Bath Abbey
I am constantly fascinated by churches and temples, always so beautiful and cleverly built. I often think that modern design and architecture is like a completely different field to these buildings of days gone by, the blend of craft and engineering was incredible. I vaguely remember writing an essay at university about the vaulting of church ceilings. As well as these being so precisely carved by hand, I just love the way something functional and structural can be so pretty and decorative. To me, this is one of the best examples of what design should be.
Like this:
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Hear hear! Indeed!
Thanks Mr Rob!
Beautiful photography!
When there last summer, in addition to the Roman baths and archaeological pieces across the street, I had the pleasure of admiring the facade of the cathedral. Don’t miss the ladders running up the cathedral face, adorned with all manner of climbing and ascending angels!
Absolutely breath-taking! I would love to stroll through those on warm July evening
Wow! I have visited England several times but have never been to Bath, even though I have always wanted to go. Now, after seeing your photos, I am ready to hop on a plane and go!!! Thanks for showing us a beautiful and amazing place!
Thanks! It really is beautiful here, and well worth a visit. The rest of the Cotswolds is not so bad either! : )
very beautiful designs. is bath abbey the name of the church? thank you for sharing your pics, enjoy the weekend! I will, too.
Yes it is called Bath Abbey, thanks for visiting!
These images seriously take my breath away. STUNNING!
A beautiful (and timely) post — and a well-deserved Freshly Pressed nod. Congrats…
Freshly Pressed? Really? What a lovely birthday surprise! Thanks for the lovely comment!
Fabulous photos! Wish I could be there for Christmas Mass!
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
Yes, I wished there was choir signing there when we visited, that would have been lovely. Thanks for the comment! : )
Wow, that’s amazing architecture and design. Beautiful photos too! Thanks for sharing and congrats on being freshly pressed!
Thanks so much for the comment. Being Freshly Pressed is an extremely unexpected and lovely birthday surprise! : )
Happy birthday!
And I hope you have happy holidays too!
So elegant. Thanks for the tour. It’s been to long…
Thanks for the kind comment!
gorgeous photographs.
Thanks!
I’m with you on this one. I studied architecture in college, and was fortunate enough to be able to study abroad in Europe twice. The cathedrals never cease to amaze me- you don’t get that much in the states! My all time favorite [so far] is Chartres Cathedral in France. Breathtaking.
Your pictures are beautiful by the way!
Thank-you so much. I think when you have studied design and/or architecture, it gives you that little bit of extra appreciation or disbelief. How could they build these things?? Thanks for stopping by! : )
Beautiful shots! I agree, things just aren’t made the way they used to be.
http://sywsoyouwanna.wordpress.com
初めまして。
バースアビーは確かにすばらしいですね。
ホタテガイみたいな天井、たいへん美しいです。
そう、言葉で表現できない美しさです。
よろしくお願いします。
どうもありがとうございました！
いいえ、こちらこそ。
どういたしまして。
バース町のクリスマス夜景もきれいですよ。
Such beautiful photos!!
thank-you so much…!
Lovely shots.
I need to drive down there asap.:)
yeah get in the car! drive safe…! : )
Just beautiful! Pinned to pintrest where credit is given to the original website.
Pintrest is cool, thanks for pinning us!
I love your photographs of this exquisite church. I was in Bath in 1991 and I think if I had visited this religious monument, the experience would have changed my life. Photography and architecture are both huge interests of mine.
Me too, have a look around for lots more architecture / photography related doodles…! Thanks for stopping by!
….and sadly the knowledge to set out and work some of these magnificent and complex architectural and structural details has been lost in modern times……
all replaced by new computer software modelling skills I guess…
Beautiful
FanTAStic photos of a beautiful building!
Thanks, it is BEAUtiful! : )
That ceiling reminds me of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge.
Mysterious. Love the feel of it. Your pics leave a sense of history and brotherhood. Very nice.
Val
http://valentinedefrancis.wordpress.com
I’ve been there — it looks like a wedding cake turned inside out. BEAUTIFUL place, and your pics do it justice.
Thank-you, I know what you mean, it appears so delicate.
ANY inveterate building in England is a piece of art! If not on the inside, on the outside! I just love the architecture and the ornate pieces used on some of the buildings not just for visual beauty but for structural integrity! I do see some of these ideas did carry over to the US back in the 1600′s but have been lost over the years do to new techniques in materials and procedures as well as building codes.
You’re pictures are beautiful! You’ve captured the essence of the creators that built those churches!
It really is a piece of art, there was a lot of pure decoration added onto the exterior of the Abbey through its history but I liked the decorative structural vaulting the best because it had a purpose, as you say.
Wow, I went to Bath almost 10 years ago and I have no recollection of Bath abbey, which makes me wonder if Iwent in it, because surely one could not forget a building as spectacular as this! What great and detailed photos of a magnificent place!
It looks reasonably typical from the outside, inside was a little bit extra-special. Thanks for visiting.
Hi Joseph
thanks for your lovely images of Bath Abbey – reminds me of when I used to live in Bath and was a regular visitor to this beautiful building.
It would be a lovely place to come to for a little peace once in a while. Thanks for your comment.
amazing photos! thanks for sharing.
Thanks, and your blog really made me smile…!
Wow! These are absolutely stunning photos that transport you instantly. Thanks for sharing such jaw-dropping images.
Still very much learning, thanks for the comment!
Wow! Merry Christmas, sir! Focussed on the river banks and crescents on my only visit to Bath. What a miss! Reminds me of some photos I was recently sent of La Sagrada Familia.
With all the rain today, we managed a pub and the Thermae Spa today and that was about it, no crescents at all! We will definitely HAVE to come back. Thanks for the comment, and you’re right, Sagrada Familia is also staggeringly beautiful.
Thanks so much for these lovely images. I visit Bath whenever I can and this is one of my favourite places. I write books on local history in Bristol and thought there’d be very little on Bath as it’s so much smaller but I needed 2 books to cover the city. A beautiful, fascinating historical place and great for walking round in the summer.
We couldn’t believe the depth of history here when we toured the Roman Baths, then speaking to a kind man inside the Abbey we realised there was so much more to learn. We saw only the tip of the iceberg, from distance. : ) Fascinating city. Thanks for the comment.
This is just spectacular; you really got the level of brightness just right. I am also told that the main cathedral in Saint-Denis, Il-de-france, France is quite nice, although much more dark, gothic.
Thank-you so much. It’s one of those churches that has a very high ratio of glass over stone so the light inside is amazing. Actually the sun came out just as we exited and I wish now I had gone back inside to get one or two final shots…! : )
Hello Joe
Stunning photography! You find some really unusual angles and perspectives to capture the beautiful craftmanship. My daughter is at Bath Spa University and recently enjoyed a beautiful carol concert in the Abbey. Thanks for sharing the photos.
Would have loved to have seen carols in the Abbey, thanks for the kind comment!
If aliens came from outer space and saw the cathedrals of England and Europe, they would recognize them as the sign of a great civilization. (And I say this as an agnostic — great achievement is great achievement, and so much has been inspired by a belief in god, the church, or even simply the social organization that religion created.) The beauty is awesome, in the profound sense of the word. How can one’s spirit not soar at looking at this ceiling? And then imagine actually being there!
Thanks for posting the beautiful photos.
Thank you for sharing! I visited England five years ago and made a point to visit Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths, which I just loved. Have you visited Salisbury Cathedral? It’s quite spectacular.
So intricate. The details are amazing. I too think that old historic churches are some of the most beautiful building around. Thanks for the history lesson.
These are absolutely stunning. Beautiful photography.
Sharp photos, nice!
I remember going here every year for Boxing Day with my family. For a child, looking up was the best thing to kill boredom during services. (: Great pictures!
Joseph Keating,
Bath Abbey’s beauty is, of course, marvelous, and it’s a matter of a mixture of Grace and timing that its beauty was not destroyed by either Henry VIII or Cromwell. More to the point, though, you managed to capture both its beauty and its sense of the Holy without ever reverting to the standard postcard shots of “This is the High Altar” or “This is the Baptismal Font”.
The last shot, with the head and hands of the tomb sculpture framing the out-of-focus stained glass window is particularly fine.
Gambate, kudosai!
That was my favourite too! Thanks, がんばりまーす！
A wonderful collection of images, such well captured beauty
Just ran across your photos. They are stunning!
Your images left me lonely for a place I’ve never been.
LOVE this comment, thanks.
I think I could spend an entire day within the walls of that church just staring at it’s magnificence…..maybe even longer. Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos.
INCREDIBLE! Wow.
Absolutely captivating! Thank you for sharing
Wow, beautiful photos. I remember being there a couple years ago and was similarly amazed. I also took a tour of the tower that led you up to the bell and the inside of the clock face – pretty incredible!
http://www.textingthecity.wordpress.com
Gosh, sounds like I need to go back! : )
These are absolutely wonderful! Whenever I attempt to photograph church architecture from the inside, I never seem to get the right amount of lighting, but you sure managed to!
yea when ever i take a picture inside a building there are all these dark spots and a few sun-like spots. lol
Yes I played with the settings a lot before I started to get the right results, the luxury of digital hey?
hi
:):)
nice pics
pls. visit my blog (http://writer-nathi.blogspot.com/) waiting for ur comment and ideas
thanks
nathi
wow bEautiful. Its totally pure coloured by white !! Its good colour Not too bright, not too dark ;D Good job !
Whoa, so many comments!
I totally agree with what you’re saying and again beautiful photos.
Ayako-san, yeah it’s suddenly a lot busier than normal isn’t it?? Thanks for your comment as always!! : )
Fab photos … I love the angle you’ve used, quite unique
I’m visiting Bath in July, and having just stumbled across your blog, I am absolutely stunned by this architecture. Great pictures!
Beautiful images!
lovely pics..
Wow i love the 10th pic.. amazing!
Fantastic pics!
brilliant!brilliant!
Gorgeous photos, I fancy Christian churches, most of them have incredible architecture
Stunning!
this photography is AMAZING! it’s like looking at a professional magazine!!!
http://theincircle.wordpress.com/
you should check it out
I love church architecture, thank you so much for sharing those beautiful photographs!
Beautiful! The intricate carving resembles netting that’s been stretched across the ceiling. Hard to believe it’s stone…
Wow
I lived in Bath for 3 and a half years, and the Abbey was one of my fave places to visit – it’s always so peaceful. Happy birthday and glad you’re enjoying Bath!
Lovely city, close to my hometown so we will be back there for sure one day.
Not only are these truely lovely photos, but they bring to the forefront the actual detail and workmanship pertaining to the construction of this beautiful piece of architecture.
Thanks for sharing the wonderful pics of this beautiful place. in return, I invite you to visit for a gift under my tree.
http://afrankangle.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/on-a-time-for-gifts/
Bath is by far one of the most beautiful places in England. Durham Cathedral is similarly beautiful to me. Great photos.
Bath is so lovely, I wish I had spent more time there on our tour of Europe. You took such beautiful photos, thanks for sharing them!
Great shots! Very timely, all things considered!
I have just been to Bath for the first time and was fascinated by the Roman Baths, so much so that there was no time for a visit to the Abbey. Thankyou for this. The depth of history to be found in England is a reward in itself.
What incredible attention to detail. I love thinking about the mindsets those workers must have had to do such a perfect job. Was it all religious devotion, or devotion to something else?
Wonderful shots of beautiful works. It is always special to see beauty and function come together.
These are lovely images to view last thing on Christmas Eve before going to sleep. What did we do before blogging? It’s wonderful to be able to share images I could never hope to capture myself. Thank you so much. Happy Christmas to you and yours.
Very nice pictures! But I prefer the more austere form of gothic, myself.
I think the first “King of the English” was crowned in this buildings predecessor – many razings and rebuildings – and, of course, it’s set in that lovely Georgian town!
You might find the book on Chartres cited here interesting:
http://iamyouasheisme.wordpress.com/2011/01/16/7053/
Nice shits…!!
Great photos! I particularly liked the fourth one down. Great architecture and very interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, these are breathtaking photos. I like the composition of the images.
Che belle fotografie! linee eleganti e una grandiosità nel dettaglio. Piaciute molto nella loro composizione. buon Natale!
Delightful, sensitive images. Thank you.
Stunning shots. Beautiful composition, really good. Happy Christmas!
Great close-ups.
wow this article is very nice. It’s a new inspiration for me. i like it. thank you my friend. merry christmas and happy new year.
Amazing pictures
I went to Bath 2 weeks back, now I feel like going again 
Yeah, I already feel like I wanna go back and its been only 10 days since we were there!
Beautiful photos. You caught the light perfectly.
Bath Abbey is hands down one of my favourite churches in England – there’s a reason it’s called the “Lantern of the West”. Your pictures capture it perfectly! Seeing those images brings up a lot of fond memories; I went to university in Bath and my graduation took place inside the Abbey itself. That was a day I won’t easily forget.
Lovely
This is beautiful! I also like looking at the architecture in churches and cathedrals. It is amazing. Beautiful pictures, by the way.
This is breathtakingly gorgeous…
i was in Bath in August, and only had time to visit the spas, but see the Abbey from the outside. love the shots – glad i finally get to see the beautiful interior.
Awe-inspiring and beautiful…..truly a place where heaven and earth meet since ancient times.
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed. This post is definitely deserving.
Wow! Look at that architecture!
Great photos. England is a great place to shoot!
Plenty of churches and temples aren’t terribly well or beautifully built. But this one is.
Good camera work.
Omg these are beautiful!
Beautiful photos!!!
Beautiful! IMG_0076 actually reminds me a bit of the film Hugo – so colourful, almost unreal. Like a children’s picture book.
Grgeous! Love the angels you took photos.
Thank you for sharing!
Lovely, evocative photos – the first shots of the ceiling made me think of angels’ wings. Would that England were more than a dream
Thank you for sharing.
Those are really good pictures! captured my attention from the very first pic of the ceiling of the abbey
Marvelous Architecture of man
Nice photos. I wrote bit more about the history of the Abbey here on another blog about Bath Abbey that you may find interesting:
The History Of Bath Abbey
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
Beautiful design pictures. There are such treasures in this Abbey. I take a group of mature students to see famous altar frontals – the Sarum Embroideries designed by Jane Lemon. Gail
Absolutely stunning.
My sister and her family are actually flying to London tomorrow, and by the weekend plan to be in Bath. I will tell them they MUST see this! Stunning photos!
Amazing pictures! I have never been to Bath, but it is now definitely on my visit list.
Great photography of icons of the past and present! Thanks for sharing.
great photos! I especially like the one of the books in the pew
Churches do make for great art subjects – I love to draw them.
Also, you might be interested in the book Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet, it’s about a guy trying to build a cathedral, very good.
Beautiful
It always amazes me to see how the architecture of these centuries old buildings, withstand the test of time; our modern buildings do not even come close in longevity.
Such an incredibly beautiful place! Thank you for sharing your photos.
I’ve been to this exact place, but these pictures gave me a whole new appreciation for it! I just discovered your blog, and I’ll have to look around it some more–it’s wonderful!
I remember 1st visiting Bath when I was 15. It was awesome then and is, of course, still awesome. Great photos.
I agree: temples & churches have great architecture. I wrote some posts about Stave Churches. Here’s one of them (if you’re interested): http://cardinalguzman.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/stave-churches-in-norway-hore-stave-church/
very nice pictures.
Absolutely beautiful photographs.
I miss Bath now!
I visited Bath on a school trip many years ago. I will never forget how beautiful it is. I hope to take my family there in the near future. It’s a little harder now I’m coming from the US!
Wow, no wonder they pilgrimaged there! I might do so as well!
These photos are all so beautiful!
beautiful! i have a new fascination with churches after going to italy and greece in the fall. i was amazed at the detail and workmanship and all the work and sweat that went into those buildings! they certainly don’t make buildings like that anymore!
Really beautiful! Thanks for the pictures !
I think that these photos are just gorgeous. I’ve always been amazed with the architecture within a church and how beautiful it is especially on the inside.
Gorgeous – superb colour, clarity and interpretation!
Why don’t we see modern buildings like this? I’m much more of a classical style person…beautiful pictures!
Oh my gosh, these photographs are stunning. Just think of all the work that went into these buildings. The ceilings look like delicate lace!
Very nice! I loved Bath and you have elegantly captured it!
Great shots! And I’ve been to Bath so this brought back memories. Thanks for sharing!
Amazing pictures! You are such a dedicated artist.
These are awesommeeeeee. I would love anything that mimics those arches to magically appear on my wall. Love it!!!!
Beautiful pictures! Makes me feel bad about skipping out on Bath when I was in England last November…
I’ve spent many hours in Bath Abbey and your lovely pictures certainly do it justice- thanks.
Wonderful photos! . . . You’re right, there’s nothing like the architectural design of churches. The attention to detail is phenomenal!
http://arabianmusings.wordpress.com/
Always loved the art in churches too.. That one is awesome!
breathtaking!
It’s beautiful.
Absolutely stunning photos! What an inspiration! Thanks so much for sharing!
I love Bath Abbey. You took some beautiful photos! Captures the essence of the building!
I, too, am not very religious, but I love to visit temples and churches during my travels…great photos!
Pretty architecture!!
beautiful!
I went to bath abbey when I was 8 on the way to pick up a bridesmaid dress and at the time I was lost for words. The abbey is beautiful as are many buildings in bath, including the roman baths although I havent seen them on the inside. Would love to go back now I am older and have a camera. Great photos by the way
These pictures are really beautiful. I want to visit England hopefully next summer as part of a study abroad program and these images convinced me even more that my decision is right!
P.S.–do you have any idea about how these structures were made? who were the craftsmen?
Thanks for the comment. Actually the fan vaulting at Bath was added into the main abbey structure later, in the 14th century by William Vertue and the master stone masons. Unbelievably, these huge fans of stone are supported by the fine columns that run down on the inside of the walls. The original ceiling still exists above the amazing one you can see here in these pictures.
I am breathless. I don’t know which is more stunning – the architecture, or the photography. Thank you so much for sharing this magnificence. <3
Your photographs are lovely. Friends of mine got married at Bath Abbey, it really is a beautiful place.
Wow, I wish we could have got married somewhere as beautiful as this! Weddings in Bath Abbey must look amazing.
Beautiful photography!
stunning shots of a stunning building. Can you imagine, when this building was new, there was hardly anything taller than 2 stories.
What a beautiful Church.
Your photos are so wonderfully breath-taking! It’s such a beautiful church.
Pretty spectacular!