The Royal Crescent, Bath: Georgian Architecture
The Royal Crescent in Bath is one of the greatest examples of Georgian architecture in Britain.
This iconic landmark is arranged around a perfect lawn overlooking Royal Victoria Park and forms a sweeping crescent of 30 Grade I Listed terrace houses.
It was designed by John Wood the Younger, and built between 1767 and 1774.
The house was built in 3 parts; in 1767 a two-storey range was built with cellars below.
Then in 1769, an extension was added and shortly afterwards the two sections were linked together.
The east range was later converted to serve as the service wing.
The rooms feature authentic Georgian furnishings including furniture, carpets, and artwork.
Among the rooms on view is the Dining Room, laid for an elegant meal, the Gentleman's Study, Drawing Room, Bedroom, and a busy Georgian Kitchen.
Perhaps the most controversial moment in the Crescent’s history occurred during the 1970s.
The resident of No. 22, Miss Annabel Wellesley-Colley, painted her front door yellow instead of the traditional white!
Miss Wellesley-Colley had to fight two enforcement orders from Bath City Council and defend herself at a public enquiry, before it was finally declared that the door could remain yellow, which is just how you will see it today.
In 1968, No 1 Royal Crescent was purchased by Major Bernard Cayzer, who gave it to the Bath Preservation Trust.
The Trust carefully restored the property using only materials that were used in the 18th century, making the result as authentic as possible.
And famously, in 2003, the archaeological television programme Time Team dug the Royal Crescent in search of a Roman cemetery and the Fosse Way.
The remains of a Roman wall were found behind the crescent and evidence of possible Iron and Bronze Age settlement on the lawn in front.
Today, The Royal Crescent is home to the five-star hotel The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, a luxurious haven of elegance and tranquillity, a museum of Georgian life at No. 1 Royal Crescent, and private housing.
We'd highly recommend a visit to the museum.
A new captivating and immersive experience of the ‘Georgians at home in Bath’ has been thoughtfully designed.
Throughout the museum at No.1 Royal Crescent, you are guided through the Georgian family home, earwigging into the family’s trials and tribulations as you stroll from room to room.
No.1 Royal Crescent is brought to life through sight and sound.
In each room you enter, there are so many tiny little details which really make the tour an enjoyable experience!
Writing on TripAdvisor, a recent visitor said: “Loved this tour of an example of a Georgian home. It contains lots of pieces from the time and all rooms are beautifully set out.
”It combines pieces from the time with beautiful restoration and a few cutting edge exhibits to help fully explore life in those times.
”The trick to this museum is the pace of the journey as the talks begin either on a sensor or a timer so if you get out of sync, it can take a bit to get it back otherwise you start in the middle of the recording.
”Apart from that slight hiccup, it’s fascinating and really well done!”
Another person added: “This was a great tour if you like historic homes. It takes about an hour to go through and showed you what it was like to live in the late 1700s as a wealthy family.”
There's lots more to explore in Bath too, including the magnificent cathedral and Roman Baths.
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 - a beautiful destination to explore.
If you'd like to visit the Royal Crescent, the address is: 1 Royal Crescent, Bath, Somerset, BA1 2LR.
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