Bath Abbey rises majestically in the historic town square of Bath, in Somerset, England. Like most buildings in the city, such as the Roman baths located on the right, the abbey was built with local Bath stone, a pale yellow limestone. Most of the abbey’s exterior dates from the 1500s, including the carved statues, the wooden front door, the arched windows, and the flying buttresses. However, the decorative pinnacles were only added in the 1830s. JeniFoto/Shutterstock
Bath Abbey rises upward from the heart of the ancient Roman city of Bath, in the southwest of England. The church is regarded as an English architectural treasure, famous for its late medieval architecture.
Its rich history began in about 1499, when Oliver King, the Bishop of Bath, had a vision of angels climbing a ladder to heaven; he interpreted it as a divine message to build a new church, Bath Abbey, on the site of a Norman Cathedral. The church was the last great medieval religious structure built in England, in the Gothic Perpendicular architectural style.
This was a later variation of Gothic architecture in England, characterized by decorative visual effects, featuring predominant vertical lines, enlarged windows, fan vaults, and slender columns. These elements can be found throughout the abbey, with its large tracery windows and strong vertical lines. Further highlights of Bath Abbey include the beautiful stained-glass windows, the west front, and the abbey’s vaulted ceiling, designed by Robert and William Vertue and considered one of the best examples of fan vaulting in the country.
However, the construction of Bath Abbey took nearly 120 years and was only completed in 1620, when it became a parish church. In 1833, George Phillips Manners completed the abbey’s original layout by changing the design of the towers and adding flying buttresses, a new organ, extra galleries, and additional seating. Later, in 1863, local architect Sir George Gilbert Scott restored a major part of the abbey by replacing the wooden ceiling over the nave with stone fan vaulting.
Today, Bath Abbey remains a place of Christian worship and is considered one of the best examples of Perpendicular Gothic Architecture in western England.
The beautiful limestone south façade of Bath Abbey is decorated with multiple rows of large tracery windows and slender pinnacles, two key features of Perpendicular Gothic architecture. On the right, visitors can admire the two-stage central tower, a product of the 1833 restoration by architect George Phillips Manners. The 161-foot-high rectangular tower has two bell openings and four turret pinnacles and can be accessed by a staircase. ian woolcock/Shutterstock
One of the first sights visitors have of Bath Abbey is the imposing west front, decorated with unique angel carvings. At the top, visitors can admire a carved dove, a representation of the Holy Spirit, and the statue of King Henry VII. Below, a fine arched window is divided into 7 vertical sections and is surrounded by intricately carved stone sculptures of angels, climbing ladders on both sides. JeniFoto/Shutterstock
A close-up of the stone carvings on the abbey’s west front. Angels climb a ladder, ascending to and descending from heaven. This impressive detailing of the abbey’s façade refers to the Bishop of Bath’s dream and could also be an allusion to the dream of the prophet Jacob in the Bible. Jeremy Richards/Shutterstock
The impressive interior of Bath Abbey, built in the form of a Latin cross. With stained-glass windows on either side of the nave, or central walkway, an astounding number of 52 windows occupy about 80 percent of the total wall space. Visitors feel a sense of openness and airiness. However, one of the most impressive features is its fan-vaulted ceiling, supported by tall buttresses and topped by pinnacles. Marco Fine/Shutterstock
The Abbey’s most impressive feature is its spectacular vaulted ceiling. Created in the 1500s by Robert and William Vertue and restored in the 1860s by George Gilbert Scott, the stone vaults create fan shapes with equidistant ribs. The fan vaulting supported by flying buttresses is typical of Gothic Perpendicular architecture, and this particular one is one of the style’s best examples. John Selway/Shutterstock
The east end of the nave is decorated with a beautiful stained-glass window, another feature of the late Gothic architectural style. This particular stained-glass window has 56 scenes showing visitors the life of Jesus Christ. Angela N Perryman/Shutterstock
Ariane Triebswetter
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Ariane Triebswetter is an international freelance journalist, with a background in modern literature and classical music.
