Visit Bath - What’s On This Week?

Summer may be over (save for the odd heat wave here and there) but that doesn’t mean that the prime time to visit Bath is gone. Now is simply when Bath starts to shift its focus from walking tours and outdoor cinema to literary events and more music recitals, and, of course, the new rugby season. 

As such this week’s blog is a brief summary of some of the top events coming up over the next week. 

Whenever the subject of culture comes up it doesn’t take too long before Shakespeare also appears on the scene. This time is no exception, except that it is because its Shakespeare with a twist. To celebrate Shakespeare’s 400^th anniversary a collection of witty music and skits, including songs and sketches by Victoria Wood, Alan Bennett, Maureen Lipman, Fry & Laurie, is being performed at Bath’s Theatre Royal from the 19^th-24^th September. It’s been described as Shakespeare meeting showbiz in a glittering cabaret style musical; one for both Shakespeare newcomers and devotees alike.

Next up are a few meet-the-author events being held by Bath’s independent booksellers, Topping & Company. 

On Monday 19^th September Eimear McBride who won the Bailey’s prize for her best-selling novel A Girl is a Half Formed Thing will be in Bath to discuss her new novel The Lesser Bohemians which looks set to be a similar success.

Fans of Doctor Zhivago might like to go to Anna Pasternak’s talk the next night on Tuesday 20^th September. Pasternak will be talking about her novel Lara, which tells the story of her great uncle Boris Pastnernak and his literary muse Olga Ivinskaya. The astonishing true story behind the tragedy which led to Pasternak’s masterpiece Doctor Zhivago will finally be told.

The event which is on the day after is for Formula One fans. F1 star Damon Hill will be telling the story of his rise to the top, looking at the golden era of the sport, and talking about taking on Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher in 1996. 

Another event coming up this week that we have to mention is the Harvest Moon Festival which will be taking place at the Museum of East Asian Art (MEAA) on Sunday 18^th from 12pm-4pm. Traditionally in many Asian countries this mid-Autumn festival results in families getting together in the evening of the festival (which takes place on the 15^th day of the eight month in the lunar calendar each year) having mooncakes and tea while the children play and compare lanterns. To echo this the MEAA has planned a fun-packed event, including craft activities inspired by the moon and storytelling by Martin Maudsley who will unveil a shimmering selection of magical moon myths from around the world.  

So what’s on in Bath this week? In short, plenty!

Highlights From The Jane Austen Festival

This year from the 9^th – 18^th September Bath is hosting the Jane Austen Festival. Founded in 2000 this will be the 16^th Jane Austen Festival which Bath has seen, and as always the programme is filled with events for Jane Austen fans and fans of Bath alike. With this in mind, this week’s blog looks at a few of the different events which are going on as part of the festival that visitors both new and old to Bath might enjoy.  

After the grand promenade on Saturday 10^th; always a sight to behold – hundreds of costumed Austen fans marching through the Georgian streets of Bath, there are hourly (from 12:15, tickets £3) shows of a short theatrical version of Pride and Prejudice being shown in the Octagon Room at the Assembly Rooms in Bath. In the tea room next door will be the festival fair where you can have your silhouette cut and your palm read.

Also on Saturday and then again on Sunday are half-hourly (from 1:30) 90-minute Austen themed comedy walks to go on. They meet outside of the Assembly Rooms and are conducted by the award-winning Natural Theatre Company. Expect duels, scandal and a good laugh for £16.50.  

There are plenty of events for those who are more interested in the history of Bath than in the novels which Jane wrote though.

On Sunday at 11:30am Dr Amy Frost is conducting a special tour of Beckford’s Tower (90 minutes, £8). On Thursday Bath Parade Guides are conducting a two-hour walking tour focusing on war and peace during the Regency and the impact it had on society (£9).

On Monday for those who’d like to go a little further afield there is a guided minibus tour to nearby Lacock, Castle Combe and Corsham which, as well as being used as film sets for Austen adaptations, have also been used for the likes of Cranford, Harry Potter, Poldark and Warhorse. They’re a beautiful visit in themselves too - Lacock village is all timber beamed houses, Tudor frontages and winding side streets. It begins at 2pm, lasts three and a half hours and tickets cost £30.  

There are plenty more walking tours and talks scheduled which look at topics ranging from the discomforts of 18^th century Bath (for that read death, disaster and chamber pots), the historic lido Cleveland Pools, ghosts, gardens, clergymen, what Regency ladies kept in their reticules, how to dress, what to do in a whole range of social situations, and, for those who can’t wait, Christmas during the Regency.

Full details of the festival programme are available at http://www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk  and tickets can be bought from in person from Bath Box Office located in Bath’s Vistitor Information Centre (by the Abbey), and also online here http://bathboxoffice.org.uk/whatson/?s=jane+austen+festival

William Herschel, Bath, and How He Found Uranus

William Herschel, Court Astronomer to King George III and first President of the Royal Astronomical Society, lived in Bath at 19 New King Street from 1777-1782. Despite his amazing discoveries and feats of engineering in making the best telescopes of the day (his forty-foot telescope was said at the time to be one of the wonders of the world, and even appeared on Ordnance Survey maps) he’s not that well known. So this week’s blog takes a brief look this too-often forgotten Bath resident.

Herschel’s biggest discovery has to be the one he made on the 13^th of March 1781. While making observations through one of his homemade telescopes which he’d set up in the back garden of his house at New King Street, William Herschel discovered Uranus. It was revolutionary as it was the first planet to be discovered since antiquity. He became famous practically overnight thanks to this discovery. Although before this he had done much for astronomy by way of his work on double stars (pairs of stars that were very close together visually), and observing Saturn’s rings and the Great Orion Nebula.

William was incredibly gifted and a rare scientific star, but amazingly he wasn’t the only astronomer in the family. His sister Caroline who lived with him was also an astronomer of note who did lots of valuable work on comets. She also helped him in making his discoveries; noting down his findings which he would shout out to her from his place at the telescope, copying out astronomical catalogues, and a great many other indispensable tasks. She was so important to him that when William became Court Astronomer, Caroline’s work was officially recognised by George III and she was given an annual salary of £50 and became the first woman in England to be given a government position.

The pair were both talented musicians too. William played the violin, harpsichord, organ and oboe, and Caroline sang and played a number of instruments. William actually first came to Bath in 1766 to try to be a professional musician as he was a highly gifted composer. Caroline began performing soprano parts in concerts arranged by William soon after her arrival in Bath. Astronomy soon became their main focus though. Caroline said that ‘almost every room in the house turned into a workshop’ with William ‘grinding glasses and turning eye pieces’ to build his famous telescopes.

More about William and Caroline can be found at 19 New King Street which is now the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, and there is a lot to be found out! If you haven’t visited the museum before it is well worth a visit. The house has been fully restored in the authentic style of the period and Dr. Brian May (the lead guitarist of Queen) is the Museum’s patron. Which is rather appropriate since, like William Herschel before him, he’s both a musician and an astronomer.

Opening times are 1pm-5pm (last entry 4.15pm) on weekdays, and 11am-5pm (again last entry is at 4.15pm) on weekends and bank holidays.