Bath Abbey

Bath Abbey

Formerly a monastery and a cathedral, the spectacular cream-colored Bath Abbey now serves as the parish church of Bath. The interior is especially famed for its fan vaulting.

Quick Facts

Go Historic ID: 249247
Names: Bath Abbey
Location: Bath
Bath and North East Somerset
Somerset
South West England
England
UK
Europe
Categories: cathedral
church
monastery
abbeys
Simon Jenkins 1000 Best Churches
Simon Jenkins Four-Star Church
Affiliations: Church of England
Styles: Gothic
medieval
Materials: Bath stone
oolitic limestone

Timeline

1090: Bath's monastic church becomes a cathedral
1244: Bath and Wells Share Cathedral Status

Bibliography

Official Website of Bath Abbey. Web. Accessed 1 Nov. 2016. <http://www.bathabbey.org>

Images

Evening view of Bath Abbey from southwest, c.1500-35. Bath, Somerset, England. Credit: Holly Hayes.

Alabaster effigy tomb of James Montague (1568-1618), Bishop of Bath and Wells. Montague was a Calvinist and great fan of King James I, whose collected works he edited. Credit: Holly Hayes.

View east in the Perpendicular Gothic choir of Bath Abbey, c.1500-35. Bath, Somerset, England. Credit: Holly Hayes.

Stained glass window depicting the Adoration of the Magi in Bath Abbey. Bath, Somerset, England. Credit: Holly Hayes.

Romanesque sculpture from the previous Norman cathedral displayed in the Heritage Vaults Museum of Bath Abbey. Bath, Somerset, England. Credit: Holly Hayes.

Romanesque sculpture from the previous Norman cathedral displayed in the Heritage Vaults Museum of Bath Abbey. Bath, Somerset, England. Credit: Holly Hayes.

Romanesque sculpture displayed in the Heritage Vaults Museum of Bath Abbey. Bath, Somerset, England. Credit: Holly Hayes.

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