Royal Crescent
A grand curved terrace of 30 connected houses, the pinnacle of Georgian architecture in England.
The Royal Crescent was designed by John Wood the Younger and built between 1767 and 1774. Thirty terraced houses stand in a row along a half-ellipse about 150 meters long, with 114 Ionic columns running across the façade. In front lies an open lawn and Victoria Park, creating a magnificent vista. The façade is uniform, but each home's rear was built to suit its owner, creating an amusing contrast often summed up as “Queen Anne at the front, Mary Ann at the back.” Most units are now private homes. No. 1 Royal Crescent has been turned into a museum with an admission fee of about £15. Its living room, bedrooms and kitchen are furnished as they would have been in the 18th century, giving insight into upper-class life of the time. No. 16 is the five-star Royal Crescent Hotel. A few minutes' walk east along Brock Street from the Royal Crescent brings you to another masterpiece, The Circus. This circular space is enclosed by three curved terraces and was designed by John Wood the Elder, reportedly inspired by Stonehenge. Viewing the exterior is free. For a panoramic shot, try from a spot a little farther away on the far side of the lawn.
Opening hours
Exterior open all day; Museum No. 1 about 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (partly closed Mondays)
Nearby sights
- The Circus
- Jane Austen Centre
- Thermae Bath Spa
- Roman Baths
- Bath Abbey
- Pulteney Bridge
- Sally Lunn's Historic Eating House
- Holburne Museum