Bath, A Property Paradox
Having worked within the Bath property market for almost 30 years, I have gained excellent first hand knowledge of the diversity and range of properties the city has to offer. As a Buying Agent, I am able to employ this knowledge to advise clients with confidence about the city and suitable properties. Paramount when undertaking a property search are the clients’ property requirements and wishes, even if this means the short list of suitable properties becomes a very short list.
Bath is a small city with a big reputation. As a Buying Agent I can endorse anyone’s decision to live in Bath. There are excellent communications with a regular rail service from Bath Spa mainline station to London Paddington, with a journey time from 75 minutes. The M4 motorway (Junction 18) is 10 miles to the north of the city. Restaurants, cafes and eateries are bountiful and, should you so choose, you can visit a different one on each day of the year. For families with children of school age, it is close to being ideal. There are five independent schools (all of which provide preparatory and secondary education) plus 6 senior schools of Academy or Comprehensive status, 24 junior schools and Bath College of Higher education. The city benefits greatly from its universities, Bath University and Bath Spa University. The combined educational and sporting capacity of these educational facilities ensures there is something for everyone and in the case of sport this ranges from the novice to the Olympian. The city provides public and private golf clubs, Premiership Rugby at the riverside Recreation Ground (known to all as the Rec) and horse racing at Bath Racecourse. There are annual music, literature and food festivals and, for a change of scene, the city is bounded by the Cotswolds to the north and beautiful Somerset to the south with fashionable Frome and Bruton being a short journey.
Bath is known as ‘The Georgian City’, and with good reason. The City of Bath we enjoy today, and from which its Georgian reputation derives, was built between 1728 and 1810. Long renowned as a Spa Town, legend states the city was founded by King Bladud due to its waters and muds heating qualities. Much expanded and used as a Spa, such it was by the Romans, the Georgians wanted to indulge the vogue for Spa towns and their regard for the restorative qualities of 'taking the waters' . Whilst at the same time creating a venue for 'party central' where fashionable coffee houses, assembly rooms and, of course, private gaming houses could thrive. Bath was perfect with its existing Spa, reputation and position on the main road between London and Bristol (then Britain's second city). Whilst the layout of the city was planned with designs requiring scrutiny prior to approval, the construction was undertaken on a largely speculative basis. Its architects, builders and engineers continue to be applauded today for the uniformity and appeal of the classical architecture. Famous amongst them are John Wood the elder and John Wood the younger (a father and son team), John Pinch, Thomas Baldwin and John Goodrich. They designed and built the grandeur of the great crescents including the Royal Crescent and the Kings Circus to the many picturesque residential roads and side streets. The terrace house (or town house) reached its zenith. The city boasts seven crescents, one circus, two garden squares, dozens of fine terraces as well as both the widest and the shortest residential streets in England - all comprising of terraced houses. The clean lines and classical proportions of the architecture is greatly enhanced by the mellow Ashlar Bath stone, which has the ability to look warm and welcoming in both sunshine and showers. The combination of the beautiful architecture and Spa heritage ensure thousands of visitors every year.
As mentioned, Bath is a small city with grand buildings. With a population of 94,000, it is the size of a provincial town and many residents choose to walk across the city. Having undergone its transformation during the 18th and 19th centuries, there was precious little expansion during the building boom of the early 20th century. It wasn't until the 1960's that Bath grew in size again. The result being a city without suburbs. Bath does not provide the usual range of early to mid twentieth century detached and semi-detached properties set upon established tree lined residential roads, with their gardens and garages, as found in most cities throughout the UK. The greatest challenge I face as a Property Buying Agent is to identify a family house with accommodation arranged over two or three floors, garden and parking. Whilst in short supply, they do exist! And I can advise clients of precisely where to find them - even if it is a very short list.
What is Bath property paradox? On the surface, Bath is a city of uniformity. Whilst each terrace, or crescent differs in architectural detail the terraced houses which form them are united by construction and design, there is one town house within the city which ignores all these rules and goes against the norm. Although it forms part of a small terrace in the very centre of Bath, it is so highly decorated and architecturally embellished it is a wonder in its own right. A showpiece. But few visitors, if any see it, despite it being next to the Abbey and the plaque on the gate stating its existence. This because to see it you need to enter the wonderful Toppings independent bookshop, proceed to the staircase accessing the lower ground floor and whilst descending, pause on a half landing and look out of the window to see Ralph Allen's Town house in all its hidden glory.
I suggest Ralph Allen's Town house exemplifies the Bath property market. Whilst the highly individual and desirable property buyers are seeking exist they can prove hard to find. My knowledge and experience of Bath enable me to reveal the hidden gems.
By Andrew Cronan
Your Bath & Somerset, The Cotswolds & Wiltshire Buying Agent