Leaving Stow we headed to our second from the last stop ...Bath. Along the way we stopped at Blenheim Palace. There's more about it below, but there aren't many pictures (you're not allowed to take them inside the palace). We did, however, take some time for our our group photo.
Many of our group touring the stones
Moving further south, we stopped at one of the most fascinating sites on the entire trip, the Avebury Stone Circle. While most people visit Stone Hedge, Rick believes Avebury is a better example of stone circles. He is absolutely correct! The site is MUCH larger, encircling an entire town.
Our group on a intro tour of Bath
So on to Bath. Putting our luggage in our rooms we headed out for a quick tour of the town (across the Pulteney Bridge, down along the Parade Gardens and finally stopping outside the Roman Baths and the Bath Abbey...(Click Here for More Below) and then a group dinner at the Wife of Bath Restaurant
Our group coming on to the balcony of the Baths
Our second day in Bath was very busy. We started out at the amazing Roman Baths. It's astounding how well they are preserved (more below). Immediately next store was the Bath Abbey. Before our tour we went around back to see the Bishop's Palace.
Gillian filling in the details
Next we boarded our bus and headed to Glastonbury to visit the town and the Abbey. The Abbey must have been magnificent! What a tragedy that Henry the Eight couldn't have felt the same. It's a great lesson on how determined he must have been to crush the Catholic Church and make off with their money (more below). Oh! Can't forget King Arthur's grave or the Abbot's conical kitchen.
On our own for lunch, we found a great little sandwich shop (SBazil) in town. Super sandwich and soup. Highly recommended. After lunch we spent some time taking in the rest of the town and it's shops. Worth the visit
On our tour of the Cathedral
Back on the bus we headed to our final stop of the day...Wells Cathedral. A beautiful building and an memorable tour (they split our group in two to insure we'd see and hear everything).
We finished the day by having dinner with the Jack and Jan at the Wagamama. It's a chain, but good food. Their menu centers around noodle dishes. Unfortunately, it's also the place that I left one of my favorite sweaters.
What We Saw
Blenheim Palace
July 3, 2007
Blenheim Palace is the ancestral home of the Churchill-Spencer family. Winston Churchill's older brother inherited the estate (so much for the younger siblings). Winston did, however, manage to be born there.
You'll note the pictures we have are all of the outside. Picture taking isn't allowed inside...postcards are, of course.
East Gate
Grouping up at the East Gate
Moving through the East Court to the Townsend Tower
Townsend Tower leading to the Great Court
The main entrance
The main entrance from the bottom of the steps
Up to the main entrance
Gardens outside the west facade
Gardens outside the west facade
Blenheim Palace Woodstock Oxfordshire OX20 1PX
What We Saw
Avebury Stone Circle
July 3, 2007
Ninety miles west of London and twenty miles north of Stonehenge stands Avebury, the largest known stone ring in the world. Older than the more famous Stonehenge, and for many visitors far more spectacular, the multiple rings of Avebury are cloaked with mysteries which archaeologists have only begun to unravel.
The outer part of the circle is a 20+ feet ditch dug into the chalk soil. Be sure to click on the site map (one of the pictures below) to see the circle as a whole. Much of it is now covered in grass...aptly tended to by the 'four legged lawn mowers'. We could only imagine what it looked like when freshly dug.
Initially we were disappoiinted to hear we were going to Avery instead of Stonehenge. Flowing our visit to Avebury, however, there were no regrets. Avebury is not as famous as Stonehedge, but is a much better example of of a stone circle! We'd recommend you see them both. but if you can only do one or the other, Avery it the choice.
Linda by one of the taller stones
Site Map
John amongst the stones
Two or the `lawn mowers`
From a distance
Giving a sense of the size
Gillian
Linda next to the tallest stone
Avebury Stone Circle near Marlborough Wiltshire SN8 1RF Tel: Tel: 01672 539250
What We Saw
City of Bath
July 3, 2007
For some inexplicable reason (don't know why) we both Bath was going to be a much smaller town then it is. Go figure! As we drove into Bath we took a quick tour of the town, specifically passing by the Royal Crescent and the Circus. From there we dropped our bags at our hotel and headed out from a walking tour of the Abbey and Baths before we stopped for dinner.
Passing over the Pulteney Bridge (with shops along both sides) we first passed by the city park with along the River Avon. Like parks across England, this one was beautifully covered with flowers, park benches and places for picnics.
A short distance beyond the park are the Roman Baths (thus the city's name) and the Bath Abbey. We toured the Baths and the Abbey on our second day in Bath. Our group stayed together for dinner (always a lot of fun) in the cellar of the Wife of Bath Restaurant.
The Circus
Pulteney Bridge shops and restaurants
Looking through one of the shops on the Pulteney Bridge
Looking down on the Pulteney weir
Looking down on the Pulteney weir
Bath Abbey
Parade Gardens along the Avon River
What We Saw
Bath Abbey
July 3, 2007
On our way to dinner we passed by the Bath Abbey...so the only pictures are of the outside.
WAIT! Not so fast. The second group of pictures is the inside of the Abbey which we took later in the day.
Wife of Bath Restaurant Closed in August 2022 12 Pierrepont Street Bath. BA1 1LA
What We Saw
Roman Baths
July 3, 2007
The Roman Baths are by far the best example of Roman life in England. The size and complexity of the facility clearly show how important the bath houses were. We think of modern spas we've been to and they certainly don't have anything on what we saw. Not only was the facility extensive, it was clever in its design. Hot rooms, steam rooms. Wow!
The displays that have been developed to illustrate the baths as they actually existed were outstanding. We'd both definitely recommend the visit.
How the Baths looked in the past
Crossing the balcony
Across from one balcony to the other
The Baths below
A model of the Baths as they originally looked outside
Glastonbury Abbey is primarily a ruin. But what a ruin!
Built over 800 years ago, it was destroyed by Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Rumored to be Avalon and the burial site of King Arthur and his Queen, Glastonbury stands today as a fine example of how wealthy the Catholic church was before Henry decided to take it all away.
There is a great introduction to the ruins in the Abbey museum that you walk through. A terrific model of the Abbey is accompanied by a host of artifacts. You get a sense of how magnificent the abbey must have been before it was destroyed. If fact, seeing only the ruins gives it a mystical feel.
You're NOT going to see an Abbey. But you have a clear understanding of how magnificent it was at its high point.
`Sigeric` by Heather Burnley, a.k.a. `the Serious`
A model of the Abbey
A model of the Abbey
History of the dissolution of the monastery in 1539
A section of what`s left of the Abbey
A section of what`s left of the Abbey
Gillian describes the Abbey history
Close up of the ruins
Close up of the ruins
Close up of the ruins
The sign reads Site of King Arthur`s Tomb...
Looks like Arthur`s grave is recent
A final look at the Abbey ruins
The final stop on the tour was the Abbot`s Kitchen a recreation of the actual kitchen as it looked and operated when the Abbey was active. A "Monk" told us of life at the Abbey and how the kitchen fit into the total picture. The Monk did a terrific job describing life at the Abbey.
Abbot`s Kitchen
Abbot`s Kitchen
Abbot`s Kitchen
Abbot`s Kitchen
Glastonbury Abbey Magdalene Street Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 9EL, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1458 832267 FAX: +44 (0)1458 836117
Where We Ate
S Bazil Restaurant
July 4, 2007
S Bazil Restaurant
What We Saw
Wells Cathedral
July 4, 2007
A very interesting cathedral. There are a number of architectural oddities:
A ceiling beautifully painted like it never was in the past.
Wells west front is unique in retaining almost 300 of its original medieval statues.
Interior walls, originally covered with colorful pictures were then painted white. But some of the original painting have been found behind one of the alters.
Scissor arches added to insure that the structure remained standing.
A collection of stained glass windows that is second to none...most telling a story.
Looking up the main isle
Preparing for our tour
Elsa our tour guide
A Standing Seat - to lean or to sit
Bishop of Wells 1445-1504
Chapter House
Wells Cathedral Cathedral Green Wells, BA5, UK Tel: +44 1749 674483 FAX: +44 1749 832209
Where We Ate
Wagamama Restaurant
July 4, 2007
Noodles, noodles & noodles. A bunch of dishes that have noodles as a base. The tables are large and there may be more than your party sitting at each one. Not to worry, it's a fun time.
The food and service are both good, the restaurant was very nice and the price was reasonable. Definitely a place to try.
Breakfast at the Carfax Hotel Pulteney St Bath BA2 4BS 01225-462089 Tel: +44 1225 462 089 FAX: 0044 (0)1225 443257
Where We Stayed
Carfax Hotel (now the No. 15 Guest House)
This was a very nice hotel. It was located VERY near the downtown, making everything we wanted to see and do within walking distance. Definitely recommended.
No Longer the Carfax Hotel. It's now the No. 15 Guest House.
No. 15 Guest House
Carfax Hotel (now the No. 15 Guest House) 15 Great Pulteney Street Bath, BA2 4BS Tel: 01225 807015
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/2407121045IMG_1710f.JPG "Many of our group touring the stones")
/2407121051IMG_1765f.JPG "Our group on a intro tour of Bath")
/2407121051IMG_1830f.JPG "Our group coming on to the balcony of the Baths")
/2407121051IMG_1947f.JPG "Gillian filling in the details")
/2407121051IMG_2039f.JPG "On our tour of the Cathedral")
/2407121108IMG_1648f.JPG "East Gate")
/2407121108IMG_1659f.JPG "Grouping up at the East Gate")
/2407121108IMG_1669f.JPG "Moving through the East Court to the Townsend Tower")
/2407121108IMG_1670f.JPG "Townsend Tower leading to the Great Court")
/2407121108IMG_1673f.JPG "The main entrance")
/2407121108IMG_1676f.JPG "The main entrance from the bottom of the steps")
/2407121108IMG_1677f.JPG "Up to the main entrance")
/2407121108IMG_1681f.JPG "Gardens outside the west facade")
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/2407121220IMG_1704f.JPG "Linda by one of the taller stones")
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/2407121220IMG_1706f.JPG "John amongst the stones")
/2407121220IMG_1708f.JPG "Two or the `lawn mowers`")
/2407121220IMG_1709f.JPG "From a distance")
/2407121220IMG_1710f.JPG "Giving a sense of the size")
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/2407121220IMG_1713f.JPG "Gillian")
/2407121220IMG_1716f.JPG "Linda next to the tallest stone")
/2407121428IMG_1749f.JPG "The Circus")
/2407121428IMG_1767f.JPG "Pulteney Bridge shops and restaurants")
/2407121428IMG_1769f.JPG "Looking through one of the shops on the Pulteney Bridge")
/2407121428IMG_1775f.JPG "Looking down on the Pulteney weir")
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/2407121928IMG_1827f.JPG "How the Baths looked in the past")
/2407121928IMG_1830f.JPG "Crossing the balcony")
/2407121928IMG_1835f.JPG "Across from one balcony to the other")
/2407121928IMG_1839f.JPG "The Baths below")
/2407121928IMG_1842f.JPG "A model of the Baths as they originally looked outside")
/2407121928IMG_1851f.JPG "remains of The Temple pediment")
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/2407141055IMG_1887f.JPG "The drain where the water exited")
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/2407141055IMG_1901f.JPG "Linda checks out part of the drainage system")
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/2407131940IMG_1936f.JPG "A model of the Abbey")
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/2407141142IMG_2005f.JPG "Looking up the main isle")
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/2407141142IMG_2013f.JPG "Preparing for our tour")
/2407141142IMG_2017f.JPG "Elsa our tour guide")
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