NOW and then: Bath in the 1850s vs today

This free walk is one of the events to mark the Bicentenary of Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution and the 90th Anniversary of The Mayor of Bath’s Honorary Guides.

UPDATE 26.2.24: this walk is now fully booked for both this date and 30 April, but you might be interested in two further local interest walks arranged with the Mayor’s Guides: Canals, coalmines & the science of geology (23 April / 7 May) and I see no ships – Nelson & Bath (13 April / 16 April / 14 May / 21 May).

For more on Lockey, our book Bath In Camera 1849-1861 is illustrated with fascinating photographs of nineteenth century Bath – see here for details.

In the 1850s Reverend Francis Lockey was in the vanguard of using photographic negatives to capture early, and now historically important, images of Bath.

In this walk we will explore some of these locations and compare them to how they looked in the 1850-60s. We will look at two medieval buildings before widening our walk to explore views from the city’s riverbank, canal and locks, and Widcombe Street.

Please note that the walk is along part of the canal towpath which can be muddy after rain. There are three flights of steps to negotiate to and from the river and canal.