I like the long summer days. In Bath at 8pm, the sun was shining in a blue sky with fluffy white clouds, the birds were singing, and the breeze was gentle. Walking along the cobbled streets alongside old buildings and enclosed gardens, I could easily imagine I was in the era of my favourite novelist, Jane Austen (if it weren’t for the cars).
Passing by the ancient Roman Baths, we found they would be open until 10pm. I was hesitant to pay the entrance fee (about 30 AUD) as it wasn’t covered by our English Heritage passes or National Trust passes. Thankfully, Derek said of course we had to go, and I needed no further convincing.
The Baths were discovered by archaeologists in the late 19th Century and the buildings above the site were then demolished for the excavation. Derek pointed out that Jane Austen would not have known of the Baths’ existence.
The Roman Baths were dedicated to the Roman goddess of healing, Minerva. Interestingly, before the baths were built, the waters were used by the Celtic occupants and dedicated to their own goddess of healing.
Learning about the Roman occupation at the time the baths were built greatly improved my understanding of what life must have been like in Roman occupied Palestine during the life of Jesus and the obstacles faced by the early church. There could have been little tolerance for a new religion which did not have an allegiance to the seemingly invincible Roman empire.
As the evening became balmy, the baths were lit up and the bells of medieval Bath Abbey rang. We left at 10pm after sampling the warm waters (included in the price of admission so how could I refuse?)
The following morning, we woke early for a walk along the river and visited the beautiful Bath Abbey, which dates from the 10th century and is still an active church.
Before leaving Bath, we went to the much-anticipated but sadly disappointing Jane Austen Centre. There was not much I could not have googled had I felt so inclined, and we felt it was more of an opportunity for the tour guides to dress up and play parts. I didn’t even think they were true to their selected characters. Derek and I were also given the opportunity to dress up in period costume and have photoshoots. We declined.