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The Ups and Downs of Bath
Episode 406th May 2025 • Footprints • Pommy Harmar
00:00:00 00:43:30

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In this episode we explore three of the Downs of Bath. It's debatable how many there are in Bath - some say seven others say 9...

We start up on Bannerdown which sits up above Batheaston and has been common land since the early 18th century. Secretary of the Bannerdown Freeholders Association, Rob Kendall shows us around.

Next we head over to Lansdown to find out about the new Tramper Trail. Nicole Daw from the Cotswold National Landscape tells us about how they, together with Bathscape have developed a new accessible route around Lansdown.

Bath’s great architect John Wood the Elder is known for designing some of Bath’s beautiful georgian buildings, but it's less well-known that he was also convinced that there were the remains of druidic temples up on Lansdown. Local historian Mike Wiliams has done his own research on this and he shows us what John Wood had found and tells us whether or not they had anything to do with druids…

Howard Burton has written a book - Charmy Down: Bath's wartime airfield, peacetime village and Cold War secret. We hear about how it was used during and after the second world war and some of the stories connected to it.

Credits

Music: Audionautix

Produced by Pommy Harmar

Links

Cotswold Voluntary Wardens - https://www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/

Bannerdown Common - https://www.batheaston-pc.gov.uk/bannerdown-common

Disabled Ramblers

Cotswold National Landscape Lansdown on the Level

John Wood’s Moon Temple - https://www.bathscape.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/John-Woods-Moon-Temple-FINAL_2024.pdf

Bathscape - www.bathscape.co.uk

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