Bath Abbey, Bath

2 more images

There had been a church on this spot since the 8th century. A Norman Cathedral predated the current Abbey which dates to the 15th century. It was pulled down in the Dissolution but rebuilt and reopened in 1611. The Abbey church is famous as the spot where King Edgar I was crowned king of all England, the first all-encompassing king, in 973.

The stone used is a pale stone that appears white inside the abbey but is a golden colour outside. The ceilings soar high and the stained glass windows are mainly tall perpendicular ones, rather than "rose" window style. There are a number of monuments inside and there is a museum in the vaults. You can also tour the towers for a price. The fan vaulting surrounds various heraldic crests.

There is no cost to visit the abbey though there are donation boxes. The tower tour costs 6 pounds and the vault museum has a charge too though in 2011, that museum is closed for restoration. There is wheelchair access to the Abbey and an accessible toilet available. No wheelchair access to the tower.

There is a Christmas market in the abbey square in early December, worth checking out.

2 more images

Bath Abbey may look like a cathedral, but it isn't. A cathedral is the principal church of a diocese, and for whatever reason Bath Abbey wasn't important enough to become that. Instead Wells' majestic church was chosen.

Nonetheless, Bath Abbey is a must if you're in the area. Completed in 1156, the church fell into a state of dilapidation over the centuries as it was simply too big for the monastery to maintain. It was thus rebuilt in the 16th century so that it celebrated its 500th birthday only a decade ago. Bath Abbey with its marvellous fan vaulting is a great example for a Perpendicular style church. Similarly interesting is the "ladder to heaven" on the outside of the church. Angels ascend to heaven - and descend down again.

While the church officially does not charge an entry fee, the staff at the door is demanding a "voluntary" £3.

4 more images

Visiting the Abbey was the highlight of my trip! It's a perfect place to appreciate the architectural beauty and contemplate in peace in a beautiful setting! The Abbey including the valuted fan ceiling was commissioned during Queen Elizabeth I's reign, late 1500s. You can able to take a Tower Tour (at additional charge (5GBP) to appreciate the Abbey's interior and climb up the tower to see Bath's skyline.

The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is still an Anglican parish church, but was once a Benedictine monastery. Founded in 1499, the Abbey stands on the site of an earlier Norman Cathedral and the original Abbey Church built in the 8th century. The present building occupying only the nave of the great Norman fabric, was begun around 1500 and completed in 1572.

Monday to Saturday: 9.00 am to 4.30 pm
Sunday: 1 pm to 2.30 pm & 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm

Tickets cost £5 for adults; £2.50 for children (5 – 14) and are available from the Abbey shop on the day only.

February 2010

4 more images

Bath Abbey is a great looking building and forms the centre-piece of the City. Founded in 1499, it stands on the site of an earlier Norman Cathedral and the original Abbey Church built in the 8th century.

We didn't go inside on our visit to Bath but on looking at some interior pictures, I wish we had & it's definitely on our itinerary for our next visit!

2 more images

By the 15th century the original abbey church had fallen into a state of disrepair and 1n 1500 the then Bishop of Bath decided to rebuild it but on a smaller scale.
Sadly the new church was completed just a few years before the monastery was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539 and the abbey church again fell into a state of disrepair until it was restored as the city's parish church in the Elizabethan period, when the city started to become popular as a spa once again

Now the Abbey is in the centre of the community and of the cultural life in the city, It is considered to be an outstanding example of gothic architecture, The Abbeys heratige vaults have an exhibition that comemorates the history of christian worship at the Abbey from Roman times to the present day and offers a insight into the importance of religion in the City's history. The museum also displays artifacts that have been found during archeological excavations that include a skeleton thought to be around 800 years old.

Officialy there is no admission charge as it is a church but imediatly opposite the entrance there is a counter selling books and taking in a 'Suggested donation', making it difficult if not almost impossible to go in with out paying. Non English speaking visitors would automaticaly presume there is a charge as it is made to look like there is.

Church Opening Times MON-SAT 9.00-4.30 pm SUN 1.00-2.30 pm & 4.30-5.30 pm

Vaults Heritage Museum Open Monday - Saturday 10.00 am - 4.00 pm

Bath Abbey's official motto is "where earth and heaven meet" which is pretty apt when you see the Jacob's Ladders on the West Front with their angels scurrying heavenwards.

The abbey has a very varied history with the present building being the third edifice of Christian worship to have graced this site.

The original abbey was built in the 8th century as a local parish church and then developed as a cathedral by the Normans during the 12th century. When the cathederal diocese became that of Bath and Wells it was Wells that got the magnificent cathederal whilst Bath's was left to fall into disrepair.

In 1499 the then bishop of Bath and Wells, Oliver King, visited to find the church in ruins and tasked the local priory to have it rebuilt. However no sooner was it rebuilt when Henry VIII enacted the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the abbey was looted of its valuables and once again fell into disrepair.

Elizabeth I then took up the reins and in 1574 decreed that a national fund should be set up for the abbey's restoration and by some accounts the then bishop actually funded the roofing of the nave out of his own pocket!

Following its 17th century temporary rebuild the roofing of the nave was finally completed in 1860 and apart from a bit of tidying up here and there the building is pretty much the abbey as it now stands.

Following on from the "where earth and heaven meet" theme, one thing that does look especially worth doing is the "Tower Tour" which is a 45-50 minute guided tour offering a unique insiders view of the abbey as well as great panoramas from the top. So that's on my list for my next visit!

Website below has loads of useful info.

1 more image

Highly recommended, the Abbey's interior and exterior structure is truly detailed and amazing!

Begun in 1499 by Bishop King, this is England's last great medieval church, dissolved in 1539 and now serving as a parish church.

It's free to go in the Abbey (they ask for a donation of £2.50) but to go up the tower is £5.00. Watch out though, because sometimes it does get narrow and you do have to duck round a few pieces of masonry

You start by climbing a very narrow staircase, up to the bell ringing room ( where you can ring the bell yourself) and the tour guide will explain the history behind the different ways they ring the bells, you also get to go behind the clock face.

After that they take you up another set of winding steps to the top of the tower, where there are some great views across bath For 5 pounds, the tour is worth every penny!

The tour lasts about an hour.