No 1, Royal Crescent, Bath

Leaflet advertising the museum at No 1, Royal Crescent, Bath.

This is the first house in Bath's world famous Royal Crescent, once home to Henry Sandford  between 1776 and 1796.  The rooms are furnished in the manner of a Georgian gentleman, which include a Parlour, where is breakfasted, his Retreat, that contains his books about science and his many interests, his desk globe, where he plotted the voyages of Captain Cook and his telescope was looking at the moon and stars. 

The dining room table was laid in with many of the popular desserts of the time, all beautifully reproduced to show the splendour of the dinner.  After dinner the ladies went off to the Withdrawing room, where they could chat and drink tea, which was kept in a locked caddy.  Many of the portraits on the walls, are on loan from the National Portrait Gallery in London.  

The Lady's and Gentlemen's bedrooms contained four poster beds, a shaving stand, lady's dressing table and wig scratchers, which gave some relief from the headlice.  Wearing a wig or smart hair style for weeks on end, was not conducive to a good night's sleep, but provided a good home for the wild life.

The Servant's Hall,  complete with a Dog Wheel that drove the spit, the Housekeeper's Room and the Kitchen and Scullery, gave an insight into the world of hard work downstairs!  The large servant's hall is now used as an education room for visiting schoolchildren.

The facade and main entrance to the museum.

The house was purchased in 1967 by the ship owner Bernard Cayzer.  It was restored and turned into an historic house museum, and is managed by the Bath Preservation Trust.  At the time the servant's quarters were separated from the main house, which was know as 1A Royal Crescent, and was opened to the public in June 1970.

In 2006 1A Royal Crescent was bought by the Brownsword Charitable Trust, who restored and reunited it with No. 1 Royal Crescent.  The complete house, with its Georgian rooms and servant's quarters were opened in 2013.  This museum is well worth a visit.

The Crescent, Bath