This record of our journey finds us still in the English city of Bath, in my beloved Cotswolds.  Uncle Peter and Aunt Carol had designed a comprehensive tour for us (daughter Liz, SIL Peter, granddaughter Adeline et moi). We met their daughter Hannah and granddaughter Lottie for lunch, and thus fortified, set off on more adventures.

A trip to Bath isn’t complete without a walk around the Royal Crescent, the iconic building that earned Bath its World Heritage UNESCO appellation.  Designed by John Wood the Younger and completed in 1774, it is comprised of 30 terraced houses (what we call townhouses) laid out in a curve. It includes a 5-star hotel at its center and a museum at No.1 Royal Crescent which was also used as a set for the Featherington family in Bridgerton.

The Crescent spans 500 feet and has a sweeping lawn at its front, complete with a ha-ha.  According to Wikipedia,  a ha-ha is a “recessed landscape design element that creates a vertical barrier (particularly on one side) while preserving an uninterrupted view of the landscape beyond from the other side.”  It is also known as a deer wall or a sunk fence. The name comes from the surprise one has when discovering the ha-ha. It might also denote the laughter of one’s companions as one falls into said ha-ha. 

Our final stop of the day was Bath Abbey, originally a Benedictine monastery built in the 7th century and rebuilt and restored throughout the ages which has served as a parish church for the Church of England since Henry VIII enacted the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century.

So, it’s been a minute. The Abbey is ancient and offers tours of the crypt as well as the tower. Our group chose the tower, in spite of the fact that there is a slightly scary warning posted: “Due to the nature of this tour, it may not be suitable for those who suffer from poor mobility, claustrophobia, vertigo or general ill health or those further along in pregnancy. If you fall into any of these categories, please contact us for further information.” In addition, visitors are warned, “Sensible footwear and clothing should be worn. No flip flops, heels or sandals… We reserve the right to decline tickets should we deem clothing & footwear unsuitable.”

I’m no spring chicken, to be sure, but I was daunted by the warnings. After seeing that list you start to feel a bit ill.  Vertigo? Maybe. Claustrophobia? How small is this space? Poor mobility? Well, I’m not doing any high kicks these days. But my kids laughed at my concerns.  Since my shoes and clothing passed muster, I began the trek up the narrow spiral stairs (just 225!) to the roof of the church. We reached the roof and had a look out at the city in all its sunshiny splendor.  Then we walked along the roof into the bell room and took a tour of the clock tower and peeked through the ceiling of the church. The guides were terrific and gave us a brief history of the ringing of the ten bells of Bath Abbey. Truly fascinating. If you’d like to learn more about campanology (bell ringing) I recommend you read The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers. 

Then there was a final ascent to the top of the steeple. This is where yours truly bowed out and was left in the bell room to wait. I mean, the steps to the steeple were even narrower than the first lot. Frankly, I wasn’t sure I would fit, and I got a real sense that I could develop claustrophobia if I tried.  Discretion being the better part of valor, I stayed behind. That was a no-no for me!