The Bath Hot Springs – Science, Source & Protection

This is the fourth in a series of six talks about the UNESCO World Heritage status of the city of Bath. To see the whole series click here.

The only ‘hot’ springs in the UK are the thermal springs of Bath which have fascinated and captured the imagination of people from ancient times to the present day.  Revered as a sacred place by the Celts because of their healing properties, the springs were developed into a bathing complex by the Romans, and have been re-developed and re-used in various forms ever since.  

Classic science on the chemistry of the waters from the 1980s onwards has provided tantalising clues as to the origins of the waters, and the protection of this precious and magical resource remains essential for maintaining the very essence of the modern-day city itself.

Paul Saynor, Director of Water Production, Wessex Water