King's Bath

The King's Bath is a medieval open-air plunge bath, with foundations likely dating to the 12th century. The main structure is from the 17th century, with later alterations in the 18th, 19th, and 1970s. It is built of limestone ashlar and rubble. The bath is open, with seated recesses around the sides. Remnants of Jacobean strapwork balustrading are present around the top, believed to have been added in 1624 by Sir Francis Stonor. A worn statue, supposedly of Bladud, the legendary discoverer of the spring, is housed within a niche.

The bath has a long history, with Saxon origins and subsequent use by the monks of Bath Abbey from the 10th century onwards. Following the Reformation, it passed to the King and then the Town Council, who were granted the Prior's privileges by Elizabeth I in 1590. It remained the primary bath at the spring until the construction of the Queen’s Bath around 1576 and the Kingston Baths in 1762. Thomas Johnson’s 1675 view depicts the statue, arcading, and strapwork balustrade. The bath was a key attraction for visitors until the opening of the Pump Room in 1706. Regulations regarding bathing practices were introduced, including prohibiting nude bathing in 1737 and segregating the sexes in 1753. The current appearance, which involves a lower water level, resulted from work in the 1970s led by Professor Barry Cunliffe and the Bath Archaeological Trust to expose more of the underlying Roman remains.