RAMBLINGS AND RUMBLINGS: BATH

The Roman Baths are a historical site in the town of Bath. Rain water falling on nearby Mendip Hills drains through to deep below the earth where it is heated and pushed back to the surface through fissures in the rocks. It reaches the surface at a constant 46 degrees Celsius. A shrine was built here by the Celts to honour their god, Sulis. When the Romans came they continued to use the name Aquae Sulis, meaning "waters of Sulis". They constructed a temple here between 60 and 70 AD, and over the next 300 years a bathing complex was also developed. This included the cadarium (hot baths), tepidarium (warm baths) and frigidarium (cold baths). When the Romans left Britain in the 5th century, the baths eventually silted up and fell into disrepair.

The remains of these Roman Baths are all below the modern street level. The museum at the Baths display items which have been found during excavations. These include over 12,000 Roman coins recovered from the Sacred Springs here, probably as offerings to the gods. There are also about 130 curse tablets. These were curses written on a piece of lead and thrown into the pool so that the gods would bring bad luck to the person named. Most of these curses relate to the theft of bathing clothes. There is a wide assortment of other artefacts on display.

The impressive structures above ground date from the 19th century. They include Roman statues to give the atmosphere of the original Roman Baths. The Baths were closed for bathing in in 1978 after a young girl died from contracting meningitis from bacteria in the water. New facilities nearby allowed bathers to use the Baths and the water coming from the spring can be drunk for the high levels of minerals contained in it.