Lighting Up The Circus
The morning light catches the curves of the King's Circus, Bath.
The King’s Circus was designed by John Wood and built by his son John Wood the Young after his father died the year he began construction.
The Circus is made up of 30 houses in the Palladian architectural style, divided into three smaller crescents – the first of which stood alone for seven years while funds were sought to complete the construction work, which took place between 1754 and 1767.
Britain’s first circular street, its colonnaded design and shape took obvious inspiration from the Colosseum in Rome, linking the modern Georgian city of Bath with its ancient Roman history.
There was also a link to Bath’s mystical history as he designed it to be the same size as Stonehenge – though his measurements were a little off. The stone acorns which adorn the houses represent the legend of Prince Bladud and how he discovered the hot springs in the city.
A carved frieze runs around the entire circle, while there are three styles of column on the exterior – Doric, Ionic and Corintian.
Among the former residents of the Circus are the artist Thomas Gainsborough and Prime Minister William Pitt.
Lighting Up The Circus
The morning light catches the curves of the King's Circus, Bath.
The King’s Circus was designed by John Wood and built by his son John Wood the Young after his father died the year he began construction.
The Circus is made up of 30 houses in the Palladian architectural style, divided into three smaller crescents – the first of which stood alone for seven years while funds were sought to complete the construction work, which took place between 1754 and 1767.
Britain’s first circular street, its colonnaded design and shape took obvious inspiration from the Colosseum in Rome, linking the modern Georgian city of Bath with its ancient Roman history.
There was also a link to Bath’s mystical history as he designed it to be the same size as Stonehenge – though his measurements were a little off. The stone acorns which adorn the houses represent the legend of Prince Bladud and how he discovered the hot springs in the city.
A carved frieze runs around the entire circle, while there are three styles of column on the exterior – Doric, Ionic and Corintian.
Among the former residents of the Circus are the artist Thomas Gainsborough and Prime Minister William Pitt.