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This Jane Austen blog brings Jane Austen, her novels, and the Regency Period alive through food, dress, social customs, and other 19th C. historical details related to this topic.

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Cheap Street, Northanger Abbey, and Preserving the Changing Face of Bath

October 1, 2010 by Vic

Archway opposite Union Passage, Constance Hill

Half a minute conducted them through the pump-yard to the archway, opposite Union Passage; but here they were stopped. Everybody acquainted with Bath may remember the difficulties of crossing Cheap Street at this point; it is indeed a street of so impertinent a nature, so unfortunately connected with the great London and Oxford roads, and the principal inn of the city, that a day never passes in which parties of ladies, however important their business, whether in quest of pastry, millinery, or even (as in the present case) of young men, are not detained on one side or other by carriages, horsemen, or carts. This evil had been felt and lamented, at least three times a day, by Isabella since her residence in Bath; and she was now fated to feel and lament it once more, for at the very moment of coming opposite to Union Passage, and within view of the two gentlemen who were proceeding through the crowds, and threading the gutters of that interesting alley, they were prevented crossing by the approach of a gig, driven along on bad pavement by a most knowing-looking coachman with all the vehemence that could most fitly endanger the lives of himself, his companion, and his horse.- Northanger Abbey

Cheap Street in 2010, Image Tony Grant

“Oh, these odious gigs!” said Isabella, looking up. “How I detest them.” But this detestation, though so just, was of short duration, for she looked again and exclaimed, “Delightful! Mr. Morland and my brother!”

Another angle of the street

The Walking Tour of Bath provides a map that mentions many of the streets described by Jane Austen in the above passage, accompanied by images from medieval times to today.

Cheap Street runs just north and parallel to the Abbey. In this turn-of-the-century post card of Union Passage, which intersects Cheap Street, one can see how drastically different Bath looked back then – many of the Georgian features are hidden under shop signs.

Union Passage in the Early 19th Century, Bath Post Cards

The Walking Tour mentions how Bath’s 18th century forefathers were concerned about preserving the nature of Bath’s gentrified renovations.

Incidentally, a friend who used to live in an 18th c. flat just round the corner in North Parade Buildings had some amusing conditions attached to the terms of his lease. He was prohibited from hanging bedding out of the window, holding public auctions and keeping livestock. One can only presume that the Georgian city fathers, having gentrified Bath at great expense, were concerned to prevent the locals spoiling things by falling back into their old peasant ways.”

Coal soot blackened stone facades. Image Chuck and Claire Davis

The creamy colored limestone stone used in many of Bath’s architectural treasures have been used for building since the days of the Roman occupation.  The above image from European Adventure demonstrates how soot from coal fires blackened the buildings. Jane Austen was probably more familiar with these blackened facades than the creamy stones we are accustomed to viewing nowadays.

…in 1956 a clean air act was imposed. The townspeople were no longer allowed to burn coal and the buildings were painstakingly cleaned. He’s not sure why, but one building was left untouched, giving us the chance to see how they had looked.”

Today, the authentic nature of the buildings are still enforced legally. The Enforcement Policy in Bath Shopfronts Guide today requires:

Colour: No other single aspect of design has so much effect on the character of a shopfront than its colour. A good design can be completely spoilt by poor colour, or a nondescript design uplifted by the right choice of colour. Colour also has an effect on the Street Scene; out of key or aggressive colour will be damaging to everything within the field of vision.

Signs: The design and disposition of signs and the style of the lettering should always be historically credible and correct in design and detail for the design of the shopfront.

Illumination: The character of a shopfront and of the street will be altered by external illumination. This is often not acceptable, particularly where the shopfront is part of a listed building.

Appearance: Changes of a radical nature such as moving door positions are not normally acceptable. These may however be viewed more favourably if they can be shown to produce a permanent benefit such as the provision of a door to the upper floors.”

The cases described in The Bath Heritage Watchdog shows how vigilant the planning commission must be to preserve Bath’s unique heritage, and how historic preservation often clashes with business interests.

  • Early 19th Century Post Cards, Bath.co
  • Reviving the Cross Bath

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Posted in Bath, jane austen, Jane Austen's World, Regency Life, Regency style, Regency World | Tagged Bath, Cheap Street | 7 Comments

7 Responses

  1. on October 1, 2010 at 11:56 LadyDoc

    Thanks for a really interesting post- I enjoyed the text and the pictures very much!


    • on October 2, 2010 at 12:03 Vic

      When I visited Bath, I was only aware of the Georgian features. I had some idea of the vigilance required to maintain the historic associations to the Georgian period, but had no idea of how much signage can detract from the feel of the period until I found that Edwardian postcard!


  2. on October 1, 2010 at 23:58 Tweets that mention Cheap Street, Northanger Abbey, and Preserving the Changing Face of Bath « Jane Austen's World -- Topsy.com

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Vic and LadyCurtainCall, Jane Austen LIVES. Jane Austen LIVES said: RT @janeaustenworld: Cheap Street in Northanger Abbey. Jane Austen's World http://bit.ly/biCutI […]


  3. on October 2, 2010 at 03:09 Enid Wilson

    Thanks for the detailed info. I’m actually hoping to go to England early next year. Derbyshire maybe too cold…Bath could be perfect!

    My Darcy Mutates…


    • on October 2, 2010 at 12:04 Vic

      Bring back plenty of photos, Enid. I will be curious to see them. Vic


  4. on October 6, 2010 at 00:08 Karen Field

    I was in Bath in August and had no idea how much had been regulated so I could enjoy the city much as it was in Jane Austen’s day. Now I want to go back and see more of the architecture and more of the city. Loved the post.


  5. on December 14, 2011 at 18:21 Carolina Lins

    I would like to send this page to one friend of mine but it doesnt has the link. And my suggestion its to put at the botton of the page one link to us to send the pages to our friends. And put a suggestion box at the web site!!Thanks!



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