The Georgian Garden

In the center of Bath, one can visit free of charge a typical Georgian garden behind #4 King's Circus. Reconstruction of the garden began in 1985 and was completed in 1990. Although no formal plan of the garden existed, the imprint of the formal flower beds, which were surrounded by rolled gravel, were found beneath later changes that had been made.

Image courtesy Mermaid99 photostream, Flickr

• Click here for images of the garden in fall, from A Bun Can Dance.

• A Georgian Garden reborn

• The Georgian Garden, the Gravel Walk, Bath

• Click here to see a typical Georgian garden in Limerick

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Bath Crescent

My Bath obsession continues. Ever since Tony Grant returned from his trip, I have been longing to revisit that gracious city. This site is the next best thing. Welcome to the City of Bath, England offers 36 panospheric scenes, in which a camera rotates and reveals details of the scene as if you are standing in one spot and turning your head or pivoting on your heels. The image of the Royal Circus provides a particularly good experience as the camera slowly pans around.

Included are a map, as if you are going on a walking tour, and descriptions of the places you are seeing. Awesome. And enjoy!

Tony Grant: Posts from London Calling

Gentle Reader, Tony Grant placed a few more posts about his trip to Bath on his own blog, London Calling. They are well worth a visit.

Bath Front Doors

This front door is number 17, The Circus, Bath. Approaching, The Circus, are three roads, Gay Street from the south, where Jane Austen lived for a short while, Bennet Street from the North East, which leads to The Upper Assembly Rooms and Brock Street to the North West which leads to the Royal Crescent. These three roads enter The Circus, dividing this circular road exactly into thirds. Number 17 is in the northern third and is near the entrance to Bennett Street.

It’s situation could not be closer to and was indeed part of the elite residences of Bath in the 18th century. It is also within a minutes walk of The Upper Assembly Rooms where the bright young things of the 18th century and some not so young, danced, gambled, flirted, paraded and generally made a show of themselves. These beautiful young things had time on their hands and many had money to spend.

The resident of number 17 The Circus between 1759 and 1768 was there to take advantage of this situation. He was Thomas Gainsborough an up and coming portrait artist.

For the rest of the article, click here.

Random Bits and Pieces of Bath

I don't know about you, but when I visit a place, I notice interesting, well interesting to me, bits and pieces, and get an overwhelming urge to photograph them.

Here are some photographs from Bath.

All the best,
Tony

Click here to see the rest of the photographs ...

Trip to Bath: Milsom Street

Inquiring Readers: Tony Grant has been on holiday visiting Bath and the West Country. He has sent me some glorious images. These, taken on Milsom Street, remind me of the post I had placed on this site just a month ago: Shopping and Milsom Street, Bath.

I had always thought of Milsom Street as being a shopping district, but when Catherine Morland sets out to find Miss Tilney in Northanger Abbey, it turns out that the General has rented a house in Milsom Street:

Catherine cheerfully complied, and being properly equipped, was more impatient than ever to be at the pump-room, that she might inform herself of General Tilneys lodgings, for though she believed they were in Milsom Street, she was not certain of the house, and Mrs. Allen's wavering convictions only made it more doubtful. To Milsom Street she was directed, and having made herself perfect in the number, hastened away with eager steps and a beating heart to pay her visit, explain her conduct, and be forgiven; tripping lightly through the church-yard, and resolutely turning away her eyes, that she might not be obliged to see her beloved Isabella and her dear family, who, she had reason to believe, were in a shop hard by. She reached the house without any impediment, looked at the number, knocked at the door, and inquired for Miss Tilney.

Studying the images that Tony sent, the street must have been loud and bustling with activity. Granted, today's Bath is filled with tourists and cars, but back then, on rainy days, women wore pattens that clattered on cobblestones, carriage wheels rattled, horses' hooves clopped, and the cries of street sellers rang through the air.

Image from Victoria Art Gallery, Bath; Photos from Tony Grant, London Calling

Jane Austen Throwdown

The settings that Jane Austen chose for her characters were important to her plot. Much of Northanger Abbey was set in Bath, Elizabeth and the Gardiners traveled to Derbyshire where Pemberley lay, Lydia got into trouble in Brighton, and Box Hill, where Emma was so rude to Miss Bates, is set in Surrey.

We now ask you to choose two of your favorite Jane Austen locations. Bath or London? Steventon Rectory or Chawton Cottage?

Two of Your Favorite Jane Austen Locations

Bath, an ancient city, whose Roman Baths and drinking waters attracted rich and poor alike. It was said that more doctors and apothecaries were licensed in Bath than any other city in Great Britain.

London, the largest city in Europe in Jane's day. She would visit her brother, Henry, who lived in town and acted as her agent. Jane most particularly liked London's parks and gardens, and would frequent the shops, bringing back items for her family.

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Bath or London?

Bath London

Steventon Rectory. Jane spent most of her childhood in Steventon Rectory. Here is where she learned to write, and where her close-knit family nurtured her talent. When she learned that her parents had made plans to move to Bath and from a home she loved, Jane fainted.

Chawton Cottage was refurbished by Jane's rich brother Edward, who invited her, Cassandra, and Mrs. Austen to live there. Jane spent her most productive writing years during her time in Chawton, revising Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Northanger Abbey, and writing Emma, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park. She began Sanditon there, completing 11 chapters before succumbing to her fatal illness.

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Steventon Rectory or Chawton Cottage?

Steventon Rectory Chawton Cottage

Jane Austen's Bath

The British Library features a series of images related to the time that Jane Austen spent in Bath. "Austen (1775–1817) knew the city well. Her parents were married in Bath and the family lived there for five years from 1801."

View of visitors to the Hot Baths at Bath, which were opened in 1778 and designed by John Wood the Younger. The building is in the Palladian style and is simple and not particularly decorated. The internal layout is symmetrical and centred around the octagonal Bath. Besides the bath there are lobbies, dressing rooms, and private slip baths. Like other of Bath's baths, this bath was in use in the middle ages, but was rebuilt several times. The water in Bath's springs was thought to have curative properties and invalids flocked here to bathe and drink. - British Library

First seen on the Republic of Pemberley's Facebook page.

Shopping and Milsom Street, Bath

Brock illustration of the print seller shop in Bath with Admiral Croft and Anne Elliot.

In 1995's Persuasion, Anne Elliot (Amanda Root) meets Admiral Croft (John Woodvine) and begin their walk in front of a print seller shop. Anne and the admiral then walk past a linen draper.

They stop in front of a boot maker to continue their conversation,

before walking through a small passage way, where a lamp lighter climbs a ladder to light the wick.

Anne and Admiral Croft parted ways. The very next time Anne Elliot walks through Bath, she goes to Molland's, a pastry cook's and confectioner's shop on Milsom street. Jane Austen wrote that the marzipan was delicious.

View of Milsom Street in 1806 (Nattes). The Elliots stayed in Camden Place, now Camden Crescent, which was a long slow climb from Molland's.

In this scene from the film, customers entering Molland's, which was situated at the lower end of Milsom Street. The extras really make this film seem authentic, including the touches of Regency life that are added throughout each scene.

Anne is with her sister Elizabeth and Mrs. Clay. It is raining and Mr. William Elliot is making arrangements to get the ladies home, but there are only two seats left in Lady Dalrymple's carriage. He has gone to find an umbrella in order to escort Anne back on foot to Camden Place.

While inside Molland's, Anne Elliot sees Captain Wentworth walking along Milsom Street. She is shocked to see him.

The captain is seen walking in front of a book shoppe and a shop selling imported China ware.

Anne at the instant she spots the captain.

Anne attempts to leave Molland's and encounters the Captain, who is entering the shop.

He is startled upon seeing her and they share an awkward moment. (We later learn he has come to Bath to find her.)

Truth be told, Anne is pleased with the encounter.

The following night, a rejuvenated Anne looks for the captain in the Upper Assembly Rooms. Print below: Milsom Street and the Bath Swells (Dandies) in Jane Austen's day.

Today Milsom Street is still a main shopping street, boasting banks, restaurants, pubs, clothing stores, furniture stores jewellers, book stores and department stores. And tourists.

More on the topic:

• Read more here: Online Gallery: Milsom Street, Bath
• Jane Austen in Bath, Katherine Reeve

Jane Austen in Bath

Seen on the blogosphere, a nice post about Jane Austen in the City of Bath. Click here to read the post on The Quillcards Blog.

Image is from the site.