Why you should visit the Bath Abbey

Posted on: 2016-10-06

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You might be like me and have walked past the Bath Abbey countless times, admired its outer beauty, taken some lovely photos of it, and then carried on walking. But there’s no excuse to miss the beauty of the Abbey's interior any longer, as I found out. This is why you should venture inside…

Bath Abbey

One of the first things I couldn’t help but notice in the Abbey is the stunning architecture of the ceiling. I stared up at it for a good minute, absolutely in awe. It’s a sight that you have to see, and you’ll be glad you did. In the late 1500s the church fell into disrepair and it wasn’t until 1616 that it started to be returned to its former glory. Sir George Gilbert Scott brought his Victorian Gothic architecture to the church between 1864 and 1874, and transformed the ancient wooden ceiling into the masterpiece it is today.

Interior of the Bath Abbey

It seems that no matter how long you have lived in Bath or how many times you have visited, there is something you don’t know about its history. This is what I found as I was shown around the Abbey. I learnt that 900 people from all walks of life are buried underneath the building and many of their memorial plaques are on the walls. It’s fascinating to see stone plaques from as early as the 11th century and how different spelling and the use of language was back then, as the carved words are sometimes hard to understand by today’s standards.

Interior of the Bath Abbey

Aside from the visually pleasing nature of the Abbey, it is still active as they regularly hold choirs, events and the graduation ceremonies of nearby university students. Around 450,000 people visit the Abbey each year, so it’s obvious that it’s still a pillar of the city and it’s easy to see why.

 

 

Current and upcoming events include the “Fully Alive” art exhibition that features pieces from the Methodist Art Collection, the Bath Philharmonia and many communion services. For more information head to their website. You can find them on Facebook and Twitter.



Article by:

Safia Yallaoui - Editor

Born in Bath, Safia has lived on the outskirts of the city her whole life. After studying journalism in Bristol she now spends a lot of her time searching for new things to see in Bath and soaking up the beautiful culture. You're most likely to find her sipping a soya latte in a lovely little independent cafe! Call Safia on 07468 516375 or email editor@365Bath.com.