[Plate VI: Facsimile of Dr. Sprys' plan published 1822 shewing
discoveries to that date.]

[Footnote 4: Monday, August 18, 1755, Bath. A most valuable Work of
Antiquity has been lately discovered here. Under the foundation of
the Abbey House now taking down, in order to be rebuilt by the Duke
of Kingston, the workmen discovered the foundations of more ancient
buildings, and fell upon some cavities, which gradually led to further
discoveries. There are now fairly laid open, the foundations and
remains of very august Roman baths and sudatories, constructed upon
their elegant plans, with floors suspended upon square-brick pillars,
and surrounded with tubulated bricks, for the equal conveyance of
heat and vapour. Their dimensions are very large, but not yet fully
laid open, and some curious parts of their structure are not yet
explained.--(_Gentleman's Magazine_.)]

[Footnote 5: In the library of the Society of Antiquaries is a drawing
of this bath with an imaginary restoration.]

"To the northward, separated by a wall of 3ft. 11in., stood the other
_Hypocaustum_, with a door of communication. The floor of this is
about 18in. higher than the other. These two rooms are set round with
square-brick tubes of different lengths, from 16in. to 20in. in length
and 6¾in. wide. These flues have two lateral openings of about 2in.
square, 5in. asunder. These open into the vacuum between the two
floors and rise through the walls. The north wall of the last stove
was filled with tubes of a lesser size, placed horizontally and
perpendicularly. The stones and bricks between the pillars bear
evident marks of fire, while the flues are strongly charged with soot,
which plainly points out their uses.