Bath, Somerset
Bath | |
---|---|
City | |
Skyline of Bath city centre with Bath Abbey | |
Location within Somerset | |
Population | 94,092 (2021 Census)[1] |
Demonym | Bathonian |
OS grid reference | ST750645 |
• London | 97 miles (156 km) E |
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Bath |
Postcode district | BA1, BA2 |
Dialling code | 01225 |
Police | Avon and Somerset |
Fire | Avon |
Ambulance | South Western |
UK Parliament | |
Official name | City of Bath |
Criteria | Cultural: i, ii, iv |
Reference | 428 |
Inscription | 1987 (11th Session) |
Area | 2,900 ha |
Part of | Great Spa Towns of Europe |
Criteria | Cultural: ii, iii |
Reference | 1613 |
Inscription | 2021 (44th Session) |
Bath (RP: /bɑːθ/;[2] local pronunciation: [ba(ː)θ][3]) is a city in the ceremonial county of Somerset,[4] England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths. At the 2021 Census, the population was 94,092.[1] Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, 97 miles (156 km) west of London and 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Bristol. The city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and was later added to the transnational World Heritage Site known as the "Great Spa Towns of Europe" in 2021. Bath is also the largest city and settlement in Somerset.
The city became a spa with the Latin name Aquae Sulis ("the waters of Sulis") c. 60 AD when the Romans built baths and a temple in the valley of the River Avon, although hot springs were known even before then. Bath Abbey was founded in the 7th century and became a religious centre; the building was rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries. In the 17th century, claims were made for the curative properties of water from the springs, and Bath became popular as a spa town in the Georgian era. Georgian architecture, crafted from Bath stone, includes the Royal Crescent, Circus, Pump Room, and the Assembly Rooms, where Beau Nash presided over the city's social life from 1705 until his death in 1761.
Many of the streets and squares were laid out by John Wood, the Elder, and in the 18th century the city became fashionable and the population grew. Jane Austen lived in Bath in the early 19th century. Further building was undertaken in the 19th century and following the Bath Blitz in World War II. Bath became part of the county of Avon in 1974, and, following Avon's abolition in 1996, has been the principal centre of Bath and North East Somerset.
Bath has over 6 million yearly visitors,[5] making it one of ten English cities visited most by overseas tourists.[6][7] Attractions include the spas, canal boat tours, Royal Crescent, Bath Skyline, Parade Gardens and Royal Victoria Park which hosts carnivals and seasonal events. Shopping areas include SouthGate shopping centre, the Corridor arcade and artisan shops at Walcot, Milsom, Stall and York Streets. There are theatres, including the Theatre Royal, as well as several museums including the Museum of Bath Architecture, the Victoria Art Gallery, the Museum of East Asian Art, the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, Fashion Museum, and the Holburne Museum. The city has two universities – the University of Bath and Bath Spa University – with Bath College providing further education. Sporting clubs from the city include Bath Rugby and Bath City.
History
Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages
The hills in the locality such as Bathampton Down saw human activity from the Mesolithic period.[8][9] Several Bronze Age round barrows were opened by John Skinner in the 18th century.[10] A long barrow site believed to be from the Early Bronze Age Beaker people was flattened to make way for RAF Charmy Down.[11][12] Solsbury Hill overlooking the current city was an Iron Age hill fort and the adjacent Bathampton Camp may also have been one.[13][14]
Roman baths and town
Archaeological evidence shows that the site of the Roman baths' main spring may have been treated as a shrine by the Britons,[15][16] and was dedicated to the goddess Sulis, whom the Romans identified with Minerva; the name Sulis continued to be used after the Roman invasion, appearing in the town's Roman name, Aquae Sulis (literally, "the waters of Sulis").[17] Messages to her scratched onto metal, known as curse tablets, have been recovered from the sacred spring by archaeologists.[18] The tablets were written in Latin, and laid curses on personal enemies. For example, if a citizen had his clothes stolen at the baths, he might write a curse against the suspects on a tablet to be read by the goddess.
A temple was constructed in AD 60–70, and a bathing complex was built up over the next 300 years.[19] Engineers drove oak piles into the mud to provide a stable foundation, and surrounded the spring with an irregular stone chamber lined with lead. In the 2nd century, the spring was enclosed within a wooden barrel-vaulted structure that housed the caldarium (hot bath), tepidarium (warm bath), and frigidarium (cold bath).[20]
The town was later given defensive walls, probably in the 3rd century.[21] After the failure of Roman authority in the first decade of the 5th century, the baths fell into disrepair and were eventually lost as a result of rising water levels and silting.[22]
In March 2012, a hoard of 30,000 silver Roman coins, one of the largest discovered in Britain, was unearthed in an archaeological dig. The coins, believed to date from the 3rd century, were found about 150 m (490 ft) from the Roman baths.[23]
Post-Roman and medieval
Bath may have been the site of the Battle of Badon (c. 500 AD), in which Arthur, the hero of later legends, is said to have defeated the Anglo-Saxons.[24] The town was captured by the West Saxons in 577 after the Battle of Deorham;[25] the Anglo-Saxon poem The Ruin may describe the appearance of the Roman site about this time.[26] A monastery was founded at an early date – reputedly by Saint David although more probably in 675 by Osric, King of the Hwicce,[27] perhaps using the walled area as its precinct.[28][29] Nennius, a 9th-century historian, mentions a "Hot Lake" in the land of the Hwicce along the River Severn, and adds "It is surrounded by a wall, made of brick and stone, and men may go there to bathe at any time, and every man can have the kind of bath he likes. If he wants, it will be a cold bath; and if he wants a hot bath, it will be hot". Bede described hot baths in the geographical introduction to the Ecclesiastical History in terms very similar to those of Nennius.[30] King Offa of Mercia gained control of the monastery in 781 and rebuilt the church, which was dedicated to St. Peter.[31]
According to the Victorian churchman Edward Churton, during the Anglo-Saxon era Bath was known as Acemannesceastre ('Akemanchester'), or 'aching men's city', on account of the reputation these springs had for healing the sick.[32]
By the 9th century, the old Roman street pattern was lost and Bath was a royal possession. King Alfred laid out the town afresh, leaving its south-eastern quadrant as the abbey precinct.[21] In the Burghal Hidage, Bath is recorded as a burh (borough) and is described as having walls of 1,375 yards (1,257 m) and was allocated 1000 men for defence.[33] During the reign of Edward the Elder coins were minted in Bath based on a design from the Winchester mint but with 'BAD' on the obverse relating to the Anglo-Saxon name for the town, Baðum, Baðan or Baðon, meaning "at the baths",[34] and this was the source of the present name. Edgar of England was crowned king of England in Bath Abbey in 973, in a ceremony that formed the basis of all future English coronations.[35]
William Rufus granted the town, abbey and mint to a royal physician, John of Tours, who became Bishop of Wells and Abbot of Bath,[36][37] following the sacking of the town during the Rebellion of 1088.[38] It was papal policy for bishops to move to more urban seats, and John of Tours translated his own from Wells to Bath.[39] The bishop planned and began a much larger church as his cathedral, to which was attached a priory, with the bishop's palace beside it.[40] New baths were built around the three springs. Later bishops returned the episcopal seat to Wells while retaining the name Bath in the title, Bishop of Bath and Wells. St John's Hospital was founded around 1180 by Bishop Reginald Fitz Jocelin and is among the oldest almshouses in England.[41] The 'hospital of the baths' was built beside the hot springs of the Cross Bath, for their health-giving properties and to provide shelter for the poor infirm.[42]
Administrative systems fell within the hundreds. The Bath Hundred had various names including the Hundred of Le Buri. The Bath Foreign Hundred or Forinsecum covered the area outside the city and was later combined into the Bath Forum Hundred. Wealthy merchants had no status within the hundred courts and formed guilds to gain influence. They built the first guildhall probably in the 13th century. Around 1200, the first mayor was appointed.[43]
Early modern
By the 15th century, Bath's abbey church was dilapidated[44] and Oliver King, Bishop of Bath and Wells, decided to rebuild it on a smaller scale in 1500. The new church was completed just a few years before Bath Priory was dissolved in 1539 by Henry VIII.[45] The abbey church became derelict before being restored as the city's parish church in the Elizabethan era, when the city experienced a revival as a spa. The baths were improved and the city began to attract the aristocracy. A Royal charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1590 confirmed city status.[46] James Montagu, Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1608, spent considerable sums in restoring Bath Abbey and actively supported the Baths themselves, aware that the ‘towne liveth wholly by them’. In 1613, perhaps at his behest, Queen Anne visited the town to take the waters: the Queen’s Bath was named after her. The cue for the visit may have been the completion of the restoration work to Bath Abbey, the last instalment of which had been paid for two years previously.[47] Anne of Denmark came to Bath in 1613 and 1615.[48]
During the English Civil War, the city was garrisoned for Charles I. Seven thousand pounds was spent on fortifications, but on the appearance of parliamentary forces the gates were thrown open and the city surrendered. It became a significant post for the Western Association army under William Waller.[49] Bath was retaken by the royalists in July 1643 following the Battle of Lansdowne and occupied for two years until 1645.[50][51] Luckily, the city was spared the destruction of property and starvation of its inhabitants unlike nearby Bristol and Gloucester. During the occupation, the finances of the Bath City Council took a drubbing with council spending, rents and grants all falling. The billeting of soldiers in private houses also contributed to disorder and vandalism.[51]
Normality to the city quickly recovered after the war when the city council achieved a healthy budget surplus.[51] Thomas Guidott, a student of chemistry and medicine at Wadham College, Oxford, set up a practice in the city in 1668. He was interested in the curative properties of the waters, and he wrote A discourse of Bathe, and the hot waters there. Also, Some Enquiries into the Nature of the water in 1676. It brought the health-giving properties of the hot mineral waters to the attention of the country, and the aristocracy arrived to partake in them.[52]
Several areas of the city were developed in the Stuart period, and more building took place during Georgian times in response to the increasing number of visitors who required accommodation.[53] Architects John Wood the Elder and his son laid out the new quarters in streets and squares, the identical façades of which gave an impression of palatial scale and classical decorum.[54] Much of the creamy gold Bath stone, a type of limestone used for construction in the city, was obtained from the Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines owned by Ralph Allen (1694–1764).[55] Allen, to advertise the quality of his quarried limestone, commissioned the elder John Wood to build a country house on his Prior Park estate between the city and the mines.[55] Allen was responsible for improving and expanding the postal service in western England, for which he held the contract for more than forty years.[55] Although not fond of politics, Allen was a civic-minded man and a member of Bath Corporation for many years. He was elected mayor for a single term in 1742.[55]
In the early 18th century, Bath acquired its first purpose-built theatre, the Old Orchard Street Theatre. It was rebuilt as the Theatre Royal, along with the Grand Pump Room attached to the Roman Baths and assembly rooms. Master of ceremonies Beau Nash, who presided over the city's social life from 1704 until his death in 1761, drew up a code of behaviour for public entertainments.[56] Bath had become perhaps the most fashionable of the rapidly developing British spa towns, attracting many notable visitors such as the wealthy London bookseller Andrew Millar and his wife, who both made long visits.[57] In 1816, it was described as "a seat of amusement and dissipation", where "scenes of extravagance in this receptacle of the wealthy and the idle, the weak and designing" were habitual.[58]
Late modern
The population of the city was 40,020 at the 1801 census, making it one of the largest cities in Britain.[59] William Thomas Beckford bought a house in Lansdown Crescent in 1822, and subsequently two adjacent houses to form his residence. Having acquired all the land between his home and the top of Lansdown Hill, he created a garden more than 1⁄2 mile (800 m) in length and built Beckford's Tower at the top.[60]
Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia spent four years in exile, from 1936 to 1940, at Fairfield House in Bath.[61] During World War II, between the evening of 25 April and the early morning of 27 April 1942, Bath suffered three air raids in reprisal for RAF raids on the German cities of Lübeck and Rostock, part of the Luftwaffe campaign popularly known as the Baedeker Blitz. During the Bath Blitz, more than 400 people were killed, and more than 19,000 buildings damaged or destroyed.[62]
Houses in Royal Crescent, Circus and Paragon were burnt out along with the Assembly Rooms.[63][64] A 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) high explosive bomb landed on the east side of Queen Square, resulting in houses on the south side being damaged and the Francis Hotel losing 24 metres (79 ft) of its frontage.[63] The buildings have all been restored although there are still signs of the bombing.[63][64]
A postwar review of inadequate housing led to the clearance and redevelopment of areas of the city in a postwar style, often at variance with the local Georgian style. In the 1950s, the nearby villages of Combe Down, Twerton and Weston were incorporated into the city to enable the development of housing, much of it council housing.[65][66] In 1965, town planner Colin Buchanan published Bath: A Planning and Transport Study, which to a large degree sought to better accommodate the motor car, including the idea of a traffic tunnel underneath the centre of Bath. Though criticised by conservationists, some parts of the plan were implemented.
In the 1970s and 1980s, it was recognised that conservation of historic buildings was inadequate, leading to more care and reuse of buildings and open spaces.[65][67] In 1987, the city was selected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, recognising its international cultural significance.[68]
Between 1991 and 2000, Bath was the scene of a series of rapes committed by an unidentified man dubbed the "Batman rapist".[69] The attacker remains at large and is the subject of Britain's longest-running serial rape investigation.[69] He is said to have a tights fetish, have a scar below his bottom lip and resides in the Bath area or knows it very well.[69] He has also been linked to the unsolved murder of Melanie Hall, which occurred in the city in 1996.[70] Although the offender's DNA is known and several thousand men in Bath were DNA tested, the attacker continues to evade police.[69]
Since 2000, major developments have included the Thermae Bath Spa, the SouthGate shopping centre, the residential Western Riverside project on the Stothert & Pitt factory site, and the riverside Bath Quays office and business development.[71][72] In 2021, Bath become part of a second UNESCO World Heritage Site, a group of spa towns across Europe known as the "Great Spas of Europe".[73]
Government
Since 1996, the city has had a single tier of local government — Bath and North East Somerset Council.
Historical development
Bath had long been an ancient borough, having that status since 878 when it became a royal borough (burh) of Alfred the Great, and was reformed into a municipal borough in 1835. It has formed part of the county of Somerset since 878, when ceded to Wessex, having previously been in Mercia (the River Avon had acted as the border between the two kingdoms since 628).[74] However, Bath was made a county borough in 1889, independent of the newly created administrative county and Somerset County Council.[75] Bath became part of Avon when the non-metropolitan county was created in 1974, resulting in its abolition as a county borough, and instead became a non-metropolitan district with borough status.
With the abolition of Avon in 1996, the non-metropolitan district and borough were abolished too, and Bath has since been part of the unitary authority district of Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES).[76] The unitary district included also the Wansdyke district and therefore includes a wider area than the city (the 'North East Somerset' element) including Keynsham which is home to many of the council's offices, though the council meets at the Guildhall in Bath.
Bath was returned to the ceremonial county of Somerset in 1996, though as B&NES is a unitary authority, it is not part of the area covered by Somerset County Council.
Charter trustees
Bath City Council was abolished in 1996, along with the district of Bath, and there is no longer a parish council for the city. The City of Bath's ceremonial functions, including its formal status as a city, its twinning arrangements,[77] the mayoralty of Bath– which can be traced back to 1230– and control of the city's coat of arms, are maintained by the charter trustees of the City of Bath.[78]
The councillors elected by the electoral wards that cover Bath (see below) are the trustees, and they elect one of their number as their chair and mayor.[79] The mayor holds office for one municipal year and in modern times the mayor begins their term in office on the first Saturday in June, at a ceremony at Bath Abbey with a civic procession from and to the Guildhall. The 794th mayor, who began her office on 6 May 2021, is June Player. A deputy mayor is also elected.[80]
Coat of arms
The coat of arms includes a depiction of the city wall, and two silver strips representing the River Avon and the hot springs. The sword of St. Paul is a link to Bath Abbey. The supporters, a lion and a bear, stand on a bed of acorns, a link to Bladud, the subject of the Legend of Bath. The knight's helmet indicates a municipality and the crown is that of King Edgar (referencing his coronation at the Abbey).[81] A mural crown, indicating a city, is alternatively used instead of the helmet and Edgar's crown.[82]
The Arms bear the motto "Aqvae Svlis", the Roman name for Bath in Latin script; although not on the Arms, the motto "Floreat Bathon" is sometimes used ("may Bath flourish" in Latin).
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Bath Area Forum
Bath and North East Somerset Council has established the Bath City Forum, comprising B&NES councillors representing wards in Bath and up to 13 co-opted members drawn from the communities of the city. The first meeting of the Forum was held on 13 October 2015, at the Guildhall, where the first chair and vice-chair were elected.[84] In 2021, this was re-launched as the Bath Area Forum.[85]
Parliamentary elections
Bath is one of the oldest extant parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom, being in continuous existence since the Model Parliament of 1295. Before the Reform Act 1832, Bath elected two members to the unreformed House of Commons, as an ancient parliamentary borough.[86] From 1832 until 1918 it elected two MPs and then was reduced to one.
Historically the constituency covered only the city of Bath; however, it was enlarged into some outlying areas between 1997 and 2010. The constituency since 2010 once again covers exactly the city of Bath and is currently represented by Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse who beat Conservative Ben Howlett at the 2017 general election and retained her seat at the 2019 general election. Howlett had replaced the retiring Liberal Democrat Don Foster at the 2015 general election. Foster's election was a notable result of the 1992 general election, as Chris Patten, the previous Member (and Cabinet Minister) played a major part, as Chairman of the Conservative Party, in re-electing the government of John Major, but failed to defend his marginal seat.[87]
Electoral wards
The fifteen electoral wards of Bath are: Bathwick, Combe Down, Kingsmead, Lambridge, Lansdown, Moorlands, Newbridge, Odd Down, Oldfield Park, Southdown, Twerton, Walcot, Westmoreland, Weston and Widcombe & Lyncombe. These wards are co-extensive with the city, except that Newbridge includes also two parishes beyond the city boundary.[88]
These wards return a total of 28 councillors to Bath and North East Somerset Council; all except two wards return two councillors (Moorlands and Oldfield Park return one each). The most recent elections were held on 4 May 2023 and all wards returned Liberal Democrats except for Lambridge and Westmoreland which returned Green Party and independent councillors respectively.
Boundary changes enacted from 2 May 2019 included the abolition of Abbey ward, the merger of Lyncombe and Widcombe wards, the creation of Moorlands ward, and the replacement of Oldfield with Oldfield Park, as well as considerable changes to boundaries affecting all wards.
Geography and environment
Physical geography
Bath is in the Avon Valley and is surrounded by limestone hills as it is near the southern edge of the Cotswolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the limestone Mendip Hills rise around 7 miles (11 km) south of the city. The hills that surround and make up the city have a maximum altitude of 781 feet (238 metres) on the Lansdown plateau. Bath has an area of 11 square miles (28 square kilometres).[89]
The floodplain of the Avon has an altitude of about 59 ft (18 m) above sea level,[90] although the city centre is at an elevation of around 25 metres (82 ft) above sea level.[91] The river, once an unnavigable series of braided streams broken up by swamps and ponds, has been managed by weirs into a single channel. Periodic flooding, which shortened the life of many buildings in the lowest part of the city, was normal until major flood control works were completed in the 1970s.[92] Kensington Meadows is an area of mixed woodland and open meadow next to the river which has been designated as a local nature reserve.[93]
Water bubbling up from the ground as geothermal springs originates as rain on the Mendip Hills. The rain percolates through limestone aquifers to a depth of between 9,000 to 14,000 ft (2,700 to 4,300 m) where geothermal energy raises the water's temperature to between 64 and 96 °C (approximately 147–205 °F). Under pressure, the heated water rises to the surface along fissures and faults in the limestone. Hot water at a temperature of 46 °C (115 °F) rises here at the rate of 1,170,000 litres (257,364 imp gal) daily,[94] from the Pennyquick geological fault.
In 1983, a new spa-water bore-hole was sunk, providing a clean and safe supply for drinking in the Pump Room.[95] There is no universal definition to distinguish a hot spring from a geothermal spring, although, by several definitions, the Bath springs can be considered the only hot springs in the UK. Three of the springs feed the thermal baths.[96]
Climate
Along with the rest of South West England, Bath has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country.[97] The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50.0 °F). Seasonal temperature variation is less extreme than most of the United Kingdom because of the adjacent sea temperatures. The summer months of July and August are the warmest, with mean daily maxima of approximately 21 °C (69.8 °F). In winter, mean minimum temperatures of 1 or 2 °C (33.8 or 35.6 °F) are common.[97] In the summer, the Azores high pressure affects the south-west of England bringing fair weather; however, convective cloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than the regional average of 1,600 hours.[97]
In December 1998 there were 20 days without sun recorded at Yeovilton. Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection. Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground, leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. Average rainfall is around 700 mm (28 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the southwest.[97]
Climate data for Bath Average maximum and minimum temperatures, and average rainfall recorded between 1981 and 2010 by the Met Office. | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 15.7 (60.3) |
16.4 (61.5) |
22.2 (72.0) |
26.5 (79.7) |
30.1 (86.2) |
33.4 (92.1) |
35.1 (95.2) |
35.3 (95.5) |
31.2 (88.2) |
26.3 (79.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
16.0 (60.8) |
35.3 (95.5) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) |
7.9 (46.2) |
10.5 (50.9) |
13.3 (55.9) |
16.7 (62.1) |
19.7 (67.5) |
21.7 (71.1) |
21.5 (70.7) |
18.8 (65.8) |
14.6 (58.3) |
10.7 (51.3) |
8.0 (46.4) |
14.3 (57.7) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.9 (35.4) |
1.7 (35.1) |
3.5 (38.3) |
4.6 (40.3) |
7.5 (45.5) |
10.4 (50.7) |
12.5 (54.5) |
12.4 (54.3) |
10.3 (50.5) |
7.6 (45.7) |
4.5 (40.1) |
2.3 (36.1) |
6.6 (43.9) |
Record low °C (°F) | −13.7 (7.3) |
−12.3 (9.9) |
−8.8 (16.2) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
0.3 (32.5) |
2.5 (36.5) |
5.2 (41.4) |
3.1 (37.6) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
−11.6 (11.1) |
−13.7 (7.3) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 82.5 (3.25) |
53.2 (2.09) |
63.7 (2.51) |
56.9 (2.24) |
59.7 (2.35) |
51.9 (2.04) |
55.8 (2.20) |
65.7 (2.59) |
66.6 (2.62) |
88.5 (3.48) |
82.7 (3.26) |
87.1 (3.43) |
814.1 (32.05) |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 40.8 | 66.5 | 118.9 | 157.0 | 190.9 | 188.8 | 211.9 | 202.7 | 143.9 | 82.1 | 51.7 | 37.7 | 1,492.7 |
Source: Met Office |
Green belt
Bath is fully enclosed by green belt as a part of a wider environmental and planning policy first designated in the late 1950s,[98] and this extends into much of the surrounding district and beyond, helping to maintain local green space, prevent further urban sprawl and unplanned expansion towards Bristol and Bradford-on-Avon, as well as protecting smaller villages in between.[98] Suburbs of the city bordering the green belt include Batheaston, Bathford, Bathampton, the University of Bath campus, Ensleigh, Twerton, Upper Weston, Odd Down, and Combe Down.
Parts of the Cotswolds AONB southern extent overlap the green belt north of the city, with other nearby landscape features and facilities within the green belt including the River Avon, Kennet and Avon Canal, Bath Racecourse, Bath Golf Club, Bathampton Down, Bathampton Meadow Nature Reserve, Bristol and Bath Railway Path, the Cotswold Way, Limestone Link route, Pennyquick Park, Little Solsbury Hill, and Primrose Hill.[98]
Demography
District
According to the 2011 census, Bath, together with North East Somerset, which includes areas around Bath as far as the Chew Valley, had a population of 176,015. Demography shows according to the same statistics, the district is overwhelmingly populated by people of a white background at 94.6% – significantly higher than the national average of 87.17%. Other ethnic groups in the district, in order of population size, are multiracial at 1.6%, Asian at 2.6% and black at 0.8% (the national averages are 1.98%, 6.92% and 3.01%, respectively).[99]
The district is largely Christian at 56.5%, with no other religion reaching more than 0.7%. These figures generally compare with the national averages, though the non-religious, at 32.7%, are significantly more prevalent than the national 25.67%. 83.9% of residents rated their health as good or very good, higher than the national level (81.40%). Nationally, 18% of people describe themselves as having a long-term illness; in Bath it is 16.10%.[99]
City
The 2011 census recorded a population of 94,782 for the Bath built-up area and 88,859 for the city, with the latter exactly corresponding to the boundaries of the parliament constituency.[100] The Bath built-up area extends slightly beyond the boundaries of the city itself, taking in areas to the northeast such as Bathampton and Bathford. The 2001 census figure for the city was 83,992.[101] By 2019, the population was estimated at 90,000.[102]
An inhabitant of Bath is known as a Bathonian.[103]
The table below compares the city of Bath with the unitary authority district as a whole (including the city) and South West England.
Ethnic groups 2011 | Bath city | Bath and North East Somerset | South West England |
---|---|---|---|
White British | 85.0% | 90.1% | 91.8% |
Asian | 4.2% | 2.6% | 2.0% |
Black | 1.2% | 0.7% | 0.9% |
Other White | 4.7% | 4.4% | 3.6%[104] |
Economy
Industry
Bath once had an important manufacturing sector, particularly in crane manufacture, furniture manufacture, printing, brass foundries, quarries, dye works and Plasticine manufacture, as well as many mills.[107] Significant Bath companies included Stothert & Pitt, Bath Cabinet Makers and Bath & Portland Stone.
During and after World War II Bath was a major location of Ministry of Defence offices, with three major sites on the outskirts of Bath (Ensleigh, Foxhill and Warminster Road) and a number of smaller central offices including the Empire Hotel. After the Cold War staff numbers declined, and from 2010 to 2013 about 2,600 remaining staff were moved to MoD Abbey Wood in Bristol. In 2013 the three major sites were sold for the development of over 1,000 new houses.[108][109]
Nowadays, manufacturing is in decline, but the city boasts strong software, publishing and service-oriented industries. The city's attraction to tourists has also led to a significant number of jobs in tourism-related industries. Important economic sectors in Bath include education and health (30,000 jobs), retail, tourism and leisure (14,000 jobs) and business and professional services (10,000 jobs).[110]
Major employers are the National Health Service, the city's two universities, and Bath and North East Somerset Council. Growing employment sectors include information and communication technologies and creative and cultural industries where Bath is one of the recognised national centres for publishing,[110] with the magazine and digital publisher Future plc employing around 650 people. Others include Buro Happold (400) and IPL Information Processing Limited (250).[111] The city boasts over 400 retail shops, half of which are run by independent specialist retailers, and around 100 restaurants and cafes primarily supported by tourism.[110]
Tourism
One of Bath's principal industries is tourism, with annually more than one million staying visitors and 3.8 million day visitors.[110] The visits mainly fall into the categories of heritage tourism and cultural tourism, aided by the city's selection in 1987 as a World Heritage Site in recognition of its international cultural importance.[65] All significant stages of the history of England are represented within the city, from the Roman Baths (including their significant Celtic presence), to Bath Abbey and the Royal Crescent, to the more recent Thermae Bath Spa.
The size of the tourist industry is reflected in the almost 300 places of accommodation – including more than 80 hotels, two of which have 'five-star' ratings,[112] over 180 bed and breakfasts – many of which are located in Georgian buildings, and two campsites located on the western edge of the city. The city also has about 100 restaurants and a similar number of pubs and bars.
Several companies offer open top bus tours around the city, as well as tours on foot and on the river. Since the opening of Thermae Bath Spa in 2006, the city has attempted to recapture its historical position as the only town or city in the United Kingdom offering visitors the opportunity to bathe in naturally heated spring waters.[113]
In the 2010 Google Street View Best Streets Awards, the Royal Crescent took second place in the "Britain's Most Picturesque Street" award, first place being given to The Shambles in York. Milsom Street was also awarded "Britain's Best Fashion Street" in the 11,000-strong vote.[114][115]
Architecture
There are many Roman archaeological sites throughout the central area of the city. The baths themselves are about 6 metres (20 ft) below the present city street level. Around the hot springs, Roman foundations, pillar bases, and baths can still be seen; however, all the stonework above the level of the baths is from more recent periods.[116]
Bath Abbey was a Norman church built on earlier foundations. The present building dates from the early 16th century and shows a late Perpendicular style with flying buttresses and crocketed pinnacles decorating a crenellated and pierced parapet.[117] The choir and transepts have a fan vault by Robert and William Vertue.[118] A matching vault was added to the nave in the 19th century.[119] The building is lit by 52 windows.[120]
Most buildings in Bath are made from the local, golden-coloured Bath stone,[121] and many date from the 18th and 19th century. The dominant style of architecture in Central Bath is Georgian;[122] this style evolved from the Palladian revival style that became popular in the early 18th century. Many of the prominent architects of the day were employed in the development of the city. The original purpose of much of Bath's architecture is concealed by the honey-coloured classical façades; in an era before the advent of the luxury hotel, these apparently elegant residences were frequently purpose-built lodging houses, where visitors could hire a room, a floor, or (according to their means) an entire house for the duration of their visit, and be waited on by the house's communal servants.[123] The masons Reeves of Bath were prominent in the city from the 1770s to 1860s.[124]
The Circus consists of three long, curved terraces designed by the elder John Wood to form a circular space or theatre intended for civic functions and games. The games give a clue to the design, the inspiration behind which was the Colosseum in Rome.[125] Like the Colosseum, the three façades have a different order of architecture on each floor: Doric on the ground level, then Ionic on the piano nobile, and finishing with Corinthian on the upper floor, the style of the building thus becoming progressively more ornate as it rises.[125] Wood never lived to see his unique example of town planning completed as he died five days after personally laying the foundation stone on 18 May 1754.[125]
The most spectacular of Bath's terraces is the Royal Crescent, built between 1767 and 1774 and designed by the younger John Wood.[126] Wood designed the great curved façade of what appears to be about 30 houses with Ionic columns on a rusticated ground floor, but that was the extent of his input: each purchaser bought a certain length of the façade, and then employed their own architect to build a house to their own specifications behind it; hence what appears to be two houses is in some cases just one. This system of town planning is betrayed at the rear of the crescent: while the front is completely uniform and symmetrical, the rear is a mixture of differing roof heights, juxtapositions and fenestration. The "Queen Anne fronts and Mary-Anne backs" architecture occurs repeatedly in Bath and was designed to keep hired women at the back of the house.[127][128][129] Other fine terraces elsewhere in the city include Lansdown Crescent[130] and Somerset Place on the northern hill.[131]
Around 1770 the neoclassical architect Robert Adam designed Pulteney Bridge, using as the prototype for the three-arched bridge spanning the Avon an original, but unused, design by Andrea Palladio for the Rialto Bridge in Venice.[132] Thus, Pulteney Bridge became not just a means of crossing the river, but also a shopping arcade. Along with the Rialto Bridge and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, which it resembles, it is one of the very few surviving bridges in Europe to serve this dual purpose.[132] It has been substantially altered since it was built. The bridge was named after Frances and William Pulteney, the owners of the Bathwick estate for which the bridge provided a link to the rest of Bath.[132] The Georgian streets in the vicinity of the river tended to be built high above the original ground level to avoid flooding, with the carriageways supported on vaults extending in front of the houses. This can be seen in the multi-storey cellars around Laura Place south of Pulteney Bridge, in the colonnades below Grand Parade, and in the grated coal holes in the pavement of North Parade. In some parts of the city, such as George Street, and London Road near Cleveland Bridge, the developers of the opposite side of the road did not match this pattern, leaving raised pavements with the ends of the vaults exposed to a lower street below.
The heart of the Georgian city was the Pump Room, which, together with its associated Lower Assembly Rooms, was designed by Thomas Baldwin, a local builder responsible for many other buildings in the city, including the terraces in Argyle Street[133] and the Guildhall.[134] Baldwin rose rapidly, becoming a leader in Bath's architectural history.
In 1776, he was made the chief City Surveyor, and Bath City Architect.[135] Great Pulteney Street, where he eventually lived, is another of his works: this wide boulevard, constructed around 1789 and over 1,000 feet (305 m) long and 100 feet (30 m) wide, is lined on both sides by Georgian terraces.[136][137]
In the 1960s and early 1970s some parts of Bath were unsympathetically redeveloped, resulting in the loss of some 18th- and 19th-century buildings. This process was largely halted by a popular campaign which drew strength from the publication of Adam Fergusson's The Sack of Bath.[138] Controversy has revived periodically, most recently with the demolition of the 1930s Churchill House, a neo-Georgian municipal building originally housing the Electricity Board, to make way for a new bus station. This is part of the Southgate redevelopment in which an ill-favoured 1960s shopping precinct, bus station and multi-storey car park were demolished and replaced by a new area of neo-Georgian shopping streets.[139][140]
As a result of this and other changes, notably plans for abandoned industrial land along the Avon, the city's status as a World Heritage Site was reviewed by UNESCO in 2009.[141] The decision was made to let Bath keep its status, but UNESCO asked to be consulted on future phases of the Riverside development,[142] saying that the density and volume of buildings in the second and third phases of the development need to be reconsidered.[143] It also demanded Bath do more to attract world-class architecture in new developments.[143]
In 2021, Bath received its second UNESCO World Heritage inscription, becoming part of a group of 11 spa towns across seven countries that were listed by UNESCO as the "Great Spas of Europe".[73]
Culture
Bath became the centre of fashionable life in England during the 18th century when its Old Orchard Street Theatre and architectural developments such as Lansdown Crescent,[144] the Royal Crescent,[145] The Circus, and Pulteney Bridge were built.[146]
Bath's five theatres – Theatre Royal, Ustinov Studio, the Egg, the Rondo Theatre, and the Mission Theatre – attract internationally renowned companies and directors and an annual season by Sir Peter Hall. The city has a long-standing musical tradition; Bath Abbey, home to the Klais Organ and the largest concert venue in the city,[147] stages about 20 concerts and 26 organ recitals each year. Another concert venue, the 1,600-seat art deco The Forum, originated as a cinema. The city holds the annual Bath International Music Festival and Mozartfest, the annual Bath Literature Festival (and its counterpart for children), the Bath Film Festival, the Bath Digital Festival. the Bath Fringe Festival, the Bath Beer Festival and the Bath Chilli Festival. The Bach Festivals occur at two and a half-year intervals. An annual Bard of Bath competition aims to find the best poet, singer or storyteller.[148]
The city is home to the Victoria Art Gallery,[149] the Museum of East Asian Art, and Holburne Museum,[150] numerous commercial art galleries and antique shops, as well as a number of other museums, among them Bath Postal Museum, the Fashion Museum, the Jane Austen Centre, the Herschel Museum of Astronomy and the Roman Baths.[151] The Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (BRLSI) in Queen Square was founded in 1824 from the Society for the encouragement of Agriculture, Planting, Manufactures, Commerce and the Fine Arts founded in 1777.[152] In September 1864, BRLSI hosted the 34th annual meeting of the British Science Association, which was attended by explorers David Livingstone, Sir Richard Francis Burton, and John Hanning Speke. The history of the city is displayed at the Museum of Bath Architecture, which is housed in a building built in 1765 as the Trinity Presbyterian Church. It was also known as the Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel, as she lived in the attached house from 1707 to 1791.[153]
The arts
During the 18th century Thomas Gainsborough and Sir Thomas Lawrence lived and worked in Bath.[154][155] John Maggs, a painter best known for coaching scenes, was born and lived in Bath with his artistic family.[156]
Jane Austen lived there from 1801 with her father, mother and sister Cassandra, and the family resided at four different addresses until 1806.[157] Jane Austen never liked the city, and wrote to Cassandra, "It will be two years tomorrow since we left Bath for Clifton, with what happy feelings of escape."[158] Bath has honoured her name with the Jane Austen Centre and a city walk. Austen's Northanger Abbey and Persuasion are set in the city and describe taking the waters, social life, and music recitals.
William Friese-Greene experimented with celluloid and motion pictures in his studio in the 1870s, developing some of the earliest movie camera technology. He is credited as being one of the inventors of cinematography.[159]
Satirist and political journalist William Hone was born in Bath in 1780.
Taking the waters is described in Charles Dickens' novel The Pickwick Papers in which Pickwick's servant, Sam Weller, comments that the water has "a very strong flavour o' warm flat irons". The Royal Crescent is the venue for a chase between two characters, Dowler and Winkle.[160] Moyra Caldecott's novel The Waters of Sul is set in Roman Bath in AD 72, and The Regency Detective, by David Lassman and Terence James, revolves around the exploits of Jack Swann investigating deaths in the city during the early 19th century.[161] Richard Brinsley Sheridan's play The Rivals takes place in the city,[162] as does Roald Dahl's chilling short story, The Landlady.[163]
Many films and television programmes have been filmed using its architecture as the backdrop, including the 2004 film of Thackeray's Vanity Fair,[164] The Duchess (2008),[164] The Elusive Pimpernel (1950)[164] and The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953).[164] In 2012, Pulteney Weir was used as a replacement location during post production of the film adaptation of Les Misérables. Stunt shots were filmed in October 2012 after footage acquired during the main filming period was found to have errors.[165] The ITV police drama McDonald and Dodds is set and mostly filmed in Bath using many of the city's famous sites.[166]
In August 2003 The Three Tenors sang at a concert to mark the opening of the Thermae Bath Spa, a new hot water spa in the city centre, but delays to the project meant the spa actually opened three years later on 7 August 2006.[167] In 2008, 104 decorated pigs were displayed around the city in a public art event called "King Bladud's Pigs in Bath". It celebrated the city, its origins and artists. Decorated pig sculptures were displayed throughout the summer and were auctioned to raise funds for Two Tunnels Greenway.[168]
Parks
Royal Victoria Park, a short walk from the city centre, was opened in 1830 by the 11-year-old Princess Victoria, and was the first park to carry her name.[169] The public park is overlooked by the Royal Crescent and covers 23 hectares (57 acres).[170] It has[170] a skatepark, tennis courts, a bowling green, a putting green and a 12- and 18-hole golf course, a pond, open-air concerts, an annual travelling funfair at Easter,[171] and a children's play area. Much of its area is lawn; a notable feature is a ha-ha that segregates it from the Royal Crescent while giving the impression from the Crescent of uninterrupted grassland across the park to Royal Avenue. It has a "Green Flag Award", the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales, and is registered by English Heritage as of National Historic Importance.[172] The 3.84-hectare (9.5-acre) botanical gardens were formed in 1887 and contain one of the finest collections of plants on limestone in the West Country.[173]
A replica Roman Temple was built at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924, and, following the exhibition, was dismantled and rebuilt in Victoria Park in Bath.[174] In 1987, the gardens were extended to include the Great Dell, a disused quarry with a collection of conifers.[175]
Other parks include Alexandra Park on a hill overlooking the city; Parade Gardens, along the river near the abbey in the city centre; Sydney Gardens, an 18th-century pleasure garden; Henrietta Park; Hedgemead Park; and Alice Park. Jane Austen wrote "It would be pleasant to be near the Sydney Gardens. We could go into the Labyrinth every day."[176] Alexandra, Alice and Henrietta parks were built into the growing city among the housing developments.[177] Linear Park is built on the old Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway line,[178] and connects with the Two Tunnels Greenway which contains the longest cycling and walking tunnel in the UK. Cleveland Pools were built around 1815 close to the River Avon,[179] now the oldest surviving public outdoor lido in England.[180] Restoration was completed in 2023, after a 20 year fund-raising campaign, with the lido opening for the first time in 40 years on 10 September.[181]
Queen Victoria
Victoria Art Gallery and Royal Victoria Park are named after Queen Victoria, who wrote in her journal in 1837, "The people are really too kind to me."[182] This feeling seemed to have been reciprocated by the people of Bath: "Lord James O'Brien brought a drawing of the intended pillar which the people of Bath are so kind as to erect in commemoration of my 18th birthday."[182]
Food
Several foods have an association with the city. Sally Lunn buns (a type of teacake) have long been baked in Bath. They were first mentioned by name in verses printed in the Bath Chronicle, in 1772.[183] At that time they were eaten hot at public breakfasts in Spring Gardens. They can be eaten with sweet or savoury toppings and are sometimes confused with Bath buns, which are smaller, round, very sweet and very rich. They were associated with the city following The Great Exhibition. Bath buns were originally topped with crushed comfits created by dipping caraway seeds repeatedly in boiling sugar; but today seeds are added to a 'London Bath Bun' (a reference to the bun's promotion and sale at the Great Exhibition).[184] The seeds may be replaced by crushed sugar granules or 'nibs'.[185]
Bath has lent its name to one other distinctive recipe – Bath Olivers – a dry baked biscuit invented by Dr William Oliver, physician to the Mineral Water Hospital in 1740.[186] Oliver was an anti-obesity campaigner and author of a "Practical Essay on the Use and Abuse of warm Bathing in Gluty Cases".[186] In more recent years, Oliver's efforts have been traduced by the introduction of a version of the biscuit with a plain chocolate coating. Bath chaps, the salted and smoked cheek and jawbones of the pig, takes its name from the city[187] and is available from a stall in the daily covered market. Bath Ales brewery is located in Warmley and Abbey Ales are brewed in the city.[188]
Twinning
Bath is twinned with four other cities in Europe. Twinning is the responsibility of the Charter Trustees and each twinning arrangement is managed by a Twinning Association.[189][190]
There is also a historic connection with Manly, New South Wales, Australia, which is referred to as a sister city, and there is a partnership arrangement with Beppu, Ōita Prefecture, Japan.[190]
Formal twinning
- Aix-en-Provence, France[190][191]
- Alkmaar, Netherlands[190]
- Braunschweig, Germany[190][192]
- Kaposvár, Hungary[190]
Education
Bath has two universities, the University of Bath and Bath Spa University. Established in 1966, the University of Bath[193] was named University of the Year by The Sunday Times in 2011. It offers programs in politics, languages, the physical sciences, engineering, mathematics, architecture, management and technology.[194]
Bath Spa University was first granted degree-awarding powers in 1992 as a university college before being granted university status in August 2005.[195][196] It offers courses leading to a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. It has schools in the following subject areas: Art and Design, Education, English and Creative Studies, Historical and Cultural Studies, Music and the Performing Arts, Science and the Environment and Social Sciences.[197]
Bath College offers further education, and Norland College provides education and training in childcare.[198]
Sport
Rugby
Bath Rugby is a rugby union team in the Premiership league. It plays in blue, white and black kit at the Recreation Ground in the city, where it has been since the late 19th century, following its establishment in 1865.[199] The team's first major honour was winning the John Player Cup, now sponsored as the LV Cup and also known as the Anglo-Welsh Cup, four years consecutively from 1984 until 1987.[199] The team then led the Courage league in six seasons in eight years between 1988 and 1989 and 1995–96, during which time it also won the renamed Pilkington Cup in 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996.[199] It finally won the Heineken Cup in the 1997–98 season, and topped the Zürich Premiership (now Gallagher Premiership) in 2003–04.[199] The team's squad includes several members who also play, or have played in the English national team, including Lee Mears, Rob Webber, Dave Attwood, Nick Abendanon and Matt Banahan. Colston's School, Bristol, has had a large input in the team over the past decade,[vague] providing several current 1st XV squad members.[citation needed] The former England Rugby Team Manager and former Scotland national coach Andy Robinson used to play for Bath Rugby team and was captain and later coach. Both of Robinson's predecessors, Clive Woodward and Jack Rowell, as well as his successor Brian Ashton, were also former Bath coaches and managers.[200]
Football
Bath City F.C. is the semi-professional football team. Founded in 1889, the club has played their home matches at Twerton Park since 1932. Bath City's history is entirely in non-league football, predominantly in the 5th tier. Bath narrowly missed out on election to the Football League by a few votes in 1978[201] and again in 1985. The club have a good history in the FA Cup, reaching the third round six times. The record attendance, 18,020, at the ground was in 1960 against Brighton.[202][203] The club's colours are black and white and their official nickname is "The Romans", stemming from Bath's Ancient Roman history. [204] The club is sometimes called "The Stripes", referring to their striped kit.
Until 2009 Team Bath F.C. operated as an affiliate to the University Athletics programme. In 2002, Team Bath became the first university team to enter the FA Cup in 120 years, and advanced through four qualifying rounds to the first round proper.[205] The university's team was established in 1999 while the city team has existed since before 1908 (when it entered the Western League).[206] However, in 2009, the Football Conference ruled that Team Bath would not be eligible to gain promotion to a National division, nor were they allowed to participate in Football Association cup competitions. This ruling led to the decision by the club to fold at the end of the 2008–09 Conference South competition. In their final season, Team Bath F.C. finished 11th in the league.[207]
Bath also has Non-League football clubs Odd Down F.C. who play at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground[208] and Larkhall Athletic F.C. who play at Plain Ham.
Other sports
Many cricket clubs are based in the city, including Bath Cricket Club, who are based at the North Parade Ground and play in the West of England Premier League. Cricket is also played on the Recreation Ground, just across from the rugby club. The Recreation Ground is also home to Bath Croquet Club, which was re-formed in 1976 and is affiliated with the South West Federation of Croquet Clubs.[209]
The Bath Half Marathon is run annually through the city streets, with over 10,000 runners.[210]
TeamBath is the umbrella name for all of the University of Bath sports teams, including the aforementioned football club. Other sports for which TeamBath is noted are athletics, badminton, basketball, bob skeleton, bobsleigh, hockey, judo, modern pentathlon, netball, rugby union, swimming, tennis, triathlon and volleyball. The City of Bath Triathlon takes place annually at the university.[211]
Bath Roller Derby Girls (BRDG) is a flat track roller derby club, founded in 2012,[212] they compete in the British Roller Derby Championships Tier 3.[213] As of 2015, they are full members of the United Kingdom Roller Derby Association (UKRDA.)[214]
Bath is home to a table tennis League, made up of 3 divisions and a number of clubs based in Bath and the surrounding area.[215]
Transport
Roads
Bath is approximately 11 miles (18 km) south-east of the larger city and port of Bristol, to which it is linked by the A4 road, which runs through Bath, and is a similar distance south of the M4 motorway at junction 18. The potential new junction 18a linking the M4 motorway with the A4174 Avon Ring Road will provide an additional direct route from Bath to the motorway.[216]
In an attempt to reduce the level of car use, park and ride schemes have been introduced, with sites at Odd Down, Lansdown and Newbridge. A very large increase in city centre parking was also provided under the new SouthGate shopping centre development, which necessarily introduces more car traffic. In addition, a bus gate scheme in Northgate aims to reduce private car use in the city centre.[217]
A transportation study (the Bristol/Bath to South Coast Study) was published in 2004 after being initiated by the Government Office for the South West and Bath and North East Somerset Council[218] and undertaken by WSP Global[218] as a result of the de-trunking in 1999 of the A36/A46 trunk road network[219] from Bath to Southampton.
A Class C Clean Air Zone was introduced for central Bath on 15 March 2021, which charges the most polluting commercial vehicles £9 per day (and up to £100 per day for coaches and HGVs).[220] It is the first UK road pollution charging zone outside London, and reduced nitrogen dioxide levels in the city by 26% over the following two years, meeting legal standards.[221]
Buses
National Express operates coach services from Bath bus station to a number of cities. Bath has a network of bus routes run by First West of England, with services to surrounding towns and cities, such as Bristol, Corsham, Chippenham, Devizes, Salisbury, Frome and Wells. Faresaver Buses also operate services to surrounding towns. The Bath Bus Company runs open top double-decker bus tours around the city, as well as frequent services to Bristol Airport. Stagecoach West also provides services to Tetbury and the South Cotswolds.[222] The suburbs of Bath are also served by the WESTlink on demand service, available Monday to Saturday.[223]
Cycling
Bath is on National Cycle Route 4, with one of Britain's first cycleways, the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, to the west, and an eastern route toward London on the canal towpath. Bath is about 20 miles (30 km) from Bristol Airport.[224] Bath also benefits from several bridleways and byways. [225]
Rivers and canals
The city is connected to Bristol and the sea by the River Avon, navigable via locks by small boats. The river was connected to the River Thames and London by the Kennet and Avon Canal in 1810 via Bath Locks; this waterway – closed for many years but restored in the last years of the 20th century – is now popular with narrowboat users.[226]
Railways
Bath is served by the Bath Spa railway station (designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel), which has regular connections to London Paddington, Bristol Temple Meads, Cardiff Central, Cheltenham, Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance (see Great Western Main Line), and also Westbury, Warminster, Weymouth, Salisbury, Southampton, Portsmouth and Brighton (see Wessex Main Line). Services are provided by Great Western Railway. There is a suburban station on the main line, Oldfield Park, which has a limited commuter service to Bristol as well as other destinations.
Green Park Station was once the terminus of the Midland Railway,[227] and junction for the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, whose line, always steam hauled, went through the Devonshire tunnel (under the Wellsway, St Luke's Church and the Devonshire Arms), through the Combe Down Tunnel and climbed over the Mendips to serve many towns and villages on its 71-mile (114 km) run to Bournemouth. This example of an English rural line was closed by Beeching in March 1966. Its Bath station building, now restored, houses shops, small businesses, the Saturday Bath Farmers Market and parking for a supermarket, while the route of the Somerset and Dorset within Bath has been reused for the Two Tunnels Greenway, a shared use path that extends National Cycle Route 24 into the city.[228]
Trams
Historical
The Bath Tramways Company was introduced in the late 19th century, opening on 24 December 1880. The 4 ft (1,219 mm) gauge cars were horse-drawn along a route from London Road to the Bath Spa railway station, but the system closed in 1902. It was replaced by electric tram cars on a greatly expanded 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) gauge system that opened in 1904. This eventually extended to 18 miles (29 km) with routes to Combe Down, Oldfield Park, Twerton, Newton St Loe, Weston and Bathford. There was a fleet of 40 cars, all but 6 being double deck. The first line to close was replaced by a bus service in 1938, and the last went on 6 May 1939.[229]
Possible re-introduction
In 2005, a detailed plan was created and presented to the council to re-introduce trams to Bath, but the plan did not proceed, reportedly due to the focus by the council on the government-supported busway planned to run from the Newbridge park and ride into the city centre. Part of the justification for the proposed tram reintroduction plan was the pollution from vehicles within the city, which was twice the legal levels, and the heavy traffic congestion due to high car usage. In 2015[230] another group, Bath Trams, building on the earlier tram group proposals, created interest in the idea of re-introducing trams with several public meetings and meetings with the council.[231] In 2017, Bath and North East Somerset Council announced a feasibility study, due to be published by March 2018[needs update], into implementing a light rail or tram system in the city.[232]
In November 2016, the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership began a consultation process on their Transport Vision Summary Document, outlining potential light rail/tram routes in the region, one of which being a route from Bristol city centre along the A4 road to Bath to relieve pressure on bus and rail services between the two cities.[233]
Media
Bath's local newspaper is the Bath Chronicle, owned by Local World. Published since 1760, the Chronicle was a daily newspaper until mid-September 2007, when it became a weekly.[234] Since 2018 its website has been operated by Trinity Mirror's Somerset Live platform.[235]
The BBC Bristol website has featured coverage of news and events within Bath since 2003.[236]
For television, Bath is served by the BBC West studios based in Bristol, and by ITV West Country, formerly HTV, also from studios in Bristol.[237]
Radio stations broadcasting to the city include BBC Radio Bristol which has a studio in Kingsmead Square in the city centre, BBC Radio Somerset in Taunton, Greatest Hits Radio Bristol & The South West on 107.9FM and Heart West, formerly GWR FM, as well as The University of Bath's University Radio Bath, a student-focused radio station available on campus and also online.[238] Launched in 2019, BA1 Radio is an online community radio station.[239]
See also
- The Bathonian Age (168.3 – 166.1 million years ago), a Jurassic Period of geological time named after Bath
- Grade I listed buildings in Bath and North East Somerset
- List of people from Bath
- List of spa towns in the United Kingdom
- Bath, Ontario, named after Bath, Somerset, and now part of Loyalist, Ontario
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External links
- Bath travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Official tourist information
- Mayor of Bath
- Bath at Curlie
- Bath in the Domesday Book
List of Mayors of Bath
Mayor of Bath | |
---|---|
Incumbent Dine Romero since 2023 | |
Style | The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Bath |
Member of | Charter Trustees of the City of Bath |
Appointer | Charter Trustees of the City of Bath |
Term length | One municipal year |
Formation | 1189 |
Deputy | Bharat Pankhania |
Website | Official website |
The Mayor of Bath is a ceremonial post held by a member of the charter trustees of Bath, elected annually by the trustees of the city.
In 1189, Richard I of England granted a charter to the city of Bath establishing a mayor, with the first recorded mayor being John de Porta in 1230. In 1590 a Royal Charter of Incorporation was issued confirming the city's status of a corporate body of Mayor, Alderman and Citizens. The Municipal Corporations Act 1835, reformed the old closed Corporation and made it a modern elected body. In 1888 Bath became a County Borough. When local government was restructured through the Local Government Act 1972, Bath was restructed as a district council within the County of Avon. Until further local government re-organisation in 1996, the role of mayor was held by the chairman of Bath City Council, since the creation of Bath and North East Somerset Council the role has been held by the chairman of the Charter Trustees of the City of Bath.
The current mayor for the municipal year beginning 3 June 2023 is Dine Romero, who is the 796th mayor.[1]
13th century
- 1230: John de Porta
- 1237: Henry le Tayleur
- 1249: Walter Falc / Sir Henry Tailor (Cissor)
- 1262: Henry the Tailor
- 1277: Henry Tailor
- 1279: Nicholas Biscop
- 1280: John de Cumbe / William Scleht / Henry Tailor (Cissor)
- 1283: Richard Tabernarius / Richard Everard
- 1284: Thomas Sweyn
- 1285: William Cook (Cocus) / Roger de Dichegate / Nicholas Clerk (Clerico) / Stephen de Devyses / John de Cumbe / Richard Everard / Gilbert Taylor
- 1286: Gilbert Cissor
- 1290: Stephen Baker / Henry Tailor (Cissor)
- 1291: Stephen de Devyses
- 1293: John le Taylor / William Scuel / William Cook (Cocus) / Peter le Brevitor
- 1295: Peter le Brevitor
- 1296: Thomas Sweyn
- 1299: William Cook (Cocus)
- 1300: William Cook / John le Veniur / John Cole
14th century
- 1302: Peter le Brevitor / William Scuel
- 1304: William Cook
- 1307: Peter le Brevitor
- 1310: William Cook
- 1311: Walter Falconer
- 1313: Peter le Brevitor
- 1314: Richard Wytesone
- 1316: John Baker (Pistor)
- 1317: John Baker (Pistor)
- 1318: Richard Wytesone
- 1322: John Baker (Pistor)
- 1323: John Cole
- 1325: John de Wyk
- 1328: John de Wyk
- 1329: Adam Wytesone
- 1330: William Cook
- 1331: Alexander Dye (Tinctor)
- 1332: Roger Cole
- 1333: William Sweyn
- 1334: Alexander Dyer (Tinctor)
- 1335: Adam Wytesone
- 1336: Roger Cole
- 1337: Alexander Dyer
- 1338: Roger Crist
- 1339: William Cubbel
- 1340: Adam Wytesone
- 1341: Alexander Dyer
- 1342: Roger Crist
- 1343: John Cole
- 1344: William Cubbel
- 1345: Adam Wytesone
- 1346: Alexander Dyer
- 1347: William Cubbel
- 1348: William Cubbel
- 1349: Roger Crist
- 1350: Thomas Stote
- 1351: Roger le Dyer
- 1352: William Cubbel
- 1353: Thomas Stote
- 1354: Walter Carpenter
- 1355: John Whittokesmede
- 1356: William Serrel
- 1357: William Cook
- 1358: John Sheory
- 1359: Robert le Dyer
- 1360: John Whittokesmede
- 1361: Walter Carpenter
- 1362: John Gregory
- 1363: John Gregory
- 1364: John Whittokesmede
- 1365: John Whittokesmede
- 1366: John Gregory
- 1367: John Gregory
- 1369: John Whittokesmede
- 1370: William Drayton
- 1371: John Gregory
- 1372: Robert Wattes
- 1373: John Gregory
- 1375: John Compe
- 1376: John Gregory
- 1377: John Compe
- 1378: John Natton
- 1379: Robert Wattes
- 1380: John Natton
- 1381: John Gregory
- 1382: Richard Bedul
- 1385: John Natton
- 1388: Robert Waspray
- 1390: Robert Draper[2]
- 1391: William Rous
- 1392: Robert Waspray
- 1393: William Rous
- 1394: Robert Waspray
- 1395: John Waspray
- 1396: Thomas Swayne
- 1398: Thomas Plomes
- 1399: Robert Waspray
- 1400: Roger Testwode
15th century
- 1401: Roger Testwode
- 1402: Roger Wasprey
- 1403: Roger Testwode
- 1404: Richard Widcombe[3]
- 1407: Roger Testwode
- 1408: Ralph Hunt
- 1409: John Savage
- 1410: Ralph Hunt
- 1411: Robert Waspray
- 1412: John Savage
- 1414: Ralph Hunt
- 1416: Walter Rich[4]
- 1417: Ralph Hunt
- 1418: Richard Widcombe[3]
- 1420: Richard Widcombe[3]
- 1422: Ralph Hunt
- 1423: William Philipps
- 1425: John Savage
- 1426: William Hodgekyns
- 1427: Richard Widcombe[3]
- 1428: William Philipps
- 1429: Ralph Hunt
- 1433: William Philipps
- 1434: William Philipps
- 1435: William Hodgekyns
- 1437: William Philipps
- 1438: Walter Rich[4]
- 1441: William Hodgekyns
- 1442: William Philipps
- 1443: Walter Rich[4]
- 1444: William Philipps
- 1447: William Hodgekyns
- 1449: William Cubbel
- 1452: William Dreyton
- 1454: Thomas Abell
- 1455: John Austell
- 1461: John Thomas
- 1467: John Steere
- 1468: William Stanburgh
- 1471: William Hayne
- 1473: William Stanburgh
- 1474: Robert Rogers
- 1475: Robert Batyn
- 1476: William Stanburgh
- 1477: Robert Rogers
- 1488: William Tyler
- 1492: Robert Batyn
- 1497: Lawrence Leche
16th century
- 1503: Richard Chapman
- 1530: Thomas Welpley[5]
- 1533: Henry Covell
- 1534: William Horsington
- 1540: Robert Style
- 1543: John Chapman
- 1544: Anthony Scrope
- 1550: John Clement[6]
- 1551: Edward Ludwell[7]
- 1553: John Davys
- 1554: Richard Chapman[8]
- 1555: Thomas Ash
- 1567: John Pearman
- 1568: Robert Frauncys
- 1569: Robert Fraunces
- 1572: John Wyatt
- 1573: William Walley[9]
- 1574: William Cavell
- 1575: Thomas Turner[10]
- 1576: George Pearman[11]
- 1577: George Pearman[11]
- 1578: John Wyatt
- 1579: Thomas Bushe
- 1580: William Shareston[12]
- 1581: William Walley[9]
- 1582: George Pearman[11]
- 1583: John Chapman
- 1584: William Shareston[12]
- 1585: John Walley, Snr[13]
- 1586: Thomas Fytche
- 1587: John Sachefild
- 1588: John Walley, Jnr
- 1589: William Shareston[12]
- 1591: Thomas Fytche
- 1592: John Sachefild
- 1593: William Chapman
- 1594: William Heath[14]
- 1595: William Moreford
- 1596: John Sachfilde
- 1597: Thomas Fytche (died in office)
- 1597: William Heath (elected) [14]
- 1598: William Shareston[12]
- 1599: John Chapman
- 1600: John Sachfeilde
17th century
- 1601: Thomas Power
- 1602: William Heath[14]
- 1603: William Shareston[12]
- 1604: Christopher Stone[15]
- 1605: Walter Chapman
- 1606: John Parker
- 1607: Thomas Wyatt
- 1608: William Clifte
- 1609: John Sherston
- 1610: John Sachfeild
- 1611: Christopher Stone[15]
- 1612: John Wood
- 1613: Richard Gay[16]
- 1614: John Cutt
- 1615: William Shareston[12]
- 1616: William Chapman
- 1617: Walter Chapman
- 1618: William Clift
- 1619: Richard Gay[16]
- 1620: Walter Chapman
- 1621: Thomas Moorford
- 1622: Robert Fry
- 1623: William Chapman
- 1624: Matthewe Rendoll
- 1625: Richard Gay[16]
- 1626: George Chapman
- 1627: Richard Chapman
- 1628: Robert Fisher
- 1629: Matthew Clift
- 1630: William Chapman
- 1631: Richard Gay[16]
- 1632: Arthur Sherstone
- 1633: Arthur Kingston
- 1634: Matthewe Rendoll
- 1635: George Chapman
- 1636: John Bigg
- 1637: Richard Chapman
- 1638: Robert Ffisher
- 1639: William Chapman
- 1640: Matthew Clift
- 1641: William Chapman
- 1642: Thomas Burford
- 1643: John Parker
- 1644: Richard Chapman
- 1645: John Bigg
- 1646: John Atwood
- 1647: Walter Chapman
- 1648: Richard Druce
- 1649: Matthew Clift
- 1650: John Pearce
- 1651: John Bigge
- 1652: John Atwood
- 1653: John Parker
- 1654: Walter Chapman (died in office 1655)
- 1655: John Bigges (elected 30 April 1655)
- 1655: John Boys[17]
- 1656: Matthew Clift
- 1657: John Masters
- 1658: John Pearce
- 1659: John Biggs
- 1660: John Fford
- 1661: John Parker
- 1662: Robert Child
- 1663: Henry Chapman
- 1664: Walter Gibbes
- 1665: John Pearce
- 1666: John Chapman
- 1667: Thomas Gibbs
- 1668: Robert Chapman
- 1669: William Childe
- 1670: Edward White
- 1671: John Masters
- 1672: Henry Chapman
- 1673: Henry Parker
- 1674: John Reed
- 1675: John Bush
- 1676: Walter Gibbs
- 1677: Benjamin Baber
- 1678: Robert Chapman
- 1679: John Masters
- 1680: William Bush
- 1681: Edward Bushell
- 1682: Robert Hayward
- 1683: Walter Hicks
- 1684: John Bush
- 1685: John Stibbs
- 1686: John Pocock
- 1687: Benjamin Baber
- 1688: Walter Gibbs
- 1689: Robert Chapman
- 1690: John Masters
- 1691: George Colloby
- 1692: William Bush
- 1693: Edward Bushell
- 1694: Robert Hayward
- 1695: Walter Hickes
- 1696: John Axford
- 1697: John Bush
- 1698: John Stibs
- 1699: Thomas Gibbs
- 1700: Benjamin Baber
18th century
- 1701: Richard Masters
- 1702: William Chapman
- 1703: John Bush
- 1704: William Bush
- 1705: Walter Hicks
- 1706: Edward Woolmer
- 1707: John Stibbs
- 1708: Edward Bushell
- 1709: Charles Child
- 1710: Walter Gibbes
- 1711: Thomas Gibbes
- 1712: Richard Morgan
- 1713: Richard Ford
- 1714: Thomas Bigges
- 1715: William Long
- 1716: John Saunder
- 1717: Richard Masters
- 1718: Thomas Bushell
- 1719: William Collibee
- 1720: Edward Woolmer
- 1721: George Tryme
- 1722: William Bush
- 1723: John Hicks
- 1724: Thomas Atwood
- 1725: Rosewell Gibbs
- 1726: Walter Chapman
- 1727: William Chapman
- 1728: John Billing
- 1729: Francis Bave
- 1730: Richard Ford
- 1731: William Horton
- 1732: Milo Smith
- 1733: Richard Morgan
- 1734: Thomas Short
- 1735: Thomas Atwood
- 1736: Richard Matravers
- 1737: James Atwood
- 1738: John Saunders
- 1739: William Bush
- 1740: Charles Stone
- 1741: Henry Atwood
- 1742: Ralph Allen
- 1743: Ambrose Bishop
- 1744: John Chapman
- 1745: John Cogswell
- 1746: Thomas Atwood
- 1747: Thursby Robinson
- 1748: James Atwood
- 1749: Charles Stone
- 1750: Henry Atwood
- 1751: Francis Hales
- 1752: Thomas Atwood, Snr
- 1753: Thomas Atwood, Jnr
- 1754: John Chapman
- 1755: Samuel Bush
- 1756: Edward B Collibee
- 1757: William Chapman
- 1758: Henry Atwood
- 1759: Francis Hales
- 1760: Thomas Attwood
- 1761: John Chapman
- 1762: Francis Hales
- 1763: Samuel Bush
- 1764: John Horton
- 1765: Edward B Collibee
- 1766: Henry Wright
- 1767: William Chapman
- 1768: Charles Biggs
- 1769: Thomas Warr Attwood
- 1770: John Chapman
- 1771: John Horton
- 1772: Walter Wiltshire
- 1773: Francis Bennet
- 1774: Philip Ditcher
- 1775: Edward B Collibee
- 1776: Henry Wright
- 1777: John Chapman
- 1778: Simon Crook
- 1779: John Chapman
- 1780: Walter Wiltshire
- 1781: Francis Bennet
- 1782: Leonard Coward
- 1783: James Leake
- 1784: William Street (died in office 26 May 1785) (father of Ann Street Barry)
- 1785: Edward B Collibee
- 1786: William Anderdon
- 1787: Leonard Coward
- 1788: Jacob Smith
- 1789: Leonard Coward
- 1790: John Horton
- 1791: Walter Wiltshire
- 1792: Abel Moysey
- 1793: Henry Harington
- 1794: William Anderdon
- 1795: John Symons
- 1796: John Palmer
- 1797: Charles Phillott
- 1798: George Chapman
- 1799: John Horton
- 1800: Harry Atwood
19th century
- 1801: Sir William Watson
- 1802: Henry Parry
- 1803: John Symons
- 1804: William Anderdon
- 1805: Charles Phillott
- 1806: John Horton
- 1807: Harry Atwood
- 1808: Henry Parry
- 1809: John Palmer
- 1810: Abel Moysey
- 1811: Joseph Phillott
- 1812: Charles Crook
- 1813: William Anderdon
- 1814: Charloes Phillott
- 1815: Morgan Nicols
- 1816: Edmund Anderdon
- 1817: George Tugwell
- 1818: John Kitson
- 1819: George Edward Allen
- 1820: John Wiltshire
- 1821: William Clark
- 1822: Charles Crook
- 1823: Charles Phillott
- 1824: Edmund Anderdon
- 1825: George Edward Allen
- 1826: Eleazer Pickwick
- 1827: George H Tugwell
- 1828: William Tudor
- 1829: Joseph Hume Spry
- 1830: John Ford Davis
- 1831: George Kitson
- 1832: William Clark
- 1833: Johnson Phillott
- 1834: George Norman
- 1835: William Thomas Blair
- 1836: William Thomas Blair (until 9 November 1837)
- 1837: Simon Barrow
- 1838: Henry Gordon
- 1839: Richard Shuttleworth Cruttwell
- 1840: William Hunt
- 1841: George Norman
- 1842: George Edridge
- 1843: George Moger
- 1844: Henry Gordon
- 1845: Samuel Batchellor
- 1846: Augustus George Barrette
- 1847: William Hunt
- 1848: William Sutcliffe
- 1849: Frederick Dowding
- 1850: Frederick Dowding
- 1851: William Long
- 1852: Francis Allen
- 1853: Thomas Gill
- 1854: William Hunt
- 1855: William Bush
- 1856: Robert Cook
- 1857: Randle Wilbraham Falconer
- 1858: Randle Wilbraham Falconer
- 1859: Thomas Barrett
- 1860: Thomas Jolly
- 1861: Thomas Fuller
- 1862: Thomas Barter
- 1863: Jerom Murch
- 1864: Jerom Murch
- 1865: George Moger
- 1866: William Thompson
- 1867: Edward Francis Slack (died in office 29 November 1867)
- 1867: William Hunt (elected 5 December 1867)
- 1868: Thomas Jolly
- 1869: Thomas Washbourne Gibbs
- 1870: John Hulbert
- 1871: John Hulbert
- 1872: Robert Stickney Blaine
- 1873: William Hunt
- 1874: James Aylmer Paynter
- 1875: James Aylmer Paynter
- 1876: Jerom Murch
- 1877: Jerom Murch
- 1878: James Chaffin
- 1879: James Chaffin
- 1880: James Chaffin
- 1881: John Stothert Bartrum
- 1882: Handel Cossham
- 1883: Thomas Wilton
- 1884: Handel Cossham
- 1885: Anthony Hammond
- 1886: Jerom Murch
- 1887: Anthony Hammond
- 1888: Herny William Freeman
- 1889: John Stothert Bartrum
- 1890: Jerom Murch
- 1891: John Sylvanus Turner
- 1892: Jerom Murch
- 1893: Reginald Quintin Mainwaring
- 1894: William Crucknell Jolly
- 1895: John Rubie
- 1896: George Woodiwiss
- 1897: Charles Henry Simpson, Major
- 1898: John Ricketts (died in office 13 July 1899)
- 1899: George Woodiwiss (elected 1 August 1899)
- 1899: Robert Edmund Dickinson
- 1900: Thomas Ball Silcock
20th century
- 1901: Edward England Phillips
- 1902: James Edward Henshaw
- 1903: Charles Henry Simpson, Major
- 1904: Benjamin John
- 1905: Charles Bryan Oliver
- 1906: Sydney William Bush
- 1907: Thomas Hodgson Miller
- 1908: John William Knight
- 1909: Charles Henry Simpson, Major
- 1910: Thomas Ball Silcock
- 1911: Thomas Forder Plowman
- 1912: George Thomas Cooke
- 1913: Preston King
- 1914: Frederick William Spear
- 1915: Harry Thomas Hatt
- 1916: Charles Henry Long
- 1917: Preston King
- 1918: Alfred William Wills
- 1919: Percy Jackman
- 1920: James Henry Colmer
- 1921: Ernest John White
- 1922: Cedric Chivers
- 1923: Charles Henry Hacker
- 1924: Cedric Chivers
- 1925: Cedric Chivers
- 1926: Cedric Chivers
- 1927: Cedric Chivers
- 1928: Cedric Chivers (died in office 30 January 1929)
- 1929: Aubrey Bateman (elected 26 February 1929)
- 1930: Thomas Sturge Cotterell MBE
- 1931: Herbert Chivers
- 1932: Rhodes G Cook
- 1933: Horace Scott Davey, Lt Col
- 1934: Aubrey Bateman
- 1935: James Sidney Carpenter
- 1936: Walter Farley Long
- 1937: Leonard Graham Araham Adams (resigned 6 December 1937)
- 1937: Adrian Edmund Hopkins (elected 23 December 1937)
- 1938: Adrian Edmund Hopkins
- 1939: James Sidney Carpenter
- 1940: Aubrey Bateman
- 1941: Aubrey Bateman
- 1942: Aubrey Bateman
- 1943: Joseph Plowman
- 1944: Edgard Clements
- 1945: Herbert Chivers (died in office 23 June 1946)
- 1946: Edgar Clements (elected 5 July 1946)
- 1946: Edward Taylor
- 1947: Sam Day
- 1948: Sam Day
- 1949: Leslie Newby Punter
- 1950: Kathleen Agnes Mabel Harper
- 1951: Reginald Wilfrid Pearson
- 1952: Alleyne William Steward Berry (father of Mary Berry)
- 1953: Adrian Edmund Hopkins
- 1954: William Henry Gallop
- 1955: Alfred Norman Dix
- 1956: Sydney Arthur Smith
- 1957: Tom Jones
- 1958: Hugh Duckworth Roberts
- 1959: Edward William Arthur Mortimer
- 1960: Arthur Cecil Knight
- 1961: William Henry Jordan Shepherd
- 1962: Gulielma Maw
- 1963: Royston Ernest Tucker
- 1964: George Emanuel de Chazal Mayer
- 1965: Ada Elsie May Hanna
- 1966: Ronald Harry Purdie
- 1967: Ronald Fred Emmerson
- 1968: Roy Gordon Hiscocks
- 1969: Alexander Stewart Polson
- 1970: Walter Gower Huggett
- 1971: Mabel Mary Grosvenor
- 1972: Alec Louis Ricketts
- 1973: Thomas John Cornish
- 1974: William Percy Johns
- 1975: Cicely Margaret Edmunds
- 1976: Mary Elizabeth Rawlings
- 1977: Raymond Charles Rosewarn
- 1978: Kenneth John Holloway (died in office 10 December 1978)
- 1979: George Durant Kersley (elected 2 January 1979)
- 1979: John Humphrey Lyons, Major
- 1980: Brian James Hamlen
- 1981: Leslie Albert William Ridd
- 1982: Laurence John Harris Coombs
- 1983: Elgar Spencer Jenkins
- 1984: Anthony John Rhymes
- 1985: Jeannette Farley Hole
- 1986: Samuel Leslie Jane
- 1987: Ian Charles Dewey
- 1988: John James Malloy, Commander
- 1989: Anne Maureen McDonagh
- 1990: Jeffrey William Higgins
- 1991: Denis Reginald Lovelace
- 1992: Eric Jack Trevor Snook
- 1993: Edwina Harding Bradley
- 1994: Howard William Routledge
- 1995: Jeffrey Stephen Manning
- 1996: Margaret Mary Feeny MBE
- 1997: Marian Frances Hammond
- 1998: Ray David Cliffe MBE
- 1999: John Anthony Bailey
- 2000: Angela Godfrey
21st century
- 2001: Marian McNeir
- 2002: Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst
- 2003: David James Hawkins
- 2004: Roger Alan Symonds
- 2005: Peter John Metcalfe
- 2006: Carol Ann Paradise
- 2007: Sharon Grace Ball
- 2008: Tim Mark Ball
- 2009: Colin Vincent Barrett
- 2010: Shaun McGall
- 2011: Bryan Chalker
- 2012: Andrew Furse
- 2013: Malcolm John Henry Lees
- 2014: Cherry Beath
- 2015: William Alexander Sandry
- 2016: Paul Crossley
- 2017: Ian Gilchrist
- 2018: Patrick Anketell-Jones
- 2019: Gerry Curran
- 2020: Manda Rigby
- 2021: June Player
- 2022: Rob Appleyard
- 2023: Dine Romero
See also
References
- General
- A History of the Mayors of Bath (2nd ed.). Bath: The Charter Trustees of the City of Bath. 2015.
- Specific
- ^ The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Bath
- ^ "DRAPER, Robert, of Bath, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d "WIDCOMBE (WYDECOMBE), Richard, of Bath, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ a b c "RICH, Walter (d.1446/7), of Bath, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "WELPLEY, Thomas (c.1483-1534 or later), of Bath, Som. | History of Parliament Online".
- ^ "CLEMENT, John (by 1502-51/56), of Bath, Som. | History of Parliament Online".
- ^ "LUDWELL, Edward (by 1523-63/66), of Bath, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ "CHAPMAN, Richard (c.1504-80), of Bath, Som. | History of Parliament Online".
- ^ a b "WALLEY, John (d.1615), of Bath, Som. | History of Parliament Online".
- ^ "TURNER, Thomas II (d.c.1586), of Bath, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ a b c "PEARMAN, George (d.1604), of Bath, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "WALLEY, John (d.1615), of Bath, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "HEATH, William (d.1607), of Bath, Som. | History of Parliament Online".
- ^ a b "STONE, Christopher (c.1556-1614), of Bath, Som. | History of Parliament Online".
- ^ a b c d "GAY, Richard (by 1559–1641), of Walcott Street and Westgate Street, Bath and Claverton, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ "JOHN BOYS (MAYOR OF BATH 1656)" (PDF). Retrieved 6 December 2015.
External links
Bath City Council elections
Bath City Council was a non-metropolitan district in Avon, England, that administered the city of Bath, Somerset, from 1974 until 1996. The district council replaced the pre-1974 county borough council.
Elections were first held on 10 May 1973, with the authority taking effect on 1 April 1974. Following the second election to the district council, the election saw terms of councillors extended from three to four years with subsequent elections for the council taking place in thirds, and the last such election was in 1994. On 1 April 1996, the city council was abolished when it was merged with Wansdyke District Council to form the new unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset.[1]
Political control
From the first election to the council in 1973 until its abolition in 1996, political control of the council was held by the following parties:[2]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
No overall control | 1973–1976 | |
Conservative | 1976–1987 | |
No overall control | 1987–1988 | |
Conservative | 1988–1990 | |
No overall control | 1990–1994 | |
Liberal Democrats | 1994–1996 |
Council elections
City result maps
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1976 results map
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1978 results map
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1979 results map
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1980 results map
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1982 results map
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1983 results map
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1984 results map
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1986 results map
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1987 results map
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1988 results map
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1990 results map
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1991 results map
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1992 results map
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1994 results map
References
- ^ Rob Clements (10 May 1995). "The local elections of 4 May 1995". House of Commons Library. Research Paper 95/59. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
- ^ "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ The City of Bath (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975
- ^ Report No. 17 (Bath) (PDF) (Report). Local Government Boundary Commission for England. 6 February 1975. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
Bath and North East Somerset Council elections
Bath and North East Somerset Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset, England. The council is elected every four years by the first past the post system of election and currently consists of 59 councillors, representing 33 electoral wards. The Liberal Democrats are currently the largest party on the council, having gained majority control in the 2019 local elections. The council meets at The Guildhall in Bath.
Following the recommendations of the Local Government Commission for England the unitary authority replaced Bath City Council, Wansdyke District Council and Avon County Council.[1] The first elections to the new authority were in May 1995, and the council took office on 1 April 1996.
Political control
Since the first election to the council in 1995 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[2]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
No overall control | 1995–2015 | |
Conservative | 2015–2019 | |
Liberal Democrats | 2019–present |
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 2002 have been:[3]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Paul Crossley | Liberal Democrats | 9 May 2002 | 17 May 2007 | |
Francine Haeberling | Conservative | 17 May 2007 | 19 May 2011 | |
Paul Crossley | Liberal Democrats | 19 May 2011 | 21 May 2015 | |
Tim Warren | Conservative | 21 May 2015 | 5 May 2019 | |
Dine Romero[4] | Liberal Democrats | 21 May 2019 | 1 Apr 2021 | |
Kevin Guy | Liberal Democrats | 4 May 2021 |
Council elections
- 1995 Bath and North East Somerset Council election[5]
- 1999 Bath and North East Somerset Council election (New ward boundaries)[6]
- 2003 Bath and North East Somerset Council election
- 2007 Bath and North East Somerset Council election[7]
- 2011 Bath and North East Somerset Council election
- 2015 Bath and North East Somerset Council election
- 2019 Bath and North East Somerset Council election (New ward boundaries reduced the number of seats by 6)[8]
- 2023 Bath and North East Somerset Council election
Party | 2023[9] | 2019[10] | 2015[11] | 2011[12] | 2007[7] | 2003[13] | 1999[14] | 1995[5][15] | ||||||||
Liberal Democrats | 41 | +4 | 37 | +22 | 15 | –14 | 29 | +3 | 26 | –3 | 29 | –1 | 30 | +3 | 27 | |
Conservative Party | 3 | –8 | 11 | –26 | 37 | +8 | 29 | –2 | 31 | +5 | 26 | +10 | 16 | = | 16 | |
Labour Party | 7 | +2 | 5 | –1 | 6 | +1 | 5 | = | 5 | –1 | 6 | –11 | 17 | –5 | 22 | |
Independent | 5 | –1 | 6 | +3 | 3 | +1 | 2 | = | 2 | –2 | 4 | +4 | 0 | = | 0 | |
Green | 3 | +3 | 0 | –2 | 2 | +2 | 0 | = | 0 | = | 0 | = | 0 | = | 0 | |
Village Voice | 0 | –2 | 2 | +2 | ||||||||||||
Independent Labour | 0 | –2 | 2 | +2 | ||||||||||||
Control: | Liberal Democrats |
Liberal Democrats |
Conservative | NOC (Con/LD Joint 1st) |
NOC (Con 1st) |
NOC (LD 1st) |
NOC (LD 1st) |
NOC (LD 1st) |
District result maps
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1995 results map
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1999 results map
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2003 results map
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2007 results map
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2011 results map
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2015 results map
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2019 results map
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2023 results map
By-election results
By-elections occur when seats become vacant between council elections. Below is a summary of all by-elections;[16] full by-election results can be found by clicking on the by-election name.
By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Winning party | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abbey by-election | 17 July 1997 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats | ||
Weston by-election | 19 February 1998 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats | ||
Lansdown by-election | 4 May 2000 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
Bathavon North by-election | 12 October 2000 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
Lansdown by-election | 11 July 2002 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
Walcot by-election | 11 July 2002 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats | ||
Radstock by-election | 29 July 2010 | Independent | Liberal Democrats | ||
Chew Valley North by-election | 15 November 2012 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
Bathavon North by-election | 22 May 2014 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
Abbey by-election | 17 November 2016 | Green | Conservative | ||
Walcot by-election | 6 April 2017 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats | ||
Newbridge by-election | 4 May 2017 | Conservative | Liberal Democrats | ||
Kingsmead by-election | 5 July 2018 | Conservative | Liberal Democrats |
References
- ^ Rob Clements (10 May 1995). "The local elections of 4 May 1995". House of Commons Library. Research Paper 95/59. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
- ^ "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ "Council minutes". Bath and North East Somerset Council. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ Sumner, Stephen (1 April 2021). "B&NES Council leader Dine Romero steps down with immediate effect". Somerset Live. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ a b Colin Rallings, Michael Thrasher (2011). Bath & North East Somerset Council Election Results 1995-2011 (PDF). The Elections Centre, Plymouth University (Report). Bath and North East Somerset Council. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- ^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Bath and North East Somerset (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
- ^ a b "Local Election – Thursday, 3rd May, 2007". Bath & North East Somerset Council. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Bath and North East Somerset (Electoral Changes) Order 2018. Retrieved on 20 May 2020.
- ^ "Bath and North East Somerset Council (All Wards) - Thursday, 4th May, 2023". Bath and North East Somerset. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ "Bath and North East Somerset Council (All Wards) - Thursday, 2nd May, 2019". Bath and North East Somerset. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- ^ "Bath and North East Somerset Council (All Wards) - Thursday, 7th May, 2015". Bath and North East Somerset. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
- ^ "Local Election – Thursday, 5th May, 2011". Bath & North East Somerset Council. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
- ^ "Local Election – Thursday, 1st May, 2003". Bath & North East Somerset Council. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ "Local Election – Thursday, 6th May, 1999". Bath & North East Somerset Council. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ "Bath and North East Somerset Council results". Bath Chronicle. May 1995.
- ^ "Local Authority Byelection Results". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
External links
West of England Combined Authority
West of England Combined Authority | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
Houses | Unicameral |
Term limits | None |
History | |
Founded | 9 February 2017 |
Leadership | |
Structure | |
Elections | |
Indirect election, directly elected mayor from 2017 | |
Last election | 6 May 2021 |
Next election | 2024 |
Meeting place | |
70 Redcliff Street, Bristol[1] | |
Website | |
www |
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is a combined authority within the West of England area, consisting of the local authorities of Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset. The body has its headquarters in the Redcliffe area of Bristol, and is led by the Mayor of the West of England. The most recent election for this post took place on 6 May 2021, when the Labour candidate Dan Norris was elected on a turnout of 36%.[2]
Establishment
Devolution of certain powers to the West of England was announced by the UK government in the 2016 budget.[3] The government's vision was to create a "Western Powerhouse" analogous to the Northern Powerhouse concept. The proposal could bring nearly £1 billion of investment to the region over thirty years.[4][5]
The original proposal was to cover the same area as the County of Avon which came into formal existence on 1 April 1974 and was abolished in 1996.[6] However, in June 2016 North Somerset council rejected the proposal.[7] Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils agreed to proceed without them.[8][9]
The devolution deal, via the West of England Combined Authority Order 2017, came into force on 9 February 2017. The first public meeting of the combined authority took place on 1 March with an interim chair,[10][11] followed by the first mayoral election in May.[12]
Population
The region covered by the combined authority had a population estimated at 950,000 in 2020.[13] The authority also works closely with North Somerset Council; the joint area had a population in 2020 of 1,165,600.[14]
Responsibilities
The authority's functions, as specified by the West of England Combined Authority Order, mostly cover planning, skills and local transport. In April 2017 the authority published a 207-page constitution which includes terms of reference for the body and its committees.[15] An updated constitution was agreed on 15 July 2019[16] and 9 June 2020.[17]
Planning, economy and skills
Responsibilities include:
- Strategic planning, including a Spatial Development Strategy which will act as the framework for managing planning across the West of England region.[18]
- Control of a new additional £30 million a year funding allocation over 30 years, to be invested in the West of England Single Investment Fund, to boost growth.
- The 19+ Adult Education budget, which was devolved from the 2019/20 academic year.
Transport
The mayor and combined authority are responsible for a consolidated, devolved local transport budget, with a multi-year settlement.[19] They can franchise bus services, subject to necessary legislation and local consultation.[19]
The authority promotes the West of England Joint Local Transport Plan, which includes the MetroBus network and the MetroWest rail project. The fourth iteration of the plan was published in March 2020.[20]
A Key Route Network of local authority roads is managed and maintained by the combined authority on behalf of the Mayor.[19]
Travelwest is a transport information and advice service promoted by the WECA authorities as well as North Somerset.[21]
In early 2023, about 40 of the 69 subsidised bus routes were expected to be withdrawn due to reductions in the local transport levy, but a new on-call minibus "demand-responsive transport" service would be launched using new government funding which could only be spent on "new and innovative" services.[22][23] The mayor said he was not yet convinced that using the new bus franchising model introduced by the Bus Services Act 2017, similar to arrangements in London, is suitable for the area, but he would monitor how well franchising works in Manchester when rolled out from 2023[24] though WECA was not carrying out any detailed analysis of this option.[25]
Budget
In 2018–19 the authority's income was £26.3m, of which £13m was from levies on the local authorities for WECA's transport functions and £7m came in grants. Expenditure was £25.3m, of which £12.8m was spent on concessionary fares and £1.7m on community transport; £2.6m was transferred to reserves and £2.9m was contributed to the Mayoral Fund. From this fund, which also received £17.6m from business rates, the mayor spent £12m on highways and £7m on transport, as well as £0.7m on the Joint Spatial Plan.[26]
In the October 2021 budget the UK government allocated £540 million to WECA over a five-year period for public transport improvements, to be predominantly spent on improving bus services.[27][28]
WECA spent £9.6 million on staffing in 2022–23 and the mayor requested £17.6 million for 2023–24, increased largely to deliver new projects from the additional government transport funding and to cover strategic transport planning responsibility transferred to WECA from constituent councils. After negotiations with council leaders in January 2023, £800,000 of the proposed increase was withheld.[29][30][31]
Membership
The membership of the combined authority cabinet is as follows.[32]
Name | Position | Assumed office | |
---|---|---|---|
Mayor Dan Norris | Mayor of the West of England (West of England Combined Authority) | 2021 | |
Kevin Guy | Leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council | 2021 | |
Mayor Marvin Rees | Mayor of Bristol (Bristol City Council) | 2016 | |
Claire Young | Leader of South Gloucestershire Council | 2023 |
Former South Gloucestershire Council leader Matthew Riddle was chosen to be interim chair of the combined authority until the first elected mayor took office on 8 May 2017, and Marvin Rees was chosen to be vice-chair.[33]
As of April 2019 the authority employed 84, including the staff of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership and the 'Invest in Bristol and Bath' team.[26]
In 2021 there was a dispute between the members and the Mayor of the West of England over the mayor's powers, in particular a power to veto alternative proposals to the joint committee including North Somerset Council. The four local authorities’ monitoring officers, who give legal advice, stated the veto could arguably amount to maladministration.[34] On 15 October 2021, the four council leaders did not attend a WECA meeting with the mayor, which meant over £50 million of spending decisions could not be made.[35] In November 2021, after taking new legal advice, Norris agreed not to claim veto powers on decisions involving North Somerset.[36]
History
In 2022, WECA moved from offices near Bristol Temple Meads railway station, to larger offices in a four-storey building in nearby Redcliffe.[37][38]
In May 2022, WECA's external auditors, Grant Thornton, initiated an investigation into strained relationships within WECA, after identifying a consequent "risk of significant weakness" in value-for-money arrangements.[39][40] Grant Thornton also examined the issue of senior staff leaving, which they considered could be "highly problematic". WECA's draft 2021/2022 accounts show it spent nearly £9 million on staff salaries, £892,000 over budget.[41] The auditors' report became available to the public in November 2022. It criticised WECA leaders for having a "poor state of professional relationships", and found five "significant weaknesses" in value-for-money arrangements. It made three legally-binding "statutory recommendations", two "key recommendations" and four "implementation recommendations". Grant Thornton issued such recommendations in only 3% of local authority reports it made that year.[42][43][44] The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities placed WECA on a monitoring watchlist, so if there is not improvement this could result in a "best value" improvement panel being imposed or government best value inspectors taking over control of WECA.[45]
Potential changes
In 2018, Mayor Tim Bowles voiced hope that North Somerset would join the combined authority, saying: "We work closely on a regular basis with Nigel [Ashton, then leader of the council] and his officers on a number of things. Personally I hope they do, and there are lots of people in North Somerset who hope they do too".[12] In October 2020 there were discussions around North Somerset joining the WECA in time for the May 2021 election;[46][47] however Marvin Rees, mayor of Bristol, voted down this proposal in early 2021.[48] He rejected it on the basis that there should be a financial offer from the government for the council's inclusion, and stated that he would like to see North Somerset joining in the future.[48] In 2020, North Somerset Council leader Don Davies said he regretted the decision not to join.[49] In 2021, Dan Norris the newly elected mayor showed his interest in North Somerset council joining but also the rest of Somerset.[50]
George Ferguson, Mayor of Bristol from 2012 to 2016, suggested in 2019 that his former role should be abolished and the combined authority renamed the "Bristol and Bath City Region", saying "Even when I stood for Bristol mayor back in 2012 I said I would prefer that we had a metro mayor. But a directly elected mayor for Bristol is what we had on offer from the government at the time".[51][52]
See also
References
- ^ "Contact Us". WECA. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "Mayor of the West of England". BBC News. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ "Budget 2016" (PDF). GOV.UK. HM Treasury. March 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "West of England £1bn devolution deal announced in Budget". BBC News. 16 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
- ^ Gavin Thompson (16 March 2016). "Metro mayor and £1 billion investment for Greater Bristol announced in Budget 2016". Bristol Post. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
- ^ "The return of Avon: Osborne announces devolution plans". ITV news. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ Crawley, James (8 June 2016). "West of England devolution: North Somerset rejects metro mayor plan". Bath Chronicle.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "The West of England devolution deal". Bristol City Council. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ^ Crawley, James (29 June 2016). "BANES backs £1billion west of England devolution deal and metro mayor but will residents support it?". Bath Chronicale. Retrieved 15 September 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "First meeting set for newly established West of England Combined Authority". Bath Echo. 17 February 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ "West of England Combined Authority Order", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2017/126
- ^ a b Ashcroft, Esme (4 May 2018). "Weca Metro Mayor marks first anniversary - but what has he done?". Bristol Post. Reach plc. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- ^ "ONS Population estimates - local authority based by five year age band [2020] via Nomis". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ "ONS Population estimates - local authority based by five year age band [2020] via Nomis". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ "Constitution" (PDF). West of England Combined Authority. April 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- ^ "West of England Combined Authority Constitution" (PDF). West of England Combined Authority. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "West of England Combined Authority Constitution" (PDF). West of England Combined Authority. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "Spatial Development Strategy" (PDF). WECA. 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ a b c "West of England Devolution Agreement" (PDF). Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Joint Local Transport Plan 4: 2020–2036" (PDF). Travelwest. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ Travelwest https://travelwest.info/pages/us
- ^ Seabrook, Alex (20 January 2023). "West bus passengers to see 36 routes axed in funding row". BBC News. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ Seabrook, Alex (19 January 2023). "Another 42 bus services in West of England face axe in April". Bristol Post. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ Deeney, Yvonne (20 February 2023). "More Bristol bus services to be scrapped in April but franchising is still not on the table". Bristol Post. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ Seabrook, Alex (7 March 2023). "'No analysis done' on bringing buses under public control despite West of England Metro Mayor's claims". Bristol Post. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Statement of Accounts" (PDF). West of England Combined Authority. 31 March 2019. pp. 1, 6–8. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ Baker, Hannah (28 October 2021). "Autumn Budget 2021: Bristol and Bath region receives £540m boost for public transport". Bloomberg. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ Shapps, Grant (1 April 2022). "Allocating City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements" (PDF). Department for Transport. Retrieved 28 April 2022 – via gov.uk.
- ^ Postans, Adam (30 January 2023). "WECA leaders agree huge hike in staffing costs at latest shambolic meeting". Bristol Post. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "Mayoral and Combined Authority Budget 2023/24 and Medium-term Financial Strategy" (PDF). WECA. 27 January 2023. p. 20. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ Postans, Adam (17 November 2022). "Power transfer could see Bristol council shed 100 staff". BBC News. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "'Metro mayor' to run new West of England authority". ITV News. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- ^ "First WECA Committee Meeting". West of England Combined Authority. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ^ Postans, Adam (13 October 2021). "Bombshell leaked letter reveals WECA leaders' power tussle". Bristol Post. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
- ^ Postans, Adam (15 October 2021). "WECA crisis as all four council leaders pull out of crucial meeting". Bristol Post. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
- ^ Postans, Adam (17 November 2021). "WECA row could be over as metro mayor Dan Norris backs down over veto". Bristol Post. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
- ^ "Weca signs new office deal costing £200,000 a year more in rent". BBC News. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ Postans, Adam (13 May 2022). "WECA accused of wasting £8m on new Bristol HQ after Yate "snub"". Bristol Post. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ Postans, Adam (3 May 2022). "Probe into Weca top officer payoff amid power struggle between leaders". Bristol Post. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ Postans, Adam (21 June 2022). "Council leader demands "significant change" of top WECA officers". Bristol Post. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Senior leader given £59k payoff to leave Weca". BBC News. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ Postans, Adam (21 November 2022). "'Damning' WECA report into council chief spat prompts plea to 'play nicely'". Bristol Post. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ Robinson, Harriet; Postans, Adam (21 November 2022). "Weca leaders 'ordered to stop their infighting'". BBC News. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "VfM Report on Governance (FINAL FOR ISSUE)" (PDF). Grant Thornton. November 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022 – via WECA.
- ^ Postans, Adam (6 March 2023). "WECA placed on government 'watchlist' after council leaders' rows". Bristol Post. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "North Somerset Council joining Weca 'could secure vital funds'". BBC News. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
- ^ Sumner, Stephen (27 October 2020). "Not joining regional partnership would be "stupid"". BristolLive. Reach plc. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
- ^ a b Postans, Adam (3 February 2021). "Minister offers path for North Somerset to join Weca". Bristol Post. Reach plc. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "West of England Mayor Tim Bowles announces retirement". BBC News. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "West of England Mayor Dan Norris hopes to safeguard jobs and businesses". BBC News. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ Wilson, Kate (6 September 2019). "Ex-Bristol mayor says he will be campaigning to scrap the city's mayor role". Bristol Post. Reach plc. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- ^ "Bristol's first elected mayor says role should be scrapped". ITV News. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
External links
North East Somerset
North East Somerset | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Somerset |
Electorate | 70,070 (2018)[1] |
Major settlements | Chew Magna, Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Radstock |
Current constituency | |
Created | 2010 |
Member of Parliament | Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Wansdyke (19 wards) Bath constituency (two wards) |
North East Somerset is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, since it was created for the 2010 general election, by Jacob Rees-Mogg of the Conservative Party.[n 2]
For the next general election, the seat will be subject to major boundary changes and will be renamed North East Somerset and Hanham (see below).[2]
Boundaries
The constituency covers the part of Bath and North East Somerset District that is not in the Bath constituency and as such contains 18 electoral wards wholly in the constituency and two parishes in Newbridge ward of the Bath and North East Somerset:
- Bathavon North – the Civil Parishes ('Parishes') of Batheaston, Bathford, Bathampton, Charlcombe, St Catherine and Swainswick
- Bathavon South – the Parishes of Camerton, Claverton, Combe Hay, Dunkerton, Englishcombe, Freshford, Hinton Charterhouse, Marksbury, Monkton Combe, Priston, Shoscombe, South Stoke and Wellow
- Chew Valley – the Parishes of Chew Magna, Chew Stoke, Compton Martin, Nempnett Thrubwell, Norton Malreward, Stanton Drew, Stowey-Sutton and Ubley
- Clutton and Farmborough – the Parishes of Chelwood, Clutton and Farmborough
- High Littleton – the Parishes of Farrington Gurney and High Littleton
- Keynsham North
- Keynsham South
- Keynsham East
- Mendip – the Parishes of Cameley, East Harptree, Hinton Blewett and West Harptree
- Midsomer Norton North
- Midsomer Norton Redfield
- Newbridge – the Parishes of Kelston and North Stoke
- Paulton – the Parish of Paulton
- Peasedown – the Parish of Peasedown St John
- Publow and Whitchurch – the Parishes of Publow and Whitchurch
- Radstock
- Saltford – the Parishes of Compton Dando, Corston, Newton St Loe and Saltford
- Timsbury – the Parish of Timsbury
- Westfield[3]
- Origin of first boundaries
Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which transferred all the electoral wards in Wandsyke constituency save for its four wards in South Gloucestershire to this new seat.[n 3] To compensate the new seat gained the whole of the large wards in the valley of the City, Bathavon North, and the rest of Bathavon South, both from the Bath constituency.
Proposed boundary changes
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be subject to major boundary changes, with south-eastern areas, including the communities of Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Peasedown St John, being incorporated into the newly created constituency of Frome and East Somerset, and the Bathavon North ward transferred to Bath. To compensate, the boundaries will be extended northwards into the District of South Gloucestershire, adding the wards of Bitton and Oldland Common, Hanham, Longwell Green, and Parkwall and Warmley. As a consequence, the constituency will be renamed North East Somerset and Hanham, to be first contested at the next general election.[2]
Constituency profile
This area is marked by significant agriculture and green belts around almost all of its settlements, which consist largely of detached and semi-detached properties,[4] with a low rate of unemployment[5] and negligible social housing tenancy.[6]
An unusually shaped seat that takes in all the western part of the Bath and North East Somerset council area, and the rural outskirts of Bath in the east, meaning the Bath constituency is entirely surrounded by a thin belt of North East Somerset. The seat contains some contrasting areas. The northern parts of the seat, especially the town of Keynsham, are commuter areas for Bath and Bristol.[7] To the west the seat is more rural, covering the patchwork of farmland and rural villages that make up the Chew Valley. The southern part around Midsomer Norton and Radstock is part of the old Somerset Coalfield. The last of the coal mines closed in the 1970s,[8] to be replaced by light industry, but the close knit industrial heritage of the area remains.[9]
North East Somerset is estimated to have voted to Leave the European Union by 51.6% in the 2016 referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.[10][11][12]
Members of Parliament
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Jacob Rees-Mogg | Conservative |
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Jacob Rees-Mogg | 28,360 | 50.4 | −3.2 | |
Labour | Mark Huband | 13,631 | 24.2 | −10.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Nick Coates | 12,422 | 22.1 | +13.8 | |
Green | Fay Whitfield | 1,423 | 2.5 | +0.2 | |
Independent | Shaun Hughes | 472 | 0.8 | −0.3 | |
Majority | 14,729 | 26.2 | +7.3 | ||
Turnout | 56,308 | 76.4 | +0.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Jacob Rees-Mogg | 28,992 | 53.6 | +3.8 | |
Labour | Robin Moss | 18,757 | 34.7 | +9.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Manda Rigby | 4,461 | 8.3 | +0.4 | |
Green | Sally Calverley | 1,245 | 2.3 | −3.2 | |
Independent | Shaun Hughes | 588 | 1.1 | New | |
Majority | 10,235 | 18.9 | −5.9 | ||
Turnout | 54,043 | 75.7 | +2.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −3.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Jacob Rees-Mogg | 25,439 | 49.8 | +8.5 | |
Labour | Todd Foreman | 12,690 | 24.8 | −6.9 | |
UKIP | Ernest Blaber | 6,150 | 12.0 | +8.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Wera Hobhouse | 4,029 | 7.9 | −14.4 | |
Green | Katy Boyce[21] | 2,802 | 5.5 | +4.2 | |
Majority | 12,749 | 25.0 | +15.4 | ||
Turnout | 51,110 | 73.7 | -2.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +7.65 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Jacob Rees-Mogg | 21,130 | 41.3 | +2.2 | |
Labour | Dan Norris* | 16,216 | 31.7 | −7.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Gail Coleshill | 11,433 | 22.3 | +2.7 | |
UKIP | Peter Sandell | 1,754 | 3.4 | +1.2 | |
Green | Michael Jay | 670 | 1.3 | +1.3 | |
Majority | 4,914 | 9.6 | +9.2 | ||
Turnout | 51,203 | 76.0 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |
* Served in the 2005–2010 Parliament as MP for Wansdyke
The changes in vote share are compared to a notional calculation of the 2005 result. Although the Wansdkye seat had been held by Labour for 13 years, this seat was already notionally a Conservative seat by a margin of 0.4%. This means that, if the seat in current boundaries had been contested in 2005, the Conservatives would have won by a few hundred votes.
See also
- List of parliamentary constituencies in Avon
- Wansdyke (abolished) – the predecessor constituency.
Notes
- ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer).
- ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
- ^ Namely Bitton, Hanham, Longwell Green and Oldland Common
References
- ^ "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ a b "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – South West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ 2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England Archived 3 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Gov.UK
- ^ "2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
- ^ Unemployment statistics by constituency The Guardian
- ^ Sillitoe, Neighbourhood Statistics - Neil (14 April 2008). "Detect browser settings".
- ^ "Saltford & Keynsham Area Information". Eveleighs. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- ^ "Recreation at Haydon". Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ Boyd, Lorna (2013). Radstock and Midsomer Norton Through Time. Amberley. ISBN 9781445615271.
- ^ "Final estimates of the Leave vote share in the EU referendum". C. Hanretty (Google Docs). Retrieved 10 June 2017.
- ^ "How did different constituencies vote in the 2016 EU referendum?". Full Fact. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
- ^ Hanretty, Chris (25 April 2017). "Final estimates of the Leave vote, or "Areal interpolation and the UK's referendum on EU membership"". Medium. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ Godfrey, Will (14 November 2019). "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Bath and North East Somerset Council. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ "Somerset North East parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Bath and North East Somerset Returning Officer. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ^ "Bath and NE Somerset Green Party - BaNES Greens: all female line up for election challenge". bath.greenparty.org.uk.
- ^ "Manda Rigby for North East Somerset".
- ^ "Somerset North East". BBC. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Somerset North East". BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ "Katy Boyce". WhoCanIVoteFor?. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Somerset North East". BBC News.
- ^ "Somerset North East". Guardian. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
Sources
- UKPolling Report – Anthony Wells calculations of notional majorities.
Bathavon Rural District
Bathavon Rural District | |
---|---|
Area | |
• 1933 | 46,276 acres (187.27 km2) |
History | |
• Created | 1933 |
• Abolished | 1974 |
Status | Rural district |
Bathavon was a rural district in Somerset, England, from 1933 to 1974.
It was created in 1933 with the abolition of Bath Rural District and Keynsham Rural District.
In 1974 it was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972, becoming part of Wansdyke District which itself was abolished in 1996 with the creation of Bath and North East Somerset.
It contained the parishes of Bathampton, Batheaston, Bathford, Camerton, Charlcombe, Claverton, Combe Hay, Compton Dando, Corston, Dunkerton, Englishcombe, Freshford, Hinton Charterhouse, Kelston, Keynsham, Marksbury, Monkton Combe, Newton St Loe, North Stoke, Peasedown St John, Priston, Saltford, Shoscombe, South Stoke, St Catherine, Swainswick, Wellow, Weston and Whitchurch.
References
Hundred (county division)
A hundred is an administrative division that is geographically part of a larger region. It was formerly used in England, Wales, some parts of the United States, Denmark, Southern Schleswig, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek, Curonia, the Ukrainian state of the Cossack Hetmanate and in Cumberland County in the British Colony of New South Wales. It is still used in other places, including in Australia (in South Australia and the Northern Territory).
Other terms for the hundred in English and other languages include wapentake, herred (Danish and Bokmål Norwegian), herad (Nynorsk Norwegian), hérað (Icelandic), härad or hundare (Swedish), Harde (German), hiird (North Frisian), satakunta or kihlakunta (Finnish), kihelkond (Estonian), kiligunda (Livonian), cantref (Welsh) and sotnia (Slavic).
In Ireland, a similar subdivision of counties is referred to as a barony, and a hundred is a subdivision of a particularly large townland (most townlands are not divided into hundreds).
Etymology
The origin of the division of counties into hundreds is described by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) as "exceedingly obscure". It may once have referred to an area of 100 hides; in early Anglo-Saxon England a hide was the amount of land farmed by and required to support a peasant family, but by the eleventh century in many areas it supported four families.[1] Alternatively the hundred may have been an area originally settled by one "hundred" men at arms, or the area liable to provide one "hundred" men under arms.[2] In this early medieval use, the number term "hundred" can itself be unclear, meaning the "short" hundred (100) or in some contexts the long hundred of 120.
There was an equivalent traditional Germanic system. In Old High German a huntari is a division of a gau, but the OED believes that the link between the two is not established.[2]
England
Hundred | |
---|---|
| |
Category | County subdivision |
Location | England |
Found in | Shires |
Possible status | |
Government |
|
Subdivisions |
Administrative functions
From the 11th century in England, and to a lesser extent from the 16th century in Wales, and until the middle of the 19th century, the annual assemblies had varying degrees of power at a local level in the feudal system.[3] Of chief importance was their more regular use for taxation, and six centuries of taxation returns for the divisions survive to this day.[3]
Groupings of divisions, small shires, were used to define parliamentary constituencies from 1832 to 1885. On the redistribution of seats in 1885 a different county subdivision, the petty sessional division, was used. Hundreds were also used to administer the first five[3] national censuses from 1801 to 1841.[3]
The system of county divisions was not as stable as the system of counties being established at the time, and lists frequently differ on how many hundreds a county had. In many parts of the country, the Domesday Book contained a radically different set of divisions from that which later became established. The numbers of divisions in each county varied widely. Leicestershire had six (up from four at Domesday), whereas Devon, nearly three times the size, had 32.
By the end of the 19th century, several single-purpose subdivisions of counties, such as poor law unions, sanitary districts, and highway districts, had sprung up, which, together with the introduction of urban districts and rural districts in 1894, mostly replaced the role of the parishes, and to a lesser extent the less extensive role of hundreds. The division names gave their name to multiple modern local government districts.
Hundred
In south and western England, a hundred was the division of a shire for military and judicial purposes under the common law, which could have varying extent of common feudal ownership, from complete suzerainty to minor royal or ecclesiastical prerogatives and rights of ownership.[4] Until the introduction of districts by the Local Government Act 1894, hundreds were the only widely used assessment unit intermediate in size between the parish, with its various administrative functions, and the county, with its formal, ceremonial functions.[3]
The term "hundred" is first recorded in the laws of Edmund I (939–46) as a measure of land and the area served by a hundred court. In the Midlands, they often covered an area of about 100 hides, but this did not apply in the south; this may suggest that it was an ancient West Saxon measure that was applied rigidly when Mercia became part of the newly established English kingdom in the 10th century. The Hundred Ordinance, which dates to the middle of the century, provided that the court was to meet monthly, and thieves were to be pursued by all the leading men of the district.[5]
During Norman times, the hundred would pay geld based on the number of hides.[6] To assess how much everyone had to pay, a clerk and a knight were sent by the king to each county; they sat with the shire-reeve (or sheriff), of the county and a select group of local knights.[6] There would be two knights from each hundred. After it was determined what geld had to be paid, the bailiff and knights of the hundred were responsible for getting the money to the sheriff, and the sheriff for getting it to the Exchequer.[6]
Above the hundred was the shire, under the control of a sheriff. Hundred boundaries were independent of both parish and county boundaries, although often aligned, meaning that a hundred could be split between counties, or a parish could be split between hundreds. Exceptionally, in the counties of Kent and Sussex, there was a sub-division intermediate in size between the hundred and the shire: several hundreds were grouped together to form lathes in Kent and rapes in Sussex. At the time of the Norman conquest of England, Kent was divided into seven lathes and Sussex into four rapes.
Hundred courts
Over time, the principal functions of the hundred became the administration of law and the keeping of the peace. By the 12th century, the hundred court was held twelve times a year.[7] This was later increased to fortnightly, although an ordinance of 1234 reduced the frequency to once every three weeks. In some hundreds, courts were held at a fixed place; while in others, courts moved with each sitting to a different location. The main duty of the hundred court was the maintenance of the frankpledge system. The court was formed of twelve freeholders, or freemen.[8] According to a 13th-century statute, freeholders did not have to attend their lord's manorial courts, thus any suits involving them would be heard in a hundred court.[8][9]
For especially serious crimes, the hundred was under the jurisdiction of the Crown; the chief magistrate was a sheriff, and his circuit was called the sheriff's tourn.[8] However, many hundreds came into private hands, with the lordship of the hundred being attached to the principal manor of the area and becoming hereditary. Helen Cam estimated that even before the Conquest, over 130 hundreds were in private hands; while an inquest of 1316 found that by that date 388 of 628 named hundreds were held, not by the Crown, but by its subjects.[10] Where a hundred was under a lord, a steward, acting as a judge and the chief official of the lord of the manor, was appointed in place of a sheriff.[11]
The importance of the hundred courts declined from the 17th century, and most of their powers were extinguished with the establishment of county courts in 1867.[12] The remaining duty of the inhabitants of a hundred to make good damages caused by riot was ended by the Riot (Damages) Act 1886, when the cost was transferred to the county police rate.[13] The jurisdiction of hundred courts was curtailed by the Administration of Justice Act 1977.[14]
Chiltern Hundreds
The steward of the Chiltern Hundreds is notable as a legal fiction, owing to a quirk of British Parliamentary law. A Crown Steward was appointed to maintain law and order in the area, but these duties ceased to be performed in the 16th century, and the holder ceased to gain any benefits during the 17th century. The position has since been used as a procedural device to allow resignation from the British House of Commons as a (formerly) remunerated office of the Crown.
Wapentake
A wapentake[a] was the equivalent of the Anglo-Saxon hundred in the northern Danelaw. In the Domesday Book, the term is used instead of hundreds in Yorkshire, the Five Boroughs of Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham and Stamford, and also sometimes in Northamptonshire. The laws in wapentakes were similar to those in hundreds with minor variations. According to the first-century historian Tacitus, in Scandinavia the wapentake referred to a vote passed at an assembly by the brandishing of weapons.[16] In some counties, such as Leicestershire, the wapentakes recorded at the time of Domesday Book later evolved into hundreds. In others, such as Lincolnshire, the term remained in use.[17]
Although no longer part of local government, there is some correspondence between the rural deanery and the former wapentake or hundred; especially in the East Midlands, the Buckingham Archdeaconry and the York Diocese.[18]
Ward
The term ward is a corresponding county division in the four northern counties of Cumberland, Durham, Northumberland and Westmorland.
Ireland
Irish counties were divided into cantreds after the Norman conquest and baronies after the Tudor reconquest
Wales
In Wales an ancient Celtic system of division called cantrefi (a hundred farmsteads; singular cantref) had existed for centuries and was of particular importance in the administration of the Welsh law. The antiquity of the cantrefi is demonstrated by the fact that they often mark the boundary between dialects. Some were originally kingdoms in their own right; others may have been artificial units created later.[19] With the coming of Christianity, the llan (similar to the parish) based Celtic churches often took the borders of the older cantrefi, and the same happened when Norman 'hundreds' were enforced on the people of Wales.
Each cantref had its own court, which was an assembly of the uchelwyr, the main landowners of the cantref. This would be presided over by the king if he happened to be present, or if he was not present, by his representative. Apart from the judges there would be a clerk, an usher and sometimes two professional pleaders. The cantref court dealt with crimes, the determination of boundaries, and inheritance.[20]
Nordic countries
The term hundare (hundred) was used in Svealand and present-day Finland. The name is assumed to mean an area that should organise 100 men to crew four rowed war boats, which each had 12 pairs of oars and a commander.[citation needed]
Eventually, that division was superseded by introducing the härad or Herred, which was the term in the rest of the Nordic countries. This word was either derived from Proto-Norse *harja-raiðō (warband) or Proto-Germanic *harja-raiða (war equipment, cf. wapentake).[21] Similar to skipreide, a part of the coast where the inhabitants were responsible for equipping and manning a war ship.
Hundreds were not organized in Norrland, the northern sparsely populated part of Sweden. In Sweden, a countryside härad was typically divided in a few socken units (parish), where the ecclesiastical and worldly administrative units often coincided. This began losing its basic significance through the municipal reform of 1862. A härad was originally a subdivision of a landskap (province), but since the government reform of 1634, län ("county") took over all administrative roles of the province. A härad functioned also as electoral district for one peasant representative during the Riksdag of the Estates (Swedish parliament 1436–1866). The häradsrätt (hundred court) was the court of first instance in the countryside, abolished in 1970 and superseded by tingsrätt (modern district courts).
Today, the hundreds serve no administrative role in Sweden, although some judicial district courts still bear the name (e.g. Attunda tingsrätt) and the hundreds are occasionally used in expressions, e.g. Sjuhäradsbygden (district of seven hundreds).
It is not entirely clear when hundreds were organised in the western part of Finland. The name of the province of Satakunta, roughly meaning hundred (sata meaning "one hundred" in Finnish), hints at influences from the times before the Northern Crusades, Christianization, and incorporation into Sweden.
As kihlakunta, hundreds remained the fundamental administrative division for the state authorities until 2009. Each was subordinated to a lääni (province/county) and had its own police department, district court and prosecutors. Typically, cities would comprise an urban kihlakunta by themselves, but several rural municipalities would belong to a rural kihlakunta. In a rural hundred the lensmann (chief of local state authorities) was called nimismies ("appointed man"), or archaically vallesmanni (from Swedish). In the Swedish era (up to 1809), his main responsibilities were maintenance of stagecoach stations and coaching inns, supplying traveling government personnel with food and lodging, transport of criminal prisoners, police responsibilities, arranging district court proceedings (tingsrätt), collection of taxes, and sometimes arranging hunts to cull the wolf and bear population. Following the abolition of the provinces as an administrative unit in 2009, the territory for each authority could be demarcated separately, i.e. police districts need not equal court districts in number. The title "härad" survives in the honorary title of herastuomari (Finnish) or häradsdomare (Swedish), which can be given to lay judges after 8–10 years of service.
The term herred or herad was used in Norway between 1863 and 1992 for rural municipalities, besides the term kommune (heradskommune). Today, only four municipalities in western Norway call themselves herad, as Ulvik and Kvam. Some Norwegian districts have the word herad in their name, of historical reasons - among them Krødsherad and Heradsbygd in eastern Norway.
Ukraine
In 17th and 18th century, "sotnia" was an administrative-territorial, judicial, and military unit of a "polk" (Regiment) in the Hetmanate and Sloboda Ukraine. The Encyclopedia of Ukraine translates the term as "company".[22]
United States
Counties in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania were divided into hundreds in the 17th century, following the English practice familiar to the colonists. They survive in Delaware (see List of hundreds of Delaware), and were used as tax reporting and voting districts until the 1960s, but now serve no administrative role: their only official legal use is in real estate title descriptions.[23]
The hundred was also used as a division of the county in Maryland. Carroll County, Maryland was formed in 1836 by taking the following hundreds from Baltimore County: North Hundred, Pipe Creek Hundred, Delaware Upper Hundred, Delaware Lower Hundred; and from Frederick County: Pipe Creek Hundred, Westminster Hundred, Unity Hundred, Burnt House Hundred, Piney Creek Hundred, and Taneytown Hundred. Maryland's Somerset County, which was established in 1666, was initially divided into six hundreds: Mattapony, Pocomoke, Boquetenorton, Wicomico, and Baltimore Hundreds; later subdivisions of the hundreds added five more: Pitts Creek, Acquango, Queponco, Buckingham, and Worcester Hundreds.
The original borders of Talbot County (founded at some point prior to 12 February 1661[24]) contained nine hundreds: Treadhaven Hundred, Bolenbroke Hundred, Mill Hundred, Tuckahoe Hundred, Worrell Hundred, Bay Hundred, Island Hundred, Lower Kent Island Hundred, Chester Hundred.[25] In 1669 Chester Hundred was given to Kent County.[25][26] In 1707 Queen Anne's County was created from the northern parts of Talbot County, reducing the latter to seven hundreds (Lower Kent Island Hundred becoming a part of the former). Of these, only Bay Hundred legally remains in existence, as a District 5 in Talbot County.[27][28] The geographic region, which includes several unincorporated communities and part of present-day Saint Michaels, continues to be known by the name Bay Hundred, with state and local governments using the name in ways ranging from water trail guides[29] to community pools,[30] while local newspapers regularly use the name in reporting news.[31][32][33][34][35]
Following American independence, the term "hundred" fell out of favour and was replaced by "election district". However, the names of the old hundreds continue to show up in deeds for another 50 years.
Some plantations in early colonial Virginia used the term hundred in their names, such as Martin's Hundred, Flowerdew Hundred, and West and Shirley Hundred.[36] Bermuda Hundred was the first incorporated town in the English colony of Virginia. It was founded by Sir Thomas Dale in 1613, six years after Jamestown.
While debating what became the Land Ordinance of 1785, Thomas Jefferson's committee wanted to divide the public lands in the west into "hundreds of ten geographical miles square, each mile containing 6086 and 4-10ths of a foot".[37] The legislation instead introduced the six-mile square township of the Public Land Survey System.
Australia
In South Australia, land titles record in which hundred a parcel of land is located. Similar to the notion of the South Australian counties listed on the system of titles, hundreds are not generally used when referring to a district and are little known by the general population, except when transferring land title. When the land in the region of the present Darwin, in the Northern Territory, was first surveyed, the territory was administered by South Australia, and the surveyed land was divided up into hundreds.[38] The Cumberland County (Sydney) was also allocated hundreds in the nineteenth century, although these were later repealed. A hundred is traditionally one hundred square miles or 64,000 acres (26,000 ha), although this is often not exact as boundaries often follow local topography.[39]
See also
- Attundaland
- Feudal measurement
- Fjärdhundraland
- Henry de Bracton
- Hundred Rolls
- Leidang
- Moot mound, the meeting place of an Anglo-Saxon hundred
- Roslagen
- Tiundaland
Explanatory notes
- ^ Old English wǣpen(ge)tæc, from Old Norse vápnatak, from vápn 'weapon' + taka 'take', perhaps with reference to voting in an assembly (known as a thing) by weapons taken out at a meeting point.[15]
References
- ^ Faith, Rosamund (2014). "Hide". In Lapidge, Michael; Blair, John; Keynes, Simon; Scragg, Donald (eds.). The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England (Second ed.). Chichester, UK: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 243–44. ISBN 978-0-470-65632-7.
- ^ a b "Hundred". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 1989.
- ^ a b c d e "Mapping the Hundreds of England and Wales in GIS". Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. 8 June 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
- ^ "Administrative Units Typology: Hundred". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
- ^ Miller, Sean (2014). "Hundreds". In Lapidge, Michael; Blair, John; Keynes, Simon; Scragg, Donald (eds.). The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England (2nd ed.). Chichester, UK: Wiley Blackwell. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-631-22492-1.
- ^ a b c Bartlett, Robert (2000). J.M.Roberts (ed.). England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings 1075–1225. London, UK: OUP. pp. 165–167. ISBN 978-0-19-925101-8.
- ^ Coulton, G. G. (1938). Medieval Panorama. Cambridge University Press. p. 367.
- ^ a b c Mortimer, Ian (2011). The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-43911-290-8.
- ^ Mortimer (2011), p.308. fn.14.
- ^ Cam, Helen (1962). Law-Finders and Law-Makers. London: Merlin Press. pp. 59 & 67–70.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- ^ County Courts Act 1867 (30 & 31 Vict. c. 142) s.28
- ^ Riot (Damages) Act 1886 (49 & 50 Vict. c. 38), s.2
- ^ "Administration of Justice Act 1977, Schedule 4" (PDF). The National Archives. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "Wapentake". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ Miller, Sean (2014). "Wapentakes". In Lapidge, Michael; Blair, John; Keynes, Simon; Scragg, Donald (eds.). The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England (Second ed.). Chichester, UK: Blackwell Publishing. p. 488. ISBN 978-0-470-65632-7.
- ^ "Introduction: Lost vills and other forgotten places". Final Concords of the County of Lincoln: 1244–1272. 1920. pp. L–LXV. Retrieved 23 September 2013..
- ^ Addy, John (1963). Archdeacon and Ecclesiastical Discipline in Yorks., 1598-1714. York, England: St Anthony's Press. pp. 4–5. ISBN 0-9007-0123-4.
- ^ Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel; Baines, Menna; Lynch, Peredur I. (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
- ^ Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel; Baines, Menna; Lynch, Peredur I. (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
- ^ "259 (Svensk etymologisk ordbok)". Runeberg.org. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
- ^ Company (<< sotnia>> ). Encyclopedia of Ukraine.
- ^ "The Hundreds of Delaware". University of Delaware. 30 August 1999. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
- ^ Skirven, Percy G. (1923). The First Parishes of the Province of Maryland. Baltimore: The Norman, Remington Company. p. 146.
- ^ a b Harrison, Samuel Alexander; Tilghman, Oswald (1915). History of Talbot County, Maryland, 1661–1861. Williams & Wilkins Company. p. 6. Retrieved 10 July 2018 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Walker, Karen (28 February 2014). "Tax List: Chester Hundred, Kent County (1749)" (PDF). Maryland Genealogical Society. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ "District 5, Bay Hundred, Talbot County, Maryland". US Boundary.com.
- ^ "District 5 Bay Hundred MD Demographic Data and Boundary Map". Maryland Hometown Locator.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ "Tilghman Island and Bay Hundred Water Trails (Talbot County)". DNR Outdoor Store.
- ^ "Bay Hundred Community Pool". StMichaelsMD.com.
- ^ Griep, John. "Community group forms in Bay Hundred". The Star Democrat.
- ^ "Overnight rain floods Bay Hundred". The Star Democrat.
- ^ "Bay Hundred Elves to hold fundraiser". The Star Democrat.
- ^ "Band marches through Bay Hundred". The Star Democrat.
- ^ "Bay Hundred businesses give to Fireman's Auction". The Star Democrat.
- ^ Tyler, Lyon G. (January 1896). "Title of Westover". William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine. 4 (3): 151–55. doi:10.2307/1914946. JSTOR 1914946..
- ^ "A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875". Journal of Continental Congress. 27. Library of congress: 446. 28 May 1784..
- ^ "Origin of the Term 'Hundred'". Place Names Committee. Darwin, AU: NT Government. 2017. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ "Land Survey and Disposal". Atlas of South Australia. AU: SA. 28 April 2004. Archived from the original on 15 July 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
Bath Forum
Bath Forum | |
---|---|
Status | Hundred |
Subdivisions | |
• Type | Parishes |
• Units | Batheaston, Bathford, Bathwick, St. Katherine, Freshford, Kelston, Langridge, Lyncombe and Widcombe, Moncktoncombe, North Stoke, South Stoke, Swainswick, Weston, and Woolley |
Bath Forum is one of the 40 historical hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman Conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era although exact dates are unknown. The Bath Hundred had various names over the centuries including The Hundred of Le Buri. The Bath Foreign Hundred or Forinsecum covered the area outside the city itself.[1]
The Hundred of Bath Forum was situated at the northeast point of the county of Somerset, bounded on the north by the county of Gloucester, on the east by that of Wiltshire, on the west by the Hundred of Keynsham and on the south and southwest by the Hundred of Wellow.[2]
It latterly contained the City of Bath, and contained the surrounding parishes of Batheaston, Bathford, Bathwick, St. Katherine, Freshford, Kelston, Langridge, Lyncombe and Widcombe, Moncktoncombe, North Stoke, South Stoke, Swainswick, Weston, and Woolley.[3]
References
- ^ Davenport, Peter (2002). Medieval Bath Uncovered. Stroud: Tempus. pp. 97–98. ISBN 0-7524-1965-X.
- ^ Reverend John Collinson (1791). The History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset, Collected from Authentick Records, and an Actual Survey Made by the Late Mr Edmund Rack Adorned with a Map of the County and Engravings of Roman and other Reliques, Town-seals, Baths, Churches and Gentleman's Seats. Vol. 1. p. 97. ISBN 978-1-171-40217-6.
- ^ "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
Bath Parliamentary Constituency
Bath | |
---|---|
Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Somerset |
Population | 88,859 (2011 census)[1] |
Electorate | 59,887 (2018)[2] |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1295 |
Member of Parliament | Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrats) |
Seats | Two (1295–1918) One (1918–present) |
Bath is a constituency[n 1] in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom[n 2] represented by Wera Hobhouse of the Liberal Democrats.
Perhaps its best-known representatives have been the two with international profiles: William Pitt the Elder (Prime Minister 1766–1768) and Chris Patten, the last Governor of Hong Kong (1992-1997).[n 3] It has the joint shortest name of any constituency in the current Parliament, with 4 letters, the same as Hove.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be subject to moderate boundary changes which involves the gain of the Bathavon North ward from the renamed North East Somerset and Hanham constituency to be contested at the next general election.[3]
Constituency profile
The seat is tightly drawn around the historic city including the University of Bath campus. Compared to UK averages residents are wealthier and house prices are higher.[4]
History
Bath is an ancient constituency which has been constantly represented in Parliament since boroughs were first summoned to send members in the 13th century.
Unreformed constituency before 1832
Bath was one of the cities summoned to send members in 1295 and represented ever since,[5] although Parliaments in early years were sporadic. Like almost all English constituencies before the Great Reform Act of 1832, it originally returned two members to each Parliament.[6]
The precise way in which Bath's MPs were chosen in the Middle Ages is unknown. It is recorded that "election was by the Mayor and three citizens being sent from thence to the county court who in the name of the whole community, and by the assent of the community, returned their representatives"; but whether the "assent of the community" was real or what form it took is unrecorded, even assuming it was not a completely dead letter. By the 17th century, elections had become more competitive, as the means of election in Bath had become a franchise restricted to the Mayor, Aldermen, and members of the Common Council (the City Corporation), a total of thirty voters.[6] The freemen of the city challenged this state of affairs in 1661 and again in 1705, claiming the right to vote and petitioning against the election of the candidates chosen by the corporation, but on both occasions the House of Commons, which at the time was still the final arbiter of such disputes, decided against them. The Commons resolution of 27 January 1708, "That the right of election of citizens to serve in Parliament for this city is in the mayor, aldermen and common-council only",[7] settled the matter until 1832.
Bath was the most populous of the English boroughs where the right to vote was restricted to the corporation.[6] At the time of the 1801 census, it was one of the ten largest towns or cities in England by population, and was almost unique in that the voters generally exercised their powers independently. As was the case elsewhere, the Common Council was not popularly elected, all vacancies being filled by co-option by the existing members, so that once a united interest had gained majority control it was easy to retain it. Most corporation boroughs quickly became pocket boroughs in this way, the nomination of their members of parliament being entirely decided by a patron who may have given some large benefaction to the area or simply used bribery to ensure only his supporters or croneys became members of the corporation. But in Bath, the Common Council retained its independence in most periods and took pride in electing two suitable members of parliament who had either strong local connections or else a national reputation. Nor was there any suggestion of bribery or other corruption, prolific in other "independent" constituencies. Pitt the Elder wrote to the corporation in 1761, on the occasion of his re-election as one of Bath's members, to pay tribute to "a city ranked among the most ancient and most considerable in the kingdom, and justly famed for its integrity, independence, and zeal for the public good".[8]
But even in Bath the limited electorate who voted for its members of parliament expected them to work to procure favours for their constituents and enterprises to a degree that would be considered corrupt today. By exercising efforts successfully in this direction, the representatives could in return expect a degree of influence over the voters that differed little from patronage in the pocket boroughs, except that its duration was limited. Thus the lawyer Robert Henley, a Bath MP from 1747 and also Recorder of Bath from 1751, seems to have been assumed to have control over both seats while he held one of them and immediately after; yet when he gained a peerage and thus a seat in the House of Lords, Pitt replaced him on the understanding of being independently chosen. Pitt himself then acquired similar influence: the Council vetoed Viscount Ligonier's suggestion that he should be succeeded by his nephew when he was elevated the Lords in 1763, but instead allowed Pitt to nominate a candidate to be his new colleague, and voted overwhelmingly for him when he was opposed by a local man. But Pitt's influence also waned when he fell out with the Council over the Treaty of Paris later in 1763.[9]
In the final years before the Reform Act, however, local magnates exerted a more controlling influence in Bath. Oldfield, writing early in the 19th century, stated that at that time the Marquess of Bath nominated one member and John Palmer the other; both were former members of parliament for the city (Lord Bath having sat as Viscount Weymouth, before his father's death took him to the Lords), but neither was then in the Commons – each had a relation sitting as one of the members for Bath. Palmer had succeeded Earl Camden[n 4] who held one of the two seats before 1802. At the time of the Reform Act, the Lord Bath was still being listed as influencing one of the seats, although the second was considered independent once more.[10]
Reformed constituency (1832–1918)
The Great Reform Act opened up the franchise to all resident (male) householders whose houses had a value of at least £10 a year and imposed uniform voting provisions for all the boroughs. Bath was one of the boroughs which continued to elect two members. Given the city's medium size and its generally high property values, its electorate increased by a factor of almost 100[n 5], from 30 in 1831 to 2,853 in 1832,[11] and created a competitive and generally marginal constituency which swung between Whig and Tory (later Liberal and Conservative) control. The parliamentary borough's boundaries were also slightly extended, but only to take in those areas into which the built-up area of the city had expanded. Bath's most notable member during this period was probably the Conservative social reformer Lord Ashley, better remembered under his eventual title of 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, for the Factory Acts, the first of which came into effect while he was one of the MPs for Bath.[12]
The franchise was further reformed in 1867 and 1885 with only minor boundary changes. Bath was lucky to retain its two-member representation in the 1885 reforms, as its electorate of under 7,000 was near the lower limit, and this situation lasted until the 1918 reforms.[13] The continued Liberal strength was unusual for a prosperous and predominantly middle-class town, and the seats could until 1918 not be considered safe for the Conservatives.[14]
Modern single-member constituency (since 1918)
Bath's representation was reduced to a single member in 1918. The Conservatives held the seat continuously until 1992, except in the 1923 Parliament, and until World War II generally won comfortably – the Liberals retained such strength that the non-Conservative vote was split, and Labour could not rise above third place until the landslide of 1945, when the Conservative James Pitman achieved a very marginal majority. From 1945 to 1970, Labour presented the main challenge, and came within 800 votes of taking the seat in 1966.
The Liberal revival in the 1970s saw the two more left-wing parties swap places, helped by the adoption of a nationally known candidate, Christopher Mayhew, who had defected from the Labour Party.[15] The formation of the SDP–Liberal Alliance made Bath a realistic target. The SDP came 1500 votes from winning in 1987 under Malcolm Dean. In 1992, Conservative Chris Patten was ousted by Liberal Democrat Don Foster in a narrow defeat widely blamed on Patten's strategising, campaign leading and communicating as Conservative Party chairman rather than canvassing his own constituents.[16] At each election from 1992 to 2015, a different Conservative candidate contested the constituency.
The boundary changes implemented in 1997 took Bathampton, Batheaston, Bathford, Charlcombe and Freshford from the Wansdyke district, containing about 7,000 voters; these were moved elsewhere in 2010. Nominally, these areas had a slightly higher tendency to prefer a Conservative candidate but, the national government suffering from sleaze, in 1997 Don Foster more than doubled his almost 4,000 vote majority to over 9,000 votes. After winning two intervening elections, in 2010 Foster achieved his highest majority of 11,883 votes.[17]
In the 2015 general election, following the national Liberal Democrat collapse and Foster standing down, the seat was regained by the Conservatives under Ben Howlett with a 3,833-vote majority.[18]
Bath is estimated to have voted to remain in the European Union by 68.3% in the 2016 referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.[19]
In the 2017 general election, the constituency was regained by the Liberal Democrats' Wera Hobhouse, with the second-highest Liberal Democrat vote share increase nationally (after Richmond Park).[20]
In December 2023, the Labour Party included the seat in its published list of 211 non-battleground seats, suggesting they did not see it as winnable.[21]
Boundaries
Bath is one of only two UK Parliament constituencies to be surrounded by another constituency. Bath is entirely surrounded by the North East Somerset constituency. The other constituency, York Central, is entirely surrounded by York Outer.
Current boundaries
Following the review of the constituencies in the former county of Avon carried out by the Boundary Commission for England, as of the 2010 general election the constituency covers only the city of Bath, and none of the surrounding rural area. Between 1997 and 2010, it also included some outlying villages such as Southstoke and Freshford now in the North East Somerset constituency. The changes in 2010 also resulted in Bath becoming a borough constituency, instead of a county constituency as it was before.
In 2019, taking effect at that year's local elections, boundary changes to the wards took place, which included the abolition of Abbey ward, the merger of Lyncombe and Widcombe wards, the creation of Moorlands ward, and the replacement of Oldfield with Oldfield Park.[22] These ward changes did not change the parliamentary constituency boundary.
The constituency's electoral wards are:[n 6]
- Bathwick, Combe Down, Kingsmead, Lambridge, Lansdown, Moorlands, Newbridge, Odd Down, Oldfield Park, Southdown, Twerton, Walcot, Westmoreland, Weston and Widcombe & Lyncombe.
Proposed
The composition of the constituency from the next general election, due by January 2025, will be expanded in order to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the Bathavon North ward from North East Somerset.[23]
Historic boundaries
- Before 1832: The parishes of St James (Bath), St Peter and St Paul (Bath), and St Michael (Bath), and part of the parish of Walcot
- 1832–1867: As above, plus the parishes of Bathwick and Lyncombe & Widcombe, and a further part of the parish of Walcot
- 1867–1918: As above, plus part of the parish of Twerton
- 1918–1983: The county borough of Bath (boundary changes in 1955)
- 1983–1997: The City of Bath (no boundary changes)
- 1997–2010: The City of Bath, and the District of Wansdyke wards of Bathampton, Batheaston, Bathford, Charlcombe, and Freshford
Members of Parliament
The current Member of Parliament is Wera Hobhouse of the Liberal Democrats.
From 30 July to 4 August 1766, Bath was the constituency of the Prime Minister: William Pitt the Elder represented the constituency until he was raised to the peerage as Earl of Chatham shortly after becoming Prime Minister.
Members of Parliament 1295–1640
- Constituency created (1295)
Members of Parliament 1640–1918
Members of Parliament since 1918
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reform UK | Jack McKeivor[44] | ||||
Liberal Democrats | Wera Hobhouse[45] | ||||
Green | Dominic Tristram[46] | ||||
Conservative | James Wright[47] |
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Wera Hobhouse | 28,419 | 54.5 | +7.2 | |
Conservative | Annabel Tall | 16,097 | 30.9 | −4.9 | |
Labour | Mike Davies | 6,639 | 12.7 | −2.0 | |
Brexit Party | Jimi Ogunnusi | 642 | 1.2 | New | |
Independent | Bill Blockhead | 341 | 0.7 | New | |
Majority | 12,322 | 23.6 | +12.1 | ||
Turnout | 52,138 | 76.9 | +2.6 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +6.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Wera Hobhouse | 23,436 | 47.3 | +17.6 | |
Conservative | Ben Howlett | 17,742 | 35.8 | −2.0 | |
Labour | Joe Rayment | 7,279 | 14.7 | +1.5 | |
Green | Eleanor Field | 1,125 | 2.3 | −9.6 | |
Majority | 5,694 | 11.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 49,582 | 74.3 | −1.2 | ||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ben Howlett[56] | 17,833 | 37.8 | +6.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Steve Bradley[57] | 14,000 | 29.7 | −26.9 | |
Labour | Ollie Middleton[58][59] | 6,216 | 13.2 | +6.3 | |
Green | Dominic Tristram[60] | 5,634 | 11.9 | +9.5 | |
UKIP | Julian Deverell[61] | 2,922 | 6.2 | +4.3 | |
Independent | Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst[62][63] | 499 | 1.1 | New | |
English Democrat | Jenny Knight | 63 | 0.1 | New | |
Majority | 3,833 | 8.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 47,167 | 77.5 | +5.7 | ||
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +16.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Don Foster | 26,651 | 56.6 | +11.2 | |
Conservative | Fabian Richter | 14,768 | 31.4 | −0.5 | |
Labour | Hattie Ajderian | 3,251 | 6.9 | −7.5 | |
Green | Eric Lucas | 1,120 | 2.4 | −3.6 | |
UKIP | Ernie Warrender | 890 | 1.9 | +0.2 | |
Christian | Steve Hewett | 250 | 0.5 | New | |
Independent | A.N.ON | 69 | 0.1 | New | |
Independent | Sean Geddis | 56 | 0.1 | New | |
All The South Party | Robert Craig | 31 | 0.1 | New | |
Majority | 11,883 | 25.2 | +15.1 | ||
Turnout | 47,086 | 71.8 | +2.7 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +5.8 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Don Foster | 20,101 | 43.9 | −6.6 | |
Conservative | Sian Dawson | 15,463 | 33.7 | +4.6 | |
Labour | Hattie Ajderian | 6,773 | 14.8 | −0.9 | |
Green | Eric Lucas | 2,494 | 5.4 | +2.2 | |
UKIP | Richard Crowder | 770 | 1.7 | +0.2 | |
Independent | Patrick Cobbe | 177 | 0.4 | New | |
Independent | Graham Walker | 58 | 0.1 | New | |
Majority | 4,638 | 10.2 | −11.2 | ||
Turnout | 45,836 | 68.6 | +3.7 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | −5.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Don Foster | 23,372 | 50.5 | +2.0 | |
Conservative | Ashley Fox | 13,478 | 29.1 | −2.1 | |
Labour | Marilyn Hawkings | 7,269 | 15.7 | −0.7 | |
Green | Michael Boulton | 1,469 | 3.2 | +2.1 | |
UKIP | Andrew Tettenborn | 708 | 1.5 | +0.9 | |
Majority | 9,894 | 21.4 | +4.1 | ||
Turnout | 46,296 | 64.9 | −11.3 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +2.1 |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Don Foster | 26,169 | 48.5 | −0.4 | |
Conservative | Alison McNair | 16,850 | 31.2 | −9.4 | |
Labour | Tim Bush | 8,828 | 16.4 | +8.6 | |
Referendum | Tony Cook | 1,192 | 2.2 | New | |
Green | Richard Scrase | 580 | 1.1 | +0.3 | |
UKIP | Peter Sandell | 315 | 0.6 | New | |
Natural Law | Nicholas Pullen | 55 | 0.1 | New | |
Majority | 9,319 | 17.3 | +10.2 | ||
Turnout | 53,989 | 76.2 | −9.2 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +4.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Don Foster | 25,718 | 48.9 | +6.2 | |
Conservative | Chris Patten | 21,950 | 41.8 | −3.6 | |
Labour | Pamela Richards | 4,102 | 7.8 | −2.8 | |
Green | Duncan McCanlis | 433 | 0.8 | −0.5 | |
Liberal | May Barker | 172 | 0.3 | New | |
Anti-Federalist League | Alan Sked | 117 | 0.2 | New | |
Independent | John Rumming | 79 | 0.2 | New | |
Majority | 3,768 | 7.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 52,571 | 82.4 | +3.0 | ||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.9 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Chris Patten | 23,515 | 45.4 | −1.7 | |
SDP | Malcolm Dean | 22,103 | 42.7 | +6.7 | |
Labour | Jenny Smith | 5,507 | 10.6 | −4.6 | |
Green | Derek Wall | 687 | 1.3 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 1,412 | 2.7 | −8.4 | ||
Turnout | 51,812 | 79.4 | +5.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Chris Patten | 22,544 | 47.1 | +0.7 | |
SDP | Malcolm Dean | 17,240 | 36.0 | +8.0 | |
Labour | Adrian Pott | 7,259 | 15.2 | −7.8 | |
Ecology | Don Grimes | 441 | 0.9 | −1.3 | |
Progressive Liberal | R. S. Wandle | 319 | 0.7 | New | |
World Government | Gilbert Young | 67 | 0.1 | New | |
Majority | 5,304 | 11.1 | -7.3 | ||
Turnout | 47,870 | 74.4 | -3.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -4.4 |
Elections in the 1970s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Chris Patten | 23,025 | 46.4 | +8.7 | |
Liberal | Christopher Mayhew | 13,913 | 28.0 | −5.4 | |
Labour | M. Baber | 11,407 | 23.0 | −5.6 | |
Ecology | Don Grimes | 1,082 | 2.2 | New | |
National Front | Thomas Mundy | 206 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 9,112 | 18.4 | +14.1 | ||
Turnout | 49,633 | 78.1 | -0.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +7.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Brown | 18,470 | 37.7 | −3.1 | |
Liberal | Christopher Mayhew | 16,348 | 33.4 | +2.7 | |
Labour | Malcolm Bishop | 14,011 | 28.6 | +0.7 | |
United Democratic | John Vernon Kemp | 150 | 0.3 | New | |
Majority | 2,122 | 4.3 | −5.8 | ||
Turnout | 48,979 | 78.6 | -4.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −2.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Brown | 20,920 | 40.8 | −8.2 | |
Liberal | Peter Downey | 15,738 | 30.7 | +17.6 | |
Labour | Malcolm Bishop | 14,396 | 27.9 | −8.2 | |
Ind. Conservative | H. B. de Laterriere | 204 | 0.4 | New | |
World Government | Gilbert Young | 118 | 0.2 | −1.6 | |
Majority | 5,182 | 10.1 | −2.8 | ||
Turnout | 51,376 | 83.0 | +5.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −12.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Brown | 22,344 | 49.0 | +6.0 | |
Labour | David Young | 16,493 | 36.1 | −5.1 | |
Liberal | Roger H. Crowther | 5,957 | 13.1 | −2.7 | |
World Government | Gilbert Young | 840 | 1.8 | New | |
Majority | 5,851 | 12.9 | +11.1 | ||
Turnout | 45,634 | 77.1 | -3.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +5.5 |
Elections in the 1960s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Brown | 19,344 | 43.0 | -3.5 | |
Labour | Frederick S. Moorhouse | 18,544 | 41.2 | +6.8 | |
Liberal | Roger H. Crowther | 7,095 | 15.8 | -2.6 | |
Majority | 800 | 1.8 | -10.3 | ||
Turnout | 44,983 | 80.5 | -3.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Brown | 22,255 | 46.5 | -3.8 | |
Labour | Frederick S. Moorhouse | 16,464 | 34.4 | -2.3 | |
Liberal | Brian R. Pamplin | 8,795 | 18.4 | +5.4 | |
World Government | Gilbert Young | 318 | 0.7 | New | |
Majority | 5,791 | 12.1 | -1.6 | ||
Turnout | 45,832 | 84.2 | +0.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1950s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Pitman | 24,048 | 50.33 | ||
Labour | George E Mayer | 17,515 | 36.66 | ||
Liberal | George Allen | 6,214 | 13.01 | ||
Majority | 6,533 | 13.67 | |||
Turnout | 47,777 | 83.60 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Pitman | 24,489 | 51.94 | ||
Labour Co-op | Thomas W Richardson | 17,646 | 37.43 | ||
Liberal | Barbara Burwell | 5,011 | 10.63 | New | |
Majority | 6,843 | 14.51 | |||
Turnout | 47,146 | 82.46 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Pitman | 27,826 | 55.26 | ||
Labour | Victor Mishcon | 22,530 | 44.74 | ||
Majority | 5,296 | 10.52 | |||
Turnout | 50,356 | 85.64 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Pitman | 23,070 | 47.16 | ||
Labour | Hugh Bruce Oliphant Cardew | 19,340 | 39.54 | ||
Liberal | Philip William Hopkins | 6,508 | 13.30 | ||
Majority | 3,730 | 7.62 | |||
Turnout | 48,918 | 87.28 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1940s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Pitman | 20,196 | 43.6 | -13.0 | |
Labour | Dorothy Archibald | 18,120 | 39.2 | +19.5 | |
Liberal | Philip William Hopkins | 7,952 | 17.2 | -6.5 | |
Majority | 2,076 | 4.4 | -28.5 | ||
Turnout | 46,268 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Election in the 1930s
General Election 1939–40:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
- Conservative: Lord Ronaldshay[73]
- Liberal: Philip William Hopkins[74]
- Labour: George Gilbert Desmond[75]
- A minority of Bath Conservatives, led by the town Mayor, Adrian Hopkins objected to Ronaldshay who had no link with the town. Hopkins was considering running as an Independent.[76] Desmond was under pressure to withdraw in favour of the Liberal candidate fighting on a Popular Front programme
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Loel Guinness | 20,670 | 56.6 | −7.4 | |
Liberal | Sidney Reginald Daniels | 8,650 | 23.7 | +2.4 | |
Labour | George Gilbert Desmond | 7,185 | 19.7 | +5.0 | |
Majority | 12,020 | 32.9 | −9.8 | ||
Turnout | 36,505 | 74.5 | −6.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Loel Guinness | 24,696 | 64.0 | +17.1 | |
Liberal | Sidney Reginald Daniels | 8,241 | 21.3 | −8.8 | |
Labour | George Gilbert Desmond | 5,680 | 14.7 | −8.3 | |
Majority | 16,455 | 42.7 | +25.9 | ||
Turnout | 38,617 | 80.6 | −0.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +12.9 |
Election in the 1920s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Charles Baillie-Hamilton | 17,845 | 46.9 | -8.9 | |
Liberal | Sidney Reginald Daniels | 11,485 | 30.1 | -0.5 | |
Labour | George Gilbert Desmond | 8,769 | 23.0 | +9.4 | |
Majority | 6,360 | 16.8 | -8.4 | ||
Turnout | 38,099 | 81.3 | -3.2 | ||
Unionist hold | Swing | +0.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Charles Baillie-Hamilton | 11,171 | 45.1 | −10.7 | |
Liberal | Sidney Reginald Daniels | 7,255 | 29.3 | −1.3 | |
Labour | George Gilbert Desmond | 6,359 | 25.7 | +12.1 | |
Majority | 3916 | 15.8 | −9.4 | ||
Turnout | 24,785 | 72.8 | −11.7 | ||
Unionist hold | Swing | −4.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Charles Foxcroft | 16,067 | 55.8 | +7.4 | |
Liberal | Frank Raffety | 8,800 | 30.6 | −21.0 | |
Labour | Walter Barton Scobell | 3,914 | 13.6 | New | |
Majority | 7,267 | 25.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 23,781 | 84.5 | +5.4 | ||
Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +14.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Frank Raffety | 13,694 | 51.6 | +19.6 | |
Unionist | Charles Foxcroft | 12,830 | 48.4 | −1.8 | |
Majority | 864 | 3.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 26,524 | 79.1 | -3.3 | ||
Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +10.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Charles Foxcroft | 13,666 | 50.2 | −24.6 | |
Liberal | Harold Spender | 8,699 | 32.0 | New | |
Labour | Herbert Elvin | 4,849 | 17.8 | −7.4 | |
Majority | 4,967 | 18.2 | -31.4 | ||
Turnout | 27,214 | 82.4 | +16.2 | ||
Unionist hold | Swing |
Election in the 1910s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Unionist | Charles Foxcroft | 15,605 | 74.8 | |
Labour | Alfred James Bethell | 5,244 | 25.2 | New | |
Majority | 10,361 | 49.6 | |||
Turnout | 20,849 | 66.2 | |||
Registered electors | 31,512 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |||
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
- Unionist: Charles Hunter, Lord Alexander Thynne
- Liberal: Harry Geen,[79] J.C. Meggott[80]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Lord Alexander Thynne | 3,875 | 26.0 | +0.2 | |
Conservative | Charles Hunter | 3,841 | 25.7 | +0.4 | |
Liberal | George Peabody Gooch | 3,631 | 24.3 | −0.2 | |
Liberal | George Hardy | 3,585 | 24.0 | −0.4 | |
Majority | 210 | 1.4 | +0.6 | ||
Turnout | 14,932 | 92.0 | −2.7 | ||
Registered electors | 8,144 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.2 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Lord Alexander Thynne | 3,961 | 25.8 | +4.1 | |
Conservative | Charles Hunter | 3,889 | 25.3 | +3.8 | |
Liberal | Donald Maclean | 3,771 | 24.5 | −4.0 | |
Liberal | George Peabody Gooch | 3,757 | 24.4 | −3.9 | |
Majority | 118 | 0.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 15,378 | 94.7 | +3.9 | ||
Registered electors | 8,144 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.1 | |||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.9 |
Elections in the 1900s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Donald Maclean | 4,102 | 28.5 | +6.9 | |
Liberal | George Peabody Gooch | 4,069 | 28.3 | +7.2 | |
Conservative | Lord Alexander Thynne | 3,123 | 21.7 | −6.8 | |
Conservative | Wyndham Murray | 3,088 | 21.5 | −7.3 | |
Majority | 946 | 6.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 14,382 | 90.8 | +7.3 | ||
Registered electors | 7,968 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.9 | |||
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +7.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Wyndham Murray | 3,486 | 28.8 | +1.5 | |
Liberal Unionist | Edmond Wodehouse | 3,439 | 28.5 | +1.8 | |
Liberal | Donald Maclean | 2,605 | 21.6 | −1.6 | |
Liberal | Alpheus Morton | 2,549 | 21.1 | −1.7 | |
Turnout | 12,079 | 83.5 | −6.2 | ||
Registered electors | 7,300 | ||||
Majority | 881 | 7.2 | +3.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.6 | |||
Majority | 834 | 6.9 | +3.4 | ||
Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | +1.8 |
Elections in the 1890s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Wyndham Murray | 3,445 | 27.3 | +1.2 | |
Liberal Unionist | Edmond Wodehouse | 3,358 | 26.7 | +0.9 | |
Liberal | Martin Conway | 2,917 | 23.2 | −1.0 | |
Liberal | John Fuller | 2,865 | 22.8 | −1.1 | |
Turnout | 12,585 | 89.7 | +0.4 | ||
Registered electors | 7,059 | ||||
Majority | 528 | 4.1 | +2.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 | |||
Majority | 441 | 3.5 | +1.9 | ||
Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | +1.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Wyndham Murray | 3,198 | 26.1 | −1.7 | |
Liberal Unionist | Edmond Wodehouse | 3,177 | 25.8 | −2.5 | |
Liberal | Thomas P Baptie[86] | 2,981 | 24.2 | +2.0 | |
Liberal | John Miller Adye | 2,941 | 23.9 | +2.2 | |
Turnout | 12,297 | 89.3 | +0.9 | ||
Registered electors | 6,922 | ||||
Majority | 217 | 1.9 | −3.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −1.9 | |||
Majority | 196 | 1.6 | −4.5 | ||
Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | −2.3 |
Elections in the 1880s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Unionist | Edmond Wodehouse | 3,309 | 28.3 | +1.9 | |
Conservative | Robert Peter Laurie | 3,244 | 27.8 | +3.3 | |
Liberal | Arthur Hayter | 2,588 | 22.2 | −2.2 | |
Liberal | Frederick Verney | 2,529 | 21.7 | −2.8 | |
Turnout | 5,870 | 88.4 | −3.5 | ||
Registered electors | 6,637 | ||||
Majority | 721 | 6.1 | N/A | ||
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.1 | |||
Majority | 656 | 5.6 | +4.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Stickney Blaine | 3,208 | 26.4 | +2.8 | |
Liberal | Edmond Wodehouse | 2,990 | 24.7 | −2.3 | |
Conservative | Robert Peter Laurie | 2,971 | 24.5 | +2.1 | |
Liberal | Arthur Hayter | 2,953 | 24.4 | −2.7 | |
Turnout | 6,099 | 91.9 | +1.4 (est) | ||
Registered electors | 6,637 | ||||
Majority | 255 | 2.0 | N/A | ||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.8 | |||
Majority | 19 | 0.2 | −3.2 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing | −2.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Arthur Hayter | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
- Caused by Hayter's appointment as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Arthur Hayter | 2,712 | 27.1 | +1.0 | |
Liberal | Edmond Wodehouse | 2,700 | 27.0 | +2.2 | |
Conservative | Reginald Hardy | 2,359 | 23.6 | −1.2 | |
Conservative | Thomas James Smyth | 2,241 | 22.4 | −1.9 | |
Majority | 341 | 3.4 | +2.1 | ||
Turnout | 5,006 (est) | 90.5 (est) | +2.0 | ||
Registered electors | 5,534 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +1.1 | |||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.1 |
Elections in the 1870s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Arthur Hayter | 2,520 | 26.1 | −10.9 | |
Conservative | Nathaniel Bousfield | 2,397 | 24.8 | +9.6 | |
Liberal | John William Nicholas Hervey[89] | 2,391 | 24.8 | −7.9 | |
Conservative | Arthur Egerton | 2,348 | 24.3 | +9.1 | |
Turnout | 4,828 (est) | 88.5 (est) | +1.8 | ||
Registered electors | 5,454 | ||||
Majority | 123 | 1.3 | −1.1 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing | −10.0 | |||
Majority | 6 | 0.0 | N/A | ||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Arthur Hayter | 2,210 | 50.9 | −18.8 | |
Conservative | William Forsyth[90] | 2,071 | 47.7 | +17.4 | |
Independent Liberal | Charles Thompson[91] | 57 | 1.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 139 | 3.2 | +0.8 | ||
Turnout | 4,338 | 83.7 | −3.0 | ||
Registered electors | 5,182 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −18.1 |
- Caused by Dalrymple's death.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Arthur Egerton | 2,194 | 50.4 | +20.1 | |
Liberal | Arthur Hayter | 2,143 | 49.2 | −20.5 | |
Independent Liberal | John Charles Cox[92][93] | 15 | 0.3 | New | |
Majority | 51 | 1.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 4,352 | 84.0 | −2.7 | ||
Registered electors | 5,182 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +20.3 |
- Caused by Cadogan's elevation to the peerage, becoming Earl Cadogan.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Viscount Chelsea | 2,251 | 53.1 | +22.8 | |
Liberal | Jerom Murch[94] | 1,991 | 46.9 | −22.8 | |
Majority | 260 | 6.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 4,242 | 81.9 | −4.8 | ||
Registered electors | 5,182 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +22.8 |
- Caused by Tite's death.
Elections in the 1860s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | William Tite | 2,478 | 37.0 | N/A | |
Liberal | Donald Dalrymple | 2,187 | 32.7 | N/A | |
Conservative | James Hogg | 2,024 | 30.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 163 | 2.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 4,357 (est) | 86.7 (est) | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 5,024 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | William Tite | Unopposed | |||
Conservative | James Hogg | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 2,960 | ||||
Liberal hold | |||||
Conservative hold |
Elections in the 1850s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | William Tite | 1,349 | 34.7 | +1.7 | |
Conservative | Arthur Edwin Way | 1,339 | 34.5 | +1.6 | |
Liberal | Thomas Phinn | 1,198 | 30.8 | −3.3 | |
Turnout | 2,613 (est) | 82.0 (est) | +5.1 | ||
Registered electors | 3,185 | ||||
Majority | 10 | 0.2 | +0.1 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing | +0.5 | |||
Majority | 141 | 3.7 | N/A | ||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Arthur Elton | 1,243 | 34.1 | −0.3 | |
Whig | William Tite | 1,200 | 33.0 | −0.3 | |
Conservative | Arthur Edwin Way | 1,197 | 32.9 | +0.6 | |
Majority | 3 | 0.1 | −0.9 | ||
Turnout | 2,419 (est) | 76.9 (est) | −1.3 | ||
Registered electors | 3,144 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | −0.3 | |||
Whig hold | Swing | −0.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | William Tite | 1,176 | 51.0 | −16.7 | |
Peelite | William Whateley[95] | 1,129 | 49.0 | +16.7 | |
Majority | 47 | 0.2 | −0.8 | ||
Turnout | 2,305 | 73.1 | −5.1 | ||
Registered electors | 3,155 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | −16.7 |
- Caused by Phinn's resignation after his appointment as Assistant Secretary to the Admiralty
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Treweeke Scobell | 1,332 | 34.4 | +17.3 | |
Whig | Thomas Phinn | 1,290 | 33.3 | +16.2 | |
Peelite | William Whateley[96][97] | 1,253 | 32.3 | −3.2 | |
Majority | 37 | 1.0 | −2.7 | ||
Turnout | 2,564 (est) | 78.2 (est) | −8.1 | ||
Registered electors | 3,278 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | +9.5 | |||
Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Treweeke Scobell | 1,110 | 51.6 | +17.5 | |
Conservative | William Sutcliffe[98] | 1,041 | 48.4 | +12.9 | |
Majority | 69 | 3.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 2,151 | 68.7 | −17.6 | ||
Registered electors | 3,310 | ||||
Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.3 |
- Caused by Ashley-Cooper's succession to the peerage, becoming 7th Earl of Shaftesbury
Elections in the 1840s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Anthony Ashley-Cooper | 1,278 | 35.5 | −8.4 | |
Whig | Adam Haldane-Duncan | 1,228 | 34.1 | +5.2 | |
Radical | John Arthur Roebuck | 1,093 | 30.4 | +3.1 | |
Turnout | 2,439 (est) | 86.3 (est) | +13.0 | ||
Registered electors | 2,825 | ||||
Majority | 50 | 1.4 | N/A | ||
Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | −6.8 | |||
Majority | 135 | 3.7 | +2.1 | ||
Whig hold | Swing | +4.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Adam Haldane-Duncan | 1,223 | 28.9 | +4.7 | |
Radical | John Arthur Roebuck | 1,157 | 27.3 | +4.5 | |
Conservative | William Heald Ludlow Bruges | 930 | 22.0 | −3.7 | |
Conservative | Richard Wingfield | 926 | 21.9 | −5.4 | |
Turnout | 2,189 | 73.3 | +4.3 | ||
Registered electors | 2,985 | ||||
Majority | 66 | 1.6 | N/A | ||
Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.6 | |||
Majority | 227 | 5.3 | N/A | ||
Radical gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.5 |
Elections in the 1830s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Richard Wingfield | 1,087 | 27.3 | +14.9 | |
Conservative | William Heald Ludlow Bruges | 1,024 | 25.7 | +13.3 | |
Whig | Charles Palmer | 962 | 24.2 | −14.4 | |
Radical | John Arthur Roebuck | 910 | 22.8 | −13.8 | |
Majority | 62 | 1.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 2,051 | 69.0 | +4.7 | ||
Registered electors | 2,973 | ||||
Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +14.7 | |||
Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | +13.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Charles Palmer | 1,097 | 38.6 | −2.1 | |
Radical | John Arthur Roebuck | 1,042 | 36.6 | +5.6 | |
Conservative | Henry Daubeney[99] | 706 | 24.8 | New | |
Turnout | 1,776 | 64.3 | −17.3 | ||
Registered electors | 2,764 | ||||
Majority | 55 | 2.0 | −7.7 | ||
Whig hold | Swing | −3.9 | |||
Majority | 336 | 11.8 | +9.1 | ||
Radical hold | Swing | +3.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Charles Palmer | 1,492 | 40.7 | N/A | |
Radical | John Arthur Roebuck | 1,138 | 31.0 | N/A | |
Whig | Henry William Hobhouse | 1,040 | 28.3 | N/A | |
Turnout | 2,329 | 81.6 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 2,853 | ||||
Majority | 354 | 9.7 | N/A | ||
Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Majority | 98 | 2.7 | N/A | ||
Radical gain from Tory | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Charles Palmer | Unopposed | |||
Tory | John Thynne | Unopposed | |||
Whig hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Charles Palmer | Unopposed | |||
Tory | John Thynne | Unopposed | |||
Whig gain from Tory | |||||
Tory hold |
Notes
- ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ Previously represented by two MPs in the House of Commons of England
- ^ Also the Conservative Party chairman from 1990 to 1992
- ^ Formerly known as John Jeffreys Pratt
- ^ 2,853 voters registered at the first reformed election, in December 1832)
- ^ These form the City of Bath in Bath and North East Somerset
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External links
- Election 2005 - Bath BBC News, 23 May 2005