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Private Guided Tour of Jane Austen's Bath: A Journey through the Regency Era
5.0
3 Ratings
Bath and North East Somerset
Embark on a private guided tour of Jane Austen’s Bath and immerse yourself in the Regency Era. Discover the hidden stories and haunts that influenced Austen’s novels and characters. Uncover the social etiquette, fashion, and daily life of Regency England.
Duration:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Bath Abbey - Our expert guide will be waiting to meet you outside the West Doors of this iconic landmark.
- Sally Lunn’s Museum - The original Bath bun is not in fact the ‘Bath Bun’ at all, but the curiously-named ‘Sally Lunn’. Legend has it that this large, light, yeasty delicacy arrived in our Somerset city courtesy of a young Huguenot refugee called Solange Luyon. Jane Austen liked them so much she was moved to write about them in her letters - discover why at this historic museum and tea room, set in Bath’s oldest house.
- The Cross Bath - This historic bathing pool, rich in natural, therapeutic minerals, was rebuilt by Thomas Baldwin in 1789 in the style of Robert Adam. You will also visit the nearby Pump Rooms, a fashionable haunt in Jane Austen’s day. As she wrote in her novel ‘Northanger Abbey’, “Every creature in Bath… was to be seen in the room at different periods of the fashionable hour.”
- Queen Square - A magnificent square of Grade 1 Georgian houses built in the Palladian style by John Wood the Elder. In 1799, Jane Austen stayed with her family at no.13 where, from her bedroom window, would look out on the elegantly dressed people of Bath as they strolled past buildings, gleaming creamy white in the sunshine. An obelisk, erected by Beau Nash in honour of Frederick, Prince of Wales, sits in the middle of the square gardens. Our guide will share historical facts and riveting stories of what went on behind the doors of this fashionable town address.
- The Circus - The Circus was part of John Wood the Elder’s grand vision to recreate a classical Palladian architectural landscape for Bath and is considered to be a unique achievement in Georgian urban planning. It is a breathtaking site today and our guide will provide a wonderful insight to the illustrious residents of this noted Bath address.
- No. 1 Royal Crescent - This elegant row of 30 terraced houses, laid out in a sweeping crescent above the City overlooking Royal Victoria Park, is one of the most visited and photographed places in the world. Designed by the architect John Wood The Younger and built between 1767 and 1775, it remains much the same as it was when it was first built. Our guide shares some wonderful stories and historical facts as to what this iconic street was like in Jane’s time.
- Assembly Rooms - The Assembly Rooms was an elegant meeting place where Jane, and the characters from her novels, often gathered for evening balls, concerts and other social functions. Jane was very fond of dancing and the Assembly Rooms was the place to be seen. Learn how one of Jane’s uncles was part of the 17th-century investment plan that funded the building of the Upper Rooms.
- Milsom Street - Milsom Street, the fashionable Georgian thoroughfare prominent in both ‘Northanger Abbey’ and ‘Persuasion’, is still a vibrant shopping district. En-route to Milsom Street, you will pass St Swithin’s Church, where Jane’s parents were married and where her father is buried.
- Pulteney Bridge - This historic, shop-lined bridge designed by Richard Adam spanning the River Avon is one of only four bridges in the world with shops across its full span on both sides.
- Great Pulteney Street - An impressive grand thoroughfare created by Thomas Baldwin to connect the city of Bath with the River Avon and nearby Bathwick and Sydney Gardens. Impressive Georgian townhouses border the wide avenue. Stroll along to Sydney Place where Jane and her family lived in Number 4.
What's Included
- Private tour for up to six guests
Additional Information
We specialize in conducting private tours that can be tailored to your specific fascination with all things related to Jane Austen. Our guides expose hidden tales and places of Jane Austen’s era in Bath to disclose how this remarkable city and its high society back then influenced her novels and inspired her beloved characters.
Jane Austen’s connection with Bath was quite intriguing. It reflects the multifaceted characteristics of the locality: stimulating, complex, stylish, lively, and thrilling. Her duration in the city was full of enchantment and sorrow and signified one of the most significant phases of her early life.
Our expedition takes you through iconic fronts, along lanes and sites trendy in Regency Bath. Your knowledgeable guide presents captivating details about the social norms of the day, the subtleties of a woman’s life in Regency England, contemporary trends, how life was experienced, and the stories behind the architecture.
Location
Bath Abbey
Tour starts in front of Bath Abbey west doors - your tour guide will be wearing a name badge. We recommend you arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(3 Ratings)
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X5513ivkims
Aug 14, 2024
Wow! Great tour, and not just for Austen fans! - Our guide, Theresa, exceeded our expectations on our tour! We appreciated how she set the stage and helped us see Bath as Jane Austen may have experienced it. Her knowledge on architecture, history, Jane’s life and novels was exceptional! Hearing her read passages from the novels set in Bath and then pointing out the locations where those encounters happened helped bring the books to life. Her theater background ensured that the information she shared was engaging for our group ranging in ages from 11 to 73. Even our teen boys who are not Austen fans found it interesting. We only had a day and a half in Bath, and are so glad we spent some of our limited time on this tour as we covered lots of ground and got a comprehensive overview of the city as well as Bath’s influence on Jane’s life. I would highly recommend a tour from Strictly Jane Austen Tours!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jessicabi1638wv
May 31, 2024
A wonderful way to see bath and celebrate Austen - The tour was a wonderful way to see Bath and celebrate Austen. Highly recommend, especially if you're paying a short visit to the city and want to see all the sights and hear as many Jane stories as you can in one day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elisha
Jul 10, 2023
AMAZING! - The tour was amazing ! So informative.
Tour guide was in period attire. Energy level was awesome. Took to little nooks and treasures throughout Bath
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Storyteller689430
Apr 17, 2023
Fantastic tour - Fantastic knowledgeable and friendly guide Diana. Not only did she provide a very informative Jane Austen personalised walking tour but also pointed out some architectural and historical gems as we walked around Bath. A “must” tour for anyone visiting Bath.
Review provided by Tripadvisor