Our county looking its loveliest at the High Sheriff of Somerset garden party. A chance for our Chair to explain what we do and how we do it to various county mayors and representatives of local organisations #bathguides #visitbath #visitsomerset

A huge thank you to the Mayor of Bath for welcoming our Guides Committee to his parlour. It was lovely to hear and feel his support for what we do, and to share our joint passion for our beautiful city.

No 40 #JaneAusten Thank you for joining us on our virtual journey, including many places beyond the range of our regular walks. Happy Birthday to Jane (for 16 December 1775). Look out for the return of our additional special walks in 2026. "Oh. Who can ever be tired of Bath?" #VisitBath

No 39 (Gold medal) #JaneAusten Camden Place - 29 references - all in Persuasion and the place the Elliots rent in Bath. The Elliots had in turn rented out the family home to Admiral Croft – his wife being Captain Wentworth’s brother, but unaware of his past association with Anne.

No 38 (Silver Medal) #JaneAusten The Pump Room & Pump Yard has 26 mentions – largely in Northanger Abbey. It is at the centre of the action but often overcrowded, a place to see everyone and yet no-one. The pump-room book provided an (incomplete) register of visitors to Bath.

No 37 (Bronze Medal) #JaneAusten Milsom Street has 16 mentions. In Northanger Abbey it is where the Tilneys rent a house. Originally built as housing; in Persuasion it is portrayed (as it increasingly became) as a shopping street including Molland's - a real sweet shop / cafe.

No 36 #JaneAusten Great Pulteney Street is the longest and widest street in Bath. It has 15 refs, all but one in Northanger Abbey. Neighbours of the Morlands the Allens visit bringing Catherine and stay here. Mr Allen for his gout and Mrs Allen for the rest Bath has to offer.

No 35 #JaneAusten The theatre gets a mention in both books (9 + 2) but it moved between them being written. Northanger Abbey features the Old Theatre Royal - including descriptions of the interior. We know that Jane attended plays here. Persuasion features the @theatreroyalbath.bsky.social

No 34 #JaneAusten Laura Place (9 refs) appears in both books – largely Persuasion where the Dowager Viscountess Dalrymple (cousin of the Elliots) and daughter “had taken a house, for three months ... and would be living in style.” Her arrival being announced in the "Bath paper".

No 33 #JaneAusten Edgar(‘s) Buildings has 8 references throughout Northanger Abbey – including the wonderful line about Anne Thorpe “she was loitering towards Edgar’s Buildings between two of the sweetest girls in the world, who had been her dear friends all the morning.”

No32 #JaneAusten In Persuasion Anne visits her school friend, the ill and impoverished widow Mrs Smith “living in a very humble way, unable even to afford herself the comfort of a servant” in Westgate Buildings (7 refs) close to the slum of Avon St and the curative hot baths.

No31 #JaneAusten Northanger Abbey has 6 refs (Persuasion 0) to the Lower Rooms. Mr King the master of ceremonies introduces Catherine to “a very gentleman-like young man as a (dance) partner”. Where the Rooms (now demolished) were is now "Bog Island" named for the public toilets that were there!

No30 #JaneAusten Northanger Abbey has 5 refs to the Upper Rooms (Persuasion refers to specific rooms). Catherine visits here first but is introduced to Henry Tilney at the Lower Rooms. He asks her “are you altogether pleased with Bath?” “Yes—I like it very well.” is her reply.

No29 #JaneAusten We met this pair in post no 3. In both books (5 refs) these are the way to the upper town but Union Street was only created in 1805. Union Passageway was also rebuilt. Prior to this the medieval houses were so close you could shake hands across the street.

No28 #JaneAusten The "Concert Room" mentioned in Persuasion is part of the Assembly Rooms and now known as the Tea Room. Concerts were held there on a Wednesday. Here Anne Elliot seeks to speak to Captain Wentworth who she comes to realise is jealous of Mr Elliot’s time with her.

No27 #JaneAusten The Royal Crescent (5 refs) is only mentioned in Northanger Abbey. The fields in front being a place to “breath the air of better company” on a Sunday. Always just “the Crescent” in the book. This year Robbie Williams helped it to celebrate its 250th birthday.

We have once again been awarded the Travellers Choice award by Trip Advisor. We are currently ranked no 1 of 151 Tours and Activities in Bath #VisitBath tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_R...

No26 #JaneAusten Marlborough Buildings - 5 refs in Persuasion - is where Colonel Wallis lives in “very good style”. He is a bit of a heartthrob and plays a small but important part - helping readers to understand the true nature of Mr Elliot.

No25 #JaneAusten Lansdown / Road / Hill gets 4 refs in Northanger Abbey. In all cases in relation to John Thorpe's actions to beat Henry Tilney in their battle for time with Catherine Morland. Austen notes their horse management styles being “so different” - to give a wider judgment on the rivals.

No24 #JaneAusten The Octagon in the Upper Assembly Rooms is mentioned in both books, as a key place for people to meet. The Rooms were a purpose built Georgian nightclub -think “Bath Vegas”. Off the Octagon Room was a concert venue / dance floor, a bar and gambling tables.

No23 #JaneAusten Rivers St (4 refs in Persuasion) is the location of Lady Russell’s lodgings. She is Anne Elliot’s godmother, and had persuaded Anne to break off her first engagement to the then newly promoted Captain Wentworth (following the battle of San Domingo in Feb 1806).

No22 #JaneAusten The White Hart Inn in Stall Street (now Primark) appears 3 times in Persuasion – most importantly where Anne Elliot finds Captain Wentworth finishing THE letter to her “You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late ...”.

No21 #JaneAusten Bath St appears in both books (3 refs). In Northanger Abbey Isabella Thorpe enters a shop here to avoid Captain Tilney, they circle each other, although he proves too wily in the end, and having parted from (too poor) James Morland she ends the book with no one

No20 #JaneAusten In Persuasion there are 3 refs to the baths – each re Anne Elliot’s former schoolfellow Mrs Smith. She was said to have married a man of fortune, but he had been extravagant and she was now a poor widow afflicted by rheumatic fever” – hence here for the baths.

No19 #JaneAusten Bond Street gets a single mention in each book each time in relation to shopping. However there are 2 Bond Streets one “Old” and one “New” and at right angles to each other. The "new" one did not exist in Northanger Abbey but both existed in Persuasion.

No18 #JaneAusten Despite their importance to Bath the “waters” get a single mention in each of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion – each for a domineering character – General Tilney and Lady Russell respectively. The "waters" are also referenced in Emma and Sense & Sensibility.

No17 #JaneAusten Beechen Cliff (2 refs) in Northanger Abbey is (and is still over 200 years later) “that noble hill whose beautiful verdure and hanging coppice render it so striking an object from almost every opening in Bath.” The party heads there for the views of the city.

No16 #JaneAusten Argyle Street (2 refs) is where in Northanger Abbey Catherine Morland in John Thorpe’s gig passes the Tilneys who she had agreed to go on a walk with – and for whom John Thorpe refuses to stop. Fortunately all ends well as all is explained and forgiven.

No15 #JaneAusten Admiral Croft takes lodgings in Gay Street (2 refs). This is where the original version of Persuasion reached its climax. However Jane thought it “tame and flat” and so rewrote the ending - which she had completed a year to the day before she died and moved it to the Gravel Walk.

No14 #JaneAusten In Persuasion in the "greater space and quiet of Belmont" (2 refs). Admiral Croft tells Anne Elliot that James Benwick and Louisa Musgrove are to marry. This news leaves both Anne and Captain Wentworth free and available.

No13 #JaneAusten In Persuasion we hear “if we do go, we must be in a good situation: none of your Queen Squares (1 ref) for us!”. At this time the square was a somewhat ageing backwater. With no trees, no BRLSI building and no Charlotte Street.

No12 #JaneAusten The Thorpes conspire to keep Catherine away from the Tilneys by suggesting a drive to Claverton Down (1 ref) with Sham Castle and its wonderful views over Bath. In 1777 horse racing there attracted a crowd of possibly 10,000 and 800 carriages.

No11 #JaneAusten The Elliots are disturbed at 10pm by distant cousin William Elliot (boo hiss) who had dined at Lansdown Crescent (1 ref). The next day the father in praising praise Anne extols the benefits of (the highly poisonous) Gowlands lotion in removing Mrs Clays freckles.

No9 #JaneAusten Back in Northanger Abbey, John Thorpe is again claiming to Catherine Morland to have seem the Tilneys, this time in Brock Street (1 ref) – but Catherine is rightfully not convinced.

No10 #JaneAusten In Northanger Abbey (1 ref), Catherine and Isabella head from the Pump Room through the arch into the street “in pursuit of” two young men – but there they lose them as “Everybody acquainted with Bath may remember the difficulties of crossing Cheap Street”.

No8 #JaneAusten In Persuasion “the comparatively quiet and retired gravel walk” gets a single but important mention in the climax of the book – but this was not where Jane originally placed it. Jane rewrote the last two chapters – moving the scene outside.

No7 #JaneAusten. In Northanger Abbey John Thorpe falsely claims to Catherine Morland that as he “turned into Broad Street” he saw Henry Tilney not come to collect Catherine (as agreed) but instead head in the other direction “driving a smart looking girl”.

No6 #JaneAusten Walcot Church (we assume St Swithin’s) gets a single mention in Northanger Abbey. John Thorpe (boo hiss) claims a speed of 10mph for his horse and gig on his journey to the Bath from Tetbury. A gig being a new (at the time) word for a small two wheeled carriage

No5 #JaneAusten The Old Bridge (the new one being Pulteney Bridge) gets 1 ref in Persuasion. Since removed to reduce flooding. The formidable Lady Russell enters Bath over the bridge hearing noises “which belonged to the winter pleasures” - as per this view in the Victoria Art Gallery Bath

No4 #JaneAusten Jane’s book reflect contemporary thoughts and life in Bath. Interestingly, some of the main sites in Bath today are not directly referenced in Jane’s books. Sites missing include Bath Abbey, Pulteney Bridge and the Circus.

No3 #Jane Austen Whilst Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published together after Jane died, they were written c15 years apart. Northanger Abbey when Jane was around 25 and Persuasion when she was over 40.

No2 #JaneAusten Bath is mentioned in all of Jane’s six completed novels. This varies from a single reference in Pride & Prejudice to 98 in Persuasion – which like Northanger Abbey (82) is substantially based in Bath.

No1 #JaneAusten To mark 250 years since her birth, this series of posts aims to cover all the places in Bath that appear in Jane’s six completed novels. What they look like, the context and other facts – as we count down towards the most referenced place in Bath #bathguides

We love to share the history of Bath with our visitors, but it is also great to be Bath when history is being made. Congratulations to @bathrugby.bsky.social on the treble.

A huge congratulations from us. Whilst we love to tell the story of Bath from the outside of buildings, there is nothing like seeing the interiors of Bath's houses to fully understand Georgian life.

Now that sunnier, long and warmer days are here it is time to add extra free guided walks #mayorsguides #visitbath

Join us on World Heritage Day for a 50 minute tour around Bath's Spa Quarter. This includes the normally closed Abbey plant room to see its innovative eco-heating system that the springs power. Find us at the Bath World Heritage Centre #bathworldheritageday

On this day 225 years ago (29 March 1800) at the Taunton Assizes, Jane Austen's aunt - Jane Leigh Perrot - was found not guilty of stealing lace from a shop in Bath Street Bath. If found guilty she faced the possible death penalty or 14 years transportation to Australia. #visit bath #bathguides

On Sat 12 April 2025 to celebrate World Heritage Day we will lead 50 minute tours around Bath's Spa Quarter. This includes the normally closed Abbey plant room to see its innovative eco-heating system that the springs power. Find us at the Bath World Heritage Centre 11am to 3pm #VisitBath