Royal Visit

History and Heritage of Royal Crescent in Bath

The Royal Crescent is one of the most famous and grade 1 listed, heritage buildings in Bath. It considered one of the most excellent achievements of 18th century urban architecture and represents the highest point of Palladian architecture in Bath.

 It was designed by the Georgian Architect John Wood the Younger in 1754 and built between 1767 and 1774.This world famous landmark is the central feature and the most important of many local historic districts in Bath including eight Crescents, Brock Street, St. Margaret’s Buildings and The Circus, Roman Baths and Thermae Bath Spa.

The Crescent comprises a series of neighbouring houses, each on five floors including a basement overlooking The Royal Crescent Lawns with its Ha-Ha Wall and The Royal Victoria Park.

 The 57 acres Royal Victoria Park was named after princess Victoria as she used to visit the park at the time.  It was built in 1829 and opened in 1830

 Nowadays, each of the houses in the Royal Crescent has been divided into several apartments all for domestic accommodation. It contains some 30 houses, one of which is now the Royal Crescent Hotel; another is Number 1 and open to the public. Just one or two houses remain intact as single-family residences. Royal Crescent Hotel and Gardens next door in the centre of the Crescent are the only commercial establishments.

 No.1 Royal Crescent is a magnificently restored Georgian town house that creates a wonderfully vital picture of life in Georgian Bath. It is now a well loved, much visited historic house museum that also acts as headquarters for the Bath Preservation Trust. It was the first house to be built in the Crescent.  In the beginning, it was built to provide luxury accommodation for the aristocratic guests who used to come to take the waters and enjoy the social season. A former most notable resident was the second son of George III – the Duke of York.

While visiting Make The Royal Crescent traditional afternoon tea an experience in itself making for an unforgettable afternoon spent with friends or family.

The Royal Crescent in Movies

The following Movies and television programas used The Royal Crescent as an inspirational location:

-       Vanity Fair

-       Persuasion

-       The Duchess (2008)

-       Catch Us If You Can (1965)

-       Fosse Way

-       The wrong Box (1966)

About the Author

Magda Frankowska is a digital analytist at fst. This article is for Heritage holiday Homes featuring The fst Cretaive agency. This is article is for Heritage Holiday Homes featuring The Royal Crescent in Bath.

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