Bath suffered from devastating air raids in World War Two. On two moonlit nights in April 1942, Luftwaffe bombers attacked the city in reprisal for Allied bombing of the German cultural city of Lubeck. The historic cities of Canterbury, Exeter, Norwich and York were also targeted. The Luftwaffe reputedly used a well-known guide book from the period, Baedeker’s Guide to Great Britain, to identify their targets.
Bath residents were very used to bombers passing overhead, as Bath was on the route to Bristol. But on those two fateful nights in 1942, Bath was in the Luftwaffe’s sights. Over 400 people lost their lives and more than 19,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed.
This tour is an opportunity for locals and visitors alike to understand more about the Bath Blitz. Expert Blue Badge-qualified tour guides will lead you on a revelatory walking tour around the city centre and other bomb-affected sites, including The Royal Crescent, The Circus and Assembly Rooms. You’ll hear about the physical and human consequences of the Bath Blitz, see reconstructed and restored buildings, bomb craters and shrapnel damage, and learn about now-vanished churches, air raid shelters, evacuees and the aftermath.
Start: Orange Grove, by the obelisk (BA1 1LP)
Finish: Bath War Memorial, entrance to Royal Victoria Park, Queen’s Parade (BA1 2NJ)
Distance: around two miles
Duration: two hours
Suitable for wheelchair users: Yes
Gentle-paced walking, on pavements, with frequent stops.
Delivered by Sulis Guides (www.sulisguides.com) and organised by Fred Mawer Tours (www.fredmawertours.co.uk).
Meet at Orange Grove, by the obelisk
