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Bath Abbey Frommer's Highly Recommended

Hours Abbey Apr-Oct Mon-Sat 9am-6pm; Nov-Mar Mon-Sat 9am-4:30pm; year-round Sun 1-2:30pm (Apr-Oct also 4:30-5:30pm). The Heritage Vaults Mon-Sat 10am-3:30pm (last entrance)
Location Orange Grove
Phone 01225/422462
Web site www.bathabbey.org
Prices £2.50 ($5) donation requested, free for children 15 and younger

Frommer's Review

Built on the site of a much larger Norman cathedral, the present-day abbey is a fine example of the late Perpendicular style. When Queen Elizabeth I came to Bath in 1574, she ordered a national fund to be set up to restore the abbey. The west front is the sculptural embodiment of a Jacob's Ladder dream of a 15th-century bishop. When you go inside and see its many windows, you'll understand why the abbey is called the "Lantern of the West." Note the superb fan vaulting with its scalloped effect. Beau Nash was buried in the nave and is honored by a simple monument totally out of keeping with his flamboyant character. The Bath Abbey Heritage Vaults opened in 1994 on the south side of the abbey. This subterranean exhibition traces the history of Christianity at the abbey site since Saxon times.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


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Frommer's ranks every hotel, restaurant, attraction, shop, and nightlife establishment it reviews for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating scale, an expression of the strong compare-and-contrast opinions that are a brand hallmark.

Other ratings provide stars based primarily on price and amenities; the Frommer's star rating is meant to quantify the kind of intangible, experiential elements that help travelers make informed decisions.

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