Bath Abbey

Bath Abbey, a parish church, was founded in the 7th century and today belongs to the Church of England. The spectacular Gothic building can seat 1200 people, and is an active place of worship, holding sermons every week. The abbey is a popular destination on a tour of Bath attracting visitors from around the world.

During the reign of Henry VIII, after the denouncement of the Pope and forming of the Church of England, the church was stripped of lead, iron, and glass, leaving the historic building to decay. Luckily for fans of beautiful architecture, Sir George Gilbert Scott carried out major restorations on the Abbey in the 1860s.

As for the Abbey’s architecture, it is built of Bath stone–a form of limestone native to the city–which gives it a yellowish exterior. Buttresses support the walls and ceiling. The Abbey has a whopping 52 windows, encompassing 80 percent of the wall space! It seems someone choose to interpret the Biblical quote “let us walk in the light of the lord” literally. There is a tower that stands 49 metres (161 feet) tall with ten bells. Throughout history, the Abbey became home to various war memorials. From the First Anglo-Afghan war, to the Second World War, tributes are paid respect to the brave soldiers who lost their lives.