The Circus, Bath
The Circus is a ring of Georgian townhouses in upper Bath, designed by John Wood the Elder and finished by his son between 1754 and 1768. Three curved terraces surround a lawn of great plane trees. It is Grade I listed, free to walk around and one of the city's essential sights.
Photos
Stephen Hardisty
How it was built
John Wood the Elder died within three months of the first stone being laid, and John Wood the Younger completed the project. The thirty houses are split into three equal segments, each facing one of the three streets that enter the circle, so you always look at a façade rather than straight through.
What to look for
The fronts stack three classical orders: Doric at ground level, then Composite, then Corinthian. The Doric frieze carries 525 carved emblems, including Masonic symbols, and stone acorns line the parapet. The five plane trees in the centre are thought to date from around 1820. Several houses were destroyed in the 1942 Bath Blitz and rebuilt to the original design. The painter Thomas Gainsborough lived at No. 17 from 1758 to 1774 and painted portraits there. A zoom lens or binoculars helps you pick out individual emblems along the frieze.
Visiting
Walk the full circle slowly to read the frieze, then continue to the Royal Crescent nearby. The Circus Restaurant is just off the ring, and Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein is a few minutes' walk away. Allow twenty minutes or so to circle it properly.
Highlights
- Designed by John Wood the Elder and Younger
- Built 1754–1768
- Grade I listed
- 525 carved emblems in the frieze
- Gainsborough lived at No. 17
Good to know
- Free to walk around; the houses are private homes.
- Best seen in good light, when the frieze carvings stand out.
Frequently asked questions
Nearby
Sources: en.wikipedia.org