[MR] Wikipedia: Bath Abbey

Garth Groff and Sally Sanford mallardlodge1000 at gmail.com
Wed Oct 2 02:29:51 PDT 2019


Noble Friends,

Today Wikipedia's "Featured Picture" on their home page is of Bath Abbey.
This 12th-16th century church is a former Benedictine abbey, though today
serves as a parish church for Bath. It is also one of Bath's most popular
tourist draws (second only to the Roman Baths), and now features a
historical museum in its crypt.

The building is sometimes referred to as a "cathedral", which was true when
bishops had their seats here during the middle-ages. Since the Reformation
it has been within the see of the Bishop of Wells, and only rates parish
church status. The building is certainly an imposing structure, as large as
some English cathedrals, and has the "chops", so to speak, with
magnificent Norman and English Gothic details. The impressive stone angels
climbing Jacob's Ladder to Heaven on the west facade are unique.

More about Bath Abbey is found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_Abbey .

During a visit in 2005 by Lady Sarah Sinclair, our friend Carolyn, and
yours truly, we may have had an encounter with a "ghostie". A mysterious
gray figure appears in one of our photos. It is not a film processing flaw,
though I will allow that it could simply a trick of the light. Who knows? I
was unable to find any information on a possible Abbey ghost, though I have
seen another photo taken at the same point which shows this oddity. In a
letter asking about the incident, the Abbey's rector did not comment on any
ghost legends, but told me I should concentrate more on the spiritual than
on spirits. Good advice, but unsatisfying to my secular curiosity.
Unfortunately, I believe the Merry Rose does not allow attachments, or I
would share the photo with all of you.

Should you visit Bath, another must-see is Sally Lunn's tiny tea shop and
bakery more or less adjacent to the Abbey. Housed in a building that dates
from 1482, and in business since 1680, this is home of the famous "Sally
Lunn buns". Something like an oversized hamburger bun with a blob of lemon
curd on top, the bun itself is nothing to write home about. It's all about
the experience, and you truly haven't been to Bath if you don't eat one.
Besides, the vest-pocket tea room is delightful.

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆


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