Visitors continue to crowd into the Pump Room, to take the waters, and marvel at the Roman Baths. Others can be found enjoying a string quartet playing while they enjoy traditional Bath Buns
Continuing her series on literary-themed travels, Lorna Hogg visits Bath, the setting for the first and last of Jane Austen’s completed novels
Jane Austen from a contemporary engraving. Her health began to fail during her late thirties, and at forty one, she died in Winchester after a fever.
Ironically, the city which typifies the novels of Jane Austen is one which she never especially liked, nor was integral to her work. However, Bath Spa, nestling in the downs at the southernmost tip of the Cotswolds, was the setting for the first and last of Austen’s completed novels – Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. More importantly for readers and fans of filmed works, is that is that the UNESCO listed World Heritage Site has retained its character, architecture, atmosphere and even street names.
Austen was born in 1775, to a scholar and rector in Kent, and she, plus her seven siblings, grew up in Hampshire. Jane was remarkably well educated for a woman of her time. An enthusiastic reader of eighteenth century fiction, from an early age she wrote sketches and short stories – including Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion. All showed her witty and skilled observation of the social mores of her time. However, her health began to fail during her late thirties, and at forty one, she died in Winchester after a fever.
Jane never married, (and received her one known proposal of marriage in Bath,) she travelled widely for her day. In 1799, she made the first of her many visits to Bath – the family was seeking a cure for her father’s gout. In those days, Bath was a destination for those seeking `the cure’ and had been a spa since Roman times. Visitors would take rooms for several months, and enjoy the social life which had grown up around the newly created Georgian city which surrounded the spa
was familiar to her family, which had connections there. Jane’s parents had been married in Walcot Church, and Jane would move to the city on her father’s retirement, in 1801. She remained until his death in 1805. Cynics remarking that she started by living on the grand upper slopes, in The Paragon Buildings, then moved down to Queen Square and Sydney Street and gradually towards to the river, where the more modest Green Park Buildings stood.
The celebrated architecture remains from Jane Austen’s Bath, so much so that the 2006 TV series of Persuasion was filmed on location there. However, the city was very different in those days – noisy, dirty and crowded. The lovely honey coloured buildings which we now know, were then new build dazzling white, giving off a harsh glare in hot summer months. Persuasion’s Anne Elliot may have spoken for Jane in her dislike of ``the dash of other carriages, the heavy rumble of carts and drays, the bawling of newsmen, muffin men and milkmen, and the ceaseless clink of pattens..’’
Happily, however, the streets, plus their original names, familiar to Regency times remain, from the hilly, winding or narrow and cobbled to elegant and wide. Many have retained the occasional steps from the road, for access to sedan chairs. Some streets are still referred to as Buildings, their original titles. The remaining railings and street furniture display touches of the past. Some houses still have their graceful wrought iron arched lamp holders at the entrance, and even display the `extinguishers’ to accommodate flares, which were so necessary for night time travel and city safety.
REGENCY BATH
Start at the source, with one of the streets in which Jane Austen lived, Gay Street. The Jane Austen Centre, at No.40, gives an idea of Bath of that time. They can offer a variety of Jane Austen tours, all excellent, time-saving and information packed. However, armed with a map card and a half day to spare, it is quite possible to wander around Jane’s Bath on your own.
Contained by the curves of the river Avon, building advanced up the steep slopes and spread out to Royal Crescent, and Marlborough Buildings, which in those days, gave way onto open countryside. Bath spread across Pulteney Bridge, through the elegant Laura Place, where `Persuasion’s Lady Dalrymple lived in style. Round the corner from the elegant wide pavements of Great Pulteney Street (home with the Allens for `Persuasion’s’ Catherine Morland,) lies Sydney Place, where Jane with her family lived for three years.
Start your tour by continuing up Gay Street to the Circus, and cross Brock Street to Royal Crescent, where Northanger Abbey’s Catherine Morland walked, across to Marlborough Buildings, where Mr. Eliot stayed. Queen Square, at the foot of Gay Street and another of Jane’s Bath homes, gives access to Milsom Street, and Bond Street, where one character observed eighty seven women go by ``without there being a tolerable face among them.’
Bath is at its most atmospheric in the late evenings, and while it is now a thriving modern city, its rakish spirit remains – helped by its large numbers of university students! Some aspects of Bath life remain unchanged. Shopping is still excellent - ``The loveliest hat’’ was spotted by one character in Milsom Street’’ and they are plenty to be found there! Cheap Street retains its traffic. Sally Lunn’s cakes continue to draw the crowds to her old house. Visitors still stroll on Royal and Lansdown Crescents. They continue to crowd into the Pump Room, to take the waters, and marvel at the Roman Baths. Others can be found enjoying a string quartet playing while they enjoy traditional Bath Buns.
The Pump Room, at the city’s Roman Baths, was popular with those enjoying Bath’s social life, but one of the great attractions, then and now, is of course, The Assembly Rooms. The centre of Bath social life, it hosted concerts, dances and balls and card games, and retains its beautifully proportioned rooms. There is even a restored sedan chair in the foyer – bear in mind however, that the originals were uncomfortable, let in the rain and smelt!
To-day’s Assembly Rooms, in Bennet Street, are really the New Assembly Rooms,
opened in 1771. The original Lower Assembly Rooms were destroyed by fire
in 1820. After exploring, you can visit the Bath Costume Museum, which is housed in
the building. The Assembly Rooms are no museum piece, however. Receptions and
functions, as well as balls are still held there.
The beauty of Bath, is of course, linked to its surroundings, many of which were enjoyed in Austen’s day. Climb up to Lansdown Crescent for a sense of life in Regency Bath. Its rural setting, with sheep grazing on its steep slopes, remain. Another favourite walk, with wonderful city views, was ``that noble hill, Beechen Cliff’’ where Northanger Abbey’s Catherine walked with the Tilneys. It is easily reached by crossing the bridge and busy road behind the railway station. s Down can be seen via student transport, The Big Yellow Bus, en route to Bath University. From the terminus at the university campus, it’s an easy walk to The American Museum at Claverton Manor.
Alternatively, take the mainline train to nearby Chippenham, and a short taxi ride will take you to Laycock, the picture perfect National Trust Village, where numerous costume television and film productions have been shot. They include the 1995 TV (and some claim the best!) version of `Pride and Prejudice’, starring Colin Firth. The 1996 TV version of `Emma’ was also shot here, as well as countless other film and TV productions – such as Larkrise to Candleford and Cranford.
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HOW TO GET THERE
Ryanair flies from Dublin to Bristol. Bath Spa is served by regular mainline trains from London and the South West.
Where to stay – atmospheric hotels include
The Mercure Bath Francis Hotel, Queen Square, in the city centre.
The Royal Crescent `one of the most elegant addresses in Britain’ is home to the Royal Crescent Hotel, offering stylish and expensive luxury.
Paradise House, a bed and breakfast in a beautifully restored period villa on the lower slopes of Beechen Cliff, offers lovely city views in good value luxury.
Bath also has excellent self-catering homes. Check the Tourist Office, beside Bath Abbey, for details.
Fancy donning Regency fashions, and joining in a costumed parade through Bath? Or flirting while doing country dance sets, in full costume? The Jane Austen Festival (16th – 24th September)offers a host of events, talks and general fun. Details from The Jane Austen Centre. The Costume Ball, (dancing classes beforehand!) is on 9th July, at The Guildhall, Bath.
BATH FESTIVALS 2011
International Music Festival 25th May – 5th June
Bath Folk Festival 8th – 14th August
Jane Austen Festival 16th – 24th September
Christmas Markets (to be confirmed)
Jane Austen Centre, 40, Gay Street www.janeausten.co.uk
www.paradise-house.co.uk
