Taking the waters at Bath
Draft: this translation has not yet been checked against the original by a separate review.
- Written
- an undated visit before 1702, perhaps on one of her early journeys; written up about 1702; first printed 1888
- Place
- Bath
- Language
- English
- Kind of source
- travel account
- Reading time
- 7 minutes
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Low
Tourism, resorts and cruisesDoctors and medical ideasHomes, towns and building
A lady stepping out of the bath let her wet canvas gown fall into the water as she climbed the steps. At the same moment, her maid dropped a flannel gown over her head. Then two men carried her home in a curtained chair, still wrapped up, to sweat in bed.
Celia Fiennes (1662–1741) came from a family of Parliament's supporters in the English civil wars and of Dissenters, Protestants outside the Church of England. She never married, and as a young woman she began riding around England for her health and out of curiosity. In 1702 she wrote up her journeys, probably from notes, for her family. A kinswoman, Emily Griffiths, first printed them as a book in 1888, as Through England on a Side Saddle. Her earliest journeys were in the southwest of England. She does not date this visit to Bath, a spa town in Somerset with hot springs.
Fiennes describes what she saw and did herself: she walked in the Cross Bath with women guides and watched someone being pumped in the King's Bath. She says what the guides were paid and how the chairs were made. Why the waters helped, or whether they did, she does not ask; she reports what the bathers believed and did.
She wrote for her relations, years after some of her journeys, and her long, breathless sentences run one thing into the next. She was a lady of fashion writing about a place built for people like her. The poorer bathers appear once, in their own clinging linen.
Watch how Bath works as a business: guides, a sergeant, chairmen, maids, and lodging houses, each with a fee or a tip. Notice where men and women sit, and who watches from the galleries.
The edited translation, in simplified modern English. Bracketed words were added for clarity; [...] marks a cut. Tap a note number to read the note.
The ways to Bath are all difficult. The town lies low in a hollow, and there are steep climbs on all the ways out of the town. The houses are ordinary; the streets are of a good size and well paved. There are several good houses built for lodgings that are new and decorated, with good furniture. The baths, in my opinion, make the town unpleasant, the air is so low, surrounded by high hills and woods. There are five baths. The Hot Bath has the hottest springs. It is only small and built all around, which makes it the hotter. Out of it runs the water into a bath called the Lepers' Bath.1
The third bath is called the Cross Bath,2 which is somewhat bigger than the former and not so hot. The cross in the middle has seats around it for the gentlemen to sit, and around the walls are arches with seats for the ladies. All is stone, and the seat is stone. If you think the seat is too low, they raise it with a “cushion,” as they call it, which is another stone. But indeed the water bears you up, so that the seat seems as easy as a down cushion. In front of the arch the ladies usually have a lace toilet3 hung from the top of the arch, and so shelter their heads down to the water if they please. You generally sit up to the neck in water. This Cross Bath is much the coolest and is used mostly in the heat of summer. There are galleries around the top, where the company that does not bathe that day walk and look over into the bath at their acquaintances and company. There are a great number of guides4 at each bath, women to wait on the ladies and men to wait on the gentlemen, and they keep their proper distance.
There is a sergeant5 belonging to the baths who walks in the galleries all through the bathing time. He sees that order is kept and punishes the rude. Most people of fashion send word to him when they begin to bathe. Then he takes particular care of them and pays you his compliments every morning, which deserves its reward at the end of the season. When you want to walk around the bath, I usually have a woman guide or two to lead me, for the water is so strong it will quickly tumble you down. And then you have two of the men guides, who go at a distance around the bath to clear the way. At the sides of the arches are rings that you may hold on to, and so walk a little way. But the springs bubble up so fast and so strong, and are so hot against the bottoms of one's feet, especially in what they call the Kitchen in the bath. This is a great cross with seats in the middle, and many hot springs rise there.
The King's Bath is very large, as large as the rest put together. In it is the hot pump, where people are pumped for lameness, or on their heads for palsies.6 I saw one pumped. They put on a broad-brimmed hat with the crown cut out, so that the brim throws the water off the face. They are pumped in the bath; one of the men guides pumps. They get twopence, I think, for a hundred pumps. The water is scalding hot out of the pump. The arms or legs are more easily pumped.
The ladies go into the bath in garments made of a fine yellow canvas, which is stiff and made large, with great sleeves like a parson's gown. The water fills it up, so that it is held out and your shape is not seen. It does not cling close as other linen does, which looks bad on the poorer sort, who go in wearing their own linen. The gentlemen have drawers and waistcoats of the same sort of canvas. This is the best linen, for the bath water will turn any other yellow.
When you go out of the bath, you go through a door that leads to steps, which you climb one by one; they are in the water. Then the door is shut, which reaches down a good way into the water, so you are in a private place. There you still climb several more steps and let your canvas drop off little by little into the water, and your women guides take it off. Meanwhile your maids fling a flannel garment made like a nightgown, with great sleeves, over your head. The guides take the tail and pull it on you just as you climb the steps, and the other garment drops off. So you are wrapped up in the flannel, with your nightgown on top, and your slippers. And so you are set in a chair, which is brought into the room. These rooms are called slips,7 and there are chimneys in them, so you may have fires. They are in several places along the sides of the bath, so that people can go in and out of the bath decently. At the top of the stairs stands a woman who lays down a woolen cloth for you to set your bare foot on, and who also waits on you. The chairs8 you go in are a low seat, with frames around and over the head, all covered inside and out with red baize,9 and a curtain of the same is drawn in front, which makes it snug and warm. Then a couple of men with poles take you and carry you to your lodging and set you at your bedside. There you go to bed and lie and sweat for as long as you please. Your own maids and the maids of the house make your fire and wait on you until you get up to come out of your sweat.
All the baths have the same attendance. The Queen's Bath is bigger than the other three, but not nearly so big as the King's. These two run into each other. They are parted only by a wall, and at one place there is a great arch where they run into each other. The Queen's Bath is a degree hotter than the Cross Bath, and the King's Bath much hotter. These all have galleries around them. The pump is in one of these galleries at the King's Bath, and the company drink from it.10 The water is very hot and tastes like the water that boils eggs; it has such a smell. But the nearer the pump you drink it, the hotter it is, and the less offensive and the more lively.
The baths are all emptied as soon as the company goes out, which is about ten or eleven o'clock in the morning. Then they empty the bath all at once by sluices, so it fills again. I have seen all the springs bubble up as thick out of the ground when the baths have been empty. The bottom is gravel. So they will be full for the evening, if company wants to go in again. If so, they empty them again at night, and they are filled by the morning. And there will be a white scum on the bath, which the guides go and skim off clean before any company goes in. If people go in while this scum is on, it gives them “the bath mantle,” as they call it: it makes them break out in heat and pimples. The same will happen to them if they go into the bath before they have purged,11 especially in the hotter bath.
The places for amusement around Bath are the walks in what they call the King's Mead,12 a pleasant green meadow with walks around it and across it. There is no place for coaches. And indeed there is little use for a coach, except to bring the company to and from the bath, for the ways are not fit for coaches.
Notes
- The Lepers' Bath, a small bath fed by the water flowing out of the Hot Bath. The 1888 edition prints its name as “Le pours.” back
- Named for a cross in the middle of the bath. A new cross was set up there in 1687 in honor of Mary of Modena, queen of James II. back
- A cloth or veil. The word first meant a small piece of cloth. back
- Men and women employed at the baths to help bathers, especially the weak and lame. They lived largely on tips. back
- An officer who patrolled the baths to keep order, especially between men and women. back
- Palsy meant paralysis or uncontrolled shaking. Doctors believed hot spa water, pumped onto the head or a weak limb, could restore movement. A guide worked the pump and counted the strokes. back
- Small changing rooms at the edge of the bath, with steps down into the water. back
- Sedan chairs: closed seats carried on two poles by two men. back
- A coarse woolen cloth. back
- Drinking the hot water, as well as bathing in it, was part of the cure, called “taking the waters.” back
- Purging meant causing vomiting or diarrhea with medicines to rebalance the humors, the body fluids that doctors believed had to stay in balance. It was standard treatment for centuries; it is now known to weaken patients. back
- A meadow on the edge of Bath, by the river. back
The wayes to the bath are all difficult, the town lyes Low in a bottom and its steep ascents all wayes out of the town. The houses are indifferent, the streetes of a good size well pitched. There are severall good houses built for Lodgings that are new and adorned, and good furniture, the baths in my opinion makes the town unpleasant, the aire so low, encompassed with high hills and woods. There is 5 baths the hot bath the most hot springs — its but small and built all round, which makes it ye hotter — out of it runns the water into a bath called the Le pours.
The ways to Bath are all difficult. The town lies low in a hollow, and there are steep climbs on all the ways out of the town. The houses are ordinary; the streets are of a good size and well paved. There are several good houses built for lodgings that are new and decorated, with good furniture. The baths, in my opinion, make the town unpleasant, the air is so low, surrounded by high hills and woods. There are five baths. The Hot Bath has the hottest springs. It is only small and built all around, which makes it the hotter. Out of it runs the water into a bath called the Lepers' Bath.
- The Lepers' Bath, a small bath fed by the water flowing out of the Hot Bath. The 1888 edition prints its name as “Le pours.”
The third bath is called the Cross bath wch is some thing bigger then the former and not so hot ; the Cross in the middle has seates round it for ye Gentlemen to sitt, and round the walls are Arches wth seates for the Ladyes, all stone and the seate is stone and if you thinke the seate is too Low they raise it with a Coushon as they call it, another Stone, but indeed the water bears you up that ye seate seemes as easy as a down Coushon. Before the Arch the Ladyes use to have a laced toilet hung up on the top of the Arch and so to shelter their heads even to the water if they please. You Generally sit up to the Neck in water, this Cross bath is much the Coolest and is used mostly in ye heate of summer ; there are Gallery's round ye top that ye Company that does not Bathe that day walkes in and lookes over into ye bath on their acquaintance and company — there are such a number of Guides to each bath of women to waite on ye ladyes, and of men to waite on the Gentlemen, and they keepe their due distance.
The third bath is called the Cross Bath, which is somewhat bigger than the former and not so hot. The cross in the middle has seats around it for the gentlemen to sit, and around the walls are arches with seats for the ladies. All is stone, and the seat is stone. If you think the seat is too low, they raise it with a “cushion,” as they call it, which is another stone. But indeed the water bears you up, so that the seat seems as easy as a down cushion. In front of the arch the ladies usually have a lace toilet hung from the top of the arch, and so shelter their heads down to the water if they please. You generally sit up to the neck in water. This Cross Bath is much the coolest and is used mostly in the heat of summer. There are galleries around the top, where the company that does not bathe that day walk and look over into the bath at their acquaintances and company. There are a great number of guides at each bath, women to wait on the ladies and men to wait on the gentlemen, and they keep their proper distance.
- Named for a cross in the middle of the bath. A new cross was set up there in 1687 in honor of Mary of Modena, queen of James II.
- A cloth or veil. The word first meant a small piece of cloth.
- Men and women employed at the baths to help bathers, especially the weak and lame. They lived largely on tips.
There is a Serjeant belonging to ye baths that all the bathing tyme walkes in galleryes and takes notice order is observed and punishes ye rude, and most people of fashion sends to him when they begin to bathe, then he takes particular Care of them and Complements you every morning wch deserves its reward at ye end of the Season. When you would walk about ye bath I use to have a woman guide or two to Lead me for the water is so strong it will quickly tumble you down, and then you have 2 of the men guides goes at a distance about ye bath to Cleare ye way. At ye sides of the Arches are rings that you may hold by and so walke a little way, but ye springs bubbles up so fast and so strong and are so hot up against ye bottoms of ones feete, Especially in that they Call ye Kitching in the bath, which is a great Cross with seates in ye middle and many hot springs riseth there.
There is a sergeant belonging to the baths who walks in the galleries all through the bathing time. He sees that order is kept and punishes the rude. Most people of fashion send word to him when they begin to bathe. Then he takes particular care of them and pays you his compliments every morning, which deserves its reward at the end of the season. When you want to walk around the bath, I usually have a woman guide or two to lead me, for the water is so strong it will quickly tumble you down. And then you have two of the men guides, who go at a distance around the bath to clear the way. At the sides of the arches are rings that you may hold on to, and so walk a little way. But the springs bubble up so fast and so strong, and are so hot against the bottoms of one's feet, especially in what they call the Kitchen in the bath. This is a great cross with seats in the middle, and many hot springs rise there.
- An officer who patrolled the baths to keep order, especially between men and women.
The Kings bath is very large, as large as the rest put together, in it is the hot pumpe that persons are pumpt at for Lameness or on their heads for palsyes. I saw one pumpt, they put on a broad brim'd hatt wth the Crown Cut out so as ye brims Cast off ye water from ye face ; they are pumpt in ye bath, one of ye men Guides pumps — they have, two pence I thinke for 100 pumps. The water is scallding hot out of the pump, the armes or Legs are more easyly pumped.
The King's Bath is very large, as large as the rest put together. In it is the hot pump, where people are pumped for lameness, or on their heads for palsies. I saw one pumped. They put on a broad-brimmed hat with the crown cut out, so that the brim throws the water off the face. They are pumped in the bath; one of the men guides pumps. They get twopence, I think, for a hundred pumps. The water is scalding hot out of the pump. The arms or legs are more easily pumped.
- Palsy meant paralysis or uncontrolled shaking. Doctors believed hot spa water, pumped onto the head or a weak limb, could restore movement. A guide worked the pump and counted the strokes.
The Ladyes goes into the bath with Garments made of a fine yellow canvas, which is stiff and made large with great sleeves like a parsons gown; the water fills it up so that its borne off that your shape is not seen, it does not cling close as other linning, which Look'es sadly in the poorer sort that go in their own linning. The Gentlemen have drawers and wastcoates of the same sort of canvas, this is the best linning, for the bathwater will Change any other yellow.
The ladies go into the bath in garments made of a fine yellow canvas, which is stiff and made large, with great sleeves like a parson's gown. The water fills it up, so that it is held out and your shape is not seen. It does not cling close as other linen does, which looks bad on the poorer sort, who go in wearing their own linen. The gentlemen have drawers and waistcoats of the same sort of canvas. This is the best linen, for the bath water will turn any other yellow.
When you go out of the bath you go within a doore that leads to Steps which you ascend by degrees that are in the water, then the doore is shut which shutts down into the water a good way, so you are in a private place where you still ascend severall more steps and let your Canvass drop of by degrees into the water, which your women guides take off, and the meane tyme your maides flings a garment of flannell made like a Nightgown wth great sleeves over your head, and ye guides take ye taile and so pulls it on you Just as you rise ye steps, and ye other garment drops off so you are wrapped up in ye flannell and your nightgown on ye top, and your slippers and so you are set in Chaire which is brought into ye roome wch are called slips, and there are Chimneys in them, you may have fires. These are in severall parts of the sides of ye bath for ye Conveniency of persons going in and out of ye bath decently, and at ye top of ye staires stands a woman yt Layes a woollen Cloth for you to set your bare foot, and also to give you attendance. Ye Chaires you go in are a low seate and wth frames round and over ye head and all cover'd inside and out wth red bayes and a Curtaine drawn before of ye same wch makes it Close and warme ; then a Couple of men wth staves takes and Carryes you to your lodging and sets you at yr bedside where you go to bed and lye and sweate some tyme as you please. Yr own maides and ye maides of the house gets your fire and waites on you till you rise to get out of your sweate.
When you go out of the bath, you go through a door that leads to steps, which you climb one by one; they are in the water. Then the door is shut, which reaches down a good way into the water, so you are in a private place. There you still climb several more steps and let your canvas drop off little by little into the water, and your women guides take it off. Meanwhile your maids fling a flannel garment made like a nightgown, with great sleeves, over your head. The guides take the tail and pull it on you just as you climb the steps, and the other garment drops off. So you are wrapped up in the flannel, with your nightgown on top, and your slippers. And so you are set in a chair, which is brought into the room. These rooms are called slips, and there are chimneys in them, so you may have fires. They are in several places along the sides of the bath, so that people can go in and out of the bath decently. At the top of the stairs stands a woman who lays down a woolen cloth for you to set your bare foot on, and who also waits on you. The chairs you go in are a low seat, with frames around and over the head, all covered inside and out with red baize, and a curtain of the same is drawn in front, which makes it snug and warm. Then a couple of men with poles take you and carry you to your lodging and set you at your bedside. There you go to bed and lie and sweat for as long as you please. Your own maids and the maids of the house make your fire and wait on you until you get up to come out of your sweat.
- Small changing rooms at the edge of the bath, with steps down into the water.
- Sedan chairs: closed seats carried on two poles by two men.
- A coarse woolen cloth.
All the baths have the same attendance, the queens bath is bigger then ye other three but not and neare so big as ye Kings, which do run into each other and is only parted by a wall and at one place, a great arch where they run into each other. Ye queens bath is a degree hotter than ye Cross bath and ye Kings bath much hotter, these have all gallery's round and the pump is in one of these galleryes at ye Kings bath which ye Company drinks of, its very hot and tastes like ye water yt boyles Eggs, has such a smell, but ye nearer ye pumpe you drinke it, ye hotter and less offencive and more spiriteous.
All the baths have the same attendance. The Queen's Bath is bigger than the other three, but not nearly so big as the King's. These two run into each other. They are parted only by a wall, and at one place there is a great arch where they run into each other. The Queen's Bath is a degree hotter than the Cross Bath, and the King's Bath much hotter. These all have galleries around them. The pump is in one of these galleries at the King's Bath, and the company drink from it. The water is very hot and tastes like the water that boils eggs; it has such a smell. But the nearer the pump you drink it, the hotter it is, and the less offensive and the more lively.
- Drinking the hot water, as well as bathing in it, was part of the cure, called “taking the waters.”
The baths are all Emptyed as soone as the Company goes out, which is about 10 or 11 of ye Clock in the morning ; then by sluces they empty at once ye bath so it fills againe. I have seen all ye springs bubble up as thicke out of ye ground when the baths have been empty. Ye bottom is gravell. So they will be full for ye evening if Company would go in againe, if so they empty them againe at Night and they are filled against ye morning and there will be such a white scum on the bath wch ye guides goes and scimms off Cleane before any Company goes in ; if they go in while this scum is on it gives them the bath mantle as they call it, makes them breake out into heate and pimples ; ye like will be on them if they go into ye bath before they have purged, especially in ye hotter bath.
The baths are all emptied as soon as the company goes out, which is about ten or eleven o'clock in the morning. Then they empty the bath all at once by sluices, so it fills again. I have seen all the springs bubble up as thick out of the ground when the baths have been empty. The bottom is gravel. So they will be full for the evening, if company wants to go in again. If so, they empty them again at night, and they are filled by the morning. And there will be a white scum on the bath, which the guides go and skim off clean before any company goes in. If people go in while this scum is on, it gives them “the bath mantle,” as they call it: it makes them break out in heat and pimples. The same will happen to them if they go into the bath before they have purged, especially in the hotter bath.
- Purging meant causing vomiting or diarrhea with medicines to rebalance the humors, the body fluids that doctors believed had to stay in balance. It was standard treatment for centuries; it is now known to weaken patients.
Ye places for divertion about ye bath is either ye walkes in that they call ye Kings Mead which is a pleasant green meaddow, where are walkes round and Cross it, no place for Coaches, and indeed there is little use of a Coach only to bring and Carry ye Company from ye bath for ye wayes are not proper for Coaches.
The places for amusement around Bath are the walks in what they call the King's Mead, a pleasant green meadow with walks around it and across it. There is no place for coaches. And indeed there is little use for a coach, except to bring the company to and from the bath, for the ways are not fit for coaches.
- A meadow on the edge of Bath, by the river.
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Through England on a Side Saddle in the Time of William and Mary, London and New York 1888
Internet Archive (Harvard University copy, digitized by Google). pp. 12–14. Not in copyright (US), as stated on the record.
The printed edition our text follows, the first full printing of the journal.
Fiennes wrote in English; this is her text as printed in the 1888 London edition, pages 12–14: her whole account of the baths, about 1,350 words. Nothing is cut within these pages.
Spelling, capitals and punctuation are modernized, and her long run-on sentences are split for the reader, keeping her words and word order. A few hard words are given plainer equivalents, listed in the unit notes: for example “pitched” (paved), “staves” (poles), “spiriteous” (lively), “divertion” (amusement). The edition prints small raised letters for some short words; the original here writes them ye and yt (the, that) and wch and wth (which, with), not yet checked against the page images, and the final spells them out. One sentence about the springs in the Cross Bath is unfinished in the edition and is left unfinished.
- Original
- Text as printed in the named edition or on the object, read from page images. Edition: Celia Fiennes, Through England on a Side Saddle in the Time of William and Mary, being the Diary of Celia Fiennes, with an introduction by the Hon. Mrs [Emily W.] Griffiths (London: Field & Tuer, The Leadenhall Press; New York: Scribner & Welford, 1888), pp. 12–14. Printed from the manuscript, which the editor says was “copied verbatim.” Digital text: Internet Archive item throughenglando00fiengoog (Harvard University copy, scanned by Google), OCR text, extracted by code. Not yet read against the page images. Fiennes's text only.
- Editor’s review
- Not yet.
- Specialist review
- Not yet. Readings a specialist should confirm are listed for later review.
- Rights
- Original: public domain. Edition: public domain.
Sources for the notes
- Fiennes, Celia. Through England on a Side Saddle in the Time of William and Mary. Edited by Emily W. Griffiths. London: Field & Tuer; New York: Scribner & Welford, 1888. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/throughenglando00fiengoog. Title page, introduction, and pp. 11–15 (OCR text).
- Lancaster University. “Celia Fiennes.” Quakers in the World / Literature and Quakers project biography. https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/fass/projects/quakers/biographies/celia_fiennes.html
- Manco, Jean. “Taking the Plunge.” Bath City Life, autumn 1993; revised 2004. Building History. https://www.buildinghistory.org/bath/plunge.shtml
- Historic England. “The Cross Bath” (List Entry 1394182). https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1394182