century and became a religious centre; the building was rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries. In the 17th century, claims were made for the curative properties of water from the springs, and Bath became popular as a spa town in the Georgian era. Georgian architecture, crafted from Bath stone, includes the Royal Crescent, Circus, Pump Room, and the Assembly Rooms, where Beau Nash presided over the city's social life from 1705 until his death in 1761.

Many of the streets and squares were laid out by John Wood, the Elder, and in the 18th century the city became fashionable and the population grew. Jane Austen lived in Bath in the early 19th century. Further building was undertaken in the 19th century and following the Bath Blitz in World War II. Bath became part of the county of Avon in 1974, and, following Avon's abolition in 1996, has been the principal centre of Bath and North East Somerset.

Bath has over 6 million yearly visitors,[5] making it one of ten English cities visited most by overseas tourists.[6][7] Attractions include the spas, canal boat tours, Royal Crescent, Bath Skyline, Parade Gardens and Royal Victoria Park which hosts carnivals and seasonal events. Shopping areas include SouthGate shopping centre, the Corridor arcade and artisan shops at Walcot, Milsom, Stall and York Streets. There are theatres, including the Theatre Royal, as well as several museums including the Museum of Bath Architecture, the Victoria Art Gallery, the Museum of East Asian Art, the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, Fashion Museum, and the Holburne Museum. The city has two universities – the University of Bath and Bath Spa University – with Bath College providing further education. Sporting clubs from the city include Bath Rugby and Bath City.

  1. ^ a b "Bath". City population. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  2. ^ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  3. ^ Altendorf, Ulrike; Watt, Dominic (2004). "The dialects in the South of England: phonology". In Schneider, Edgar W.; Burridge, Kate; Kortmann, Bernd; Mesthrie, Rajend; Upton, Clive (eds.). A Handbook of Varieties of English. Vol. 1: Phonology. Mouton de Gruyter. pp. 178–203. ISBN 978-3-11-017532-5. Page 199.
  4. ^ "100 Largest Cities and Towns in the UK by Population". The Geographist. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Visitors and tourists: Bath and North East Somerset Council". beta.bathnes.gov.uk. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Travel trends – Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Experience Bath – Tailor-made visits to Bath". Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.