by Donna Hatch
When Rome occupied England, the
mineral baths in the English town now known simply as Bath was a hub for
social, religious, heath, and recreational activities. Rich and poor alike flocked to the healing waters
seeking cures, or at least relief, from all manner of health complaints such as
palsy, arthritis, gout, skin diseases including leprosy, and many chronic and terminal illnesses. Both genders bathed together,
some clothed, some not. I’ll leave it up to your imagination to decide whether
they stayed focused on getting relief from their ailments.
The engineering that went into creating the luxury spa
two thousand years ago is truly mind boggling. There are many rooms and a complex system of pumps and pipes that carry the water from the main
spring to other parts of the elaborate Roman structure.
I might have been tempted to bathe in a shallow tub of
the mineral water if I had found the opportunity, but I can't imagine being desperate enough to get into that enormous pool of murky green water that is the main part of the Baths. Not only was it green and murky, but it occasionally
bubbled. It was kinda creepy. Plus, I couldn't see the bottom. Still, I had to
admire the workmanship that went into the design and construction, and the fact that such an ancient
structure remains, a testament to those who lived here so long ago. While there, one can
imagine people long gone. In the waters, some frolicked and others simply immersed
themselves hoping for a miracle. All of them walked or were carried across the
rocks that still bear the wear marks of thousands of feet.
Today, the original bath is open for tours, but not
for bathing so as to preserve its structure. Visitors are admonished not to even touch the water. Modern bath houses provide
visitors the opportunity to bathe in the warm mineral waters that many agree has healing properties. Unfortunately, England was in the throes of
one of the worst heat waves on record during my visit, so a warm bath lacked it usual
appeal.
People came here to “take the waters,” a Georgian term meaning bathe in the warm mineral pools. “Taking
the waters” also meant to drink water from
the Pump Room, which became a gathering place to socialize and
flirt, as well as drink the water they believed would cure them of all manner of ailments. Inside
the Pump Room is a lovely, antique pump that squirts out water in a continuous flow so those who desire may drink it.
But let us return Georgian society in Bath. With the arrival of the wealthy, some of whom only stayed for the summer, and others who made Bath their permanent home, beautiful homes and neighborhoods cropped up, including The Circus, a circular-shaped neighborhood of beautiful townhomes, and Royal Crescent, an even more upscale set of luxury mansion-style townhomes in the shape of a crescent as its name suggests. I toured one of these townhomes, Number One Royal Crescent, which is a glimpse into life as a wealthy, Georgian gentleman.
Beyond enchanting, Bath has a timelessness about it.
Walking the streets, I easily imagined myself a character in a Jane Austen
novel. Strolling along the river, having afternoon tea in the Pump Room, prowling
the streets, and exploring the Roman Baths creates a sense of having time
traveled. With each step I took, I could almost see images of those who’d trod those
cobbled paths before me including kings and queens, lords and ladies, and poets and
authors including our beloved Jane Austen.
My interest
began years prior to my trip to Bath. I even set the beginning of my novel, A Perfect Secret, written five years ago, in
Bath. Now that I have visited Bath, I may have to write another novella that
takes place in this ancient and unique town just to relive my adventures there.
Notes:
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