ON THE EXCAVATIONS OF THE ROMAN BATHS AT BATH.

Re-printed from the _Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire
Archæological Society_, Vol. Viii., Part I.







[Plate V: City of Bath. Plan of Roman Baths.]




Leland, on his visit to Bath in the year 1530, with tolerable fulness
describes the baths, and after completing his description of the
King's Bath goes on to say "Ther goith a sluse out of this Bath and
servid in Tymes past with Water derivid out of it 2 places in Bath
Priorie usid for Bathes: els voide; for in them be no springes;" and
further on he says "The water that goith from the Kinges Bath turnith
a Mylle and after goith into Avon above Bath-bridge."

These two sentences have hitherto been difficult of explanation, but
the excavations, which it has been my good fortune to superintend, and
the discoveries I have made, have fully explained Leland's meaning, at
the same time that I have brought to light the great Roman Bath, which
I purpose describing in detail in this paper, writing only of previous
excavations and those I have conducted in connection with this work,