| Batheaston | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Batheaston Location withinSomerset | |
| Population | 2,735 [1] |
| OS grid reference | ST781674 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BATH |
| Postcode district | BA1 |
| Dialling code | 01225 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Avon |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| 51°24′18″N2°19′01″W / 51.405°N 2.317°W /51.405; -2.317 | |
Batheaston is a village andcivil parish 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the English city ofBath, on the north bank of theRiver Avon. The parish had a population of 2,735 in 2011.[1] The northern area of the parish, on the road toSt Catherine, is an area known asNorthend.
Batheaston has beentwinned withOudon, France since 2005.[2]
Batheaston is namedEstone in the 1086Domesday Book, which recorded a population of 48 households.[3]
Batheaston was part of thehundred ofBath Forum.[4][5]
In the 16th century theLord of the Manor wasJohn Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford.[6]
In the 18th century,Sir John Riggs Miller, 1st Baronet andAnna, Lady Miller held a much-mocked[7] fortnightlyliterarysalon along with competitions and prizes at their house in the village. Distinguished contributions were received from the likes ofDavid Garrick,Christopher Anstey and the poetAnna Seward.
Theparish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, andneighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, such as thevillage hall orcommunity centre,playing fields andplaygrounds, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also of interest to the council.
The parish falls within theunitary authority ofBath and North East Somerset which was created in 1996, as established by theLocal Government Act 1992. It provides a single tier oflocal government with responsibility for almost all local government functions within its area includinglocal planning andbuilding control, local roads,council housing,environmental health, markets and fairs,refuse collection,recycling,cemeteries,crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism. It is also responsible foreducation,social services,libraries, main roads, public transport,Trading Standards,waste disposal and strategic planning, although fire, police and ambulance services are provided jointly with other authorities through theAvon Fire and Rescue Service,Avon and Somerset Police and theGreat Western Ambulance Service.
Bath and North East Somerset's area covers part of theceremonial county ofSomerset but it is administered independently of thenon-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters are inBath. Between 1 April 1974 and 1 April 1996, it was theWansdykedistrict and theCity of Bath of thecounty of Avon.[8] Until 1974 the parish was part of the BathavonRural District.[9]
The parish is represented in theHouse of Commons of theParliament of the United Kingdom as part of theBath constituency. It elects oneMember of Parliament (MP) by thefirst past the post system of election.
The village is overlooked bySolsbury Hill which is within theCotswoldsArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty and was anIron Agehill fort, occupied between 300BC and 100 BC. Batheaston is linked toBathampton on the south bank of the river via atoll bridge, and also bordersBathford.
TheBybrook River, which springs up nearMarshfield in Gloucestershire, flows through villages such asCastle Combe andBox in Wiltshire before joining theRiver Avon in Batheaston.
TheFosse WayRoman road descends into Batheaston viaBannerdown hill, before joining the London Road (A4), also a former Roman road.[10] The hill rises to 189 metres (620 ft) above sea level, and by the roadside on the top of the hill (grid referenceST796700) rest theThree Shire Stones – three vertical blocks of limestone with a large cap – which mark where the historical counties ofGloucestershire,Wiltshire and Somerset meet. The stones are formed in the style of a burial chamber, and inside are three small dressed stones (the original stones), each dated 1736 and bearing the initial of one of the three counties.[11] The previous Shire stones are shown on aJohn Speed map dated 1610. In 1859 acromlech was erected over the top of the original stones, which possibly were part of a burial chamber. Local newspapers and national journals of the time report that three skeletons were found in the hole, along with aJames II coin, during the work. Each stone is approximately 9–12 feet in height and weighs four to five tons, with the cap being of a similar size and weight. The work in 1859 was costed as £34 5s 8d; dinner to the workmen was included.[12]
The northern end of the Bannerdown ridge is home toColerne Airfield, a Second World WarRAF Fighter Command andBomber Command airfield. The hill is littered with former quarries whereBath stone was extracted.[13]
The 3-mile (5 km) £45 millionA46 dual-carriageway Batheaston/Swainswick bypass opened in summer 1996. It joins the mainA4 road which used to follow theFosse Way which runs through the village.
The village is on the route of theLimestone Link, a 36 miles (58 km)long-distance footpath from theMendip Hills in Somerset toCold Aston in theCotswolds in Gloucestershire.
The centre of Bath is also accessible through Batheaston via the bus routes that operate in the area.
The Anglican parish church of Batheaston is theChurch of St John The Baptist, and the parish is joined with St Catherine. It was built in the 12th century, and remodelled in the late 15th century. The west tower – which has four stages with a pierced embattledparapet, setbackbuttresses, projecting octagonal stairs, and aturret at the south-east corner which terminates in a spirelet – was rebuilt in 1834 byJohn Pinch the Younger ofBath. It has pointed perpendicular two-light windows with cusped heads and the east side has a canopied niche containing a figure, probably St John. The church is aGrade II* listed building.[14]
TheCatholic Church of the Good Shepherd, in theDiocese of Clifton, was built in 1967 in poured concrete in thebrutalist architecture style, with an internally colourful large translucent window made of Kalwall (a type of polycarbonate).[15] It closed in 2020 owing to a declining congregation, and in 2025 planning permission was granted to demolish the church and replace it with homes.[16][17]
The Riverside studios in Batheaston have been used by several musicians to record their albums, includingMighty ReArranger byRobert Plant.
Batheaston House was built in 1712 for Henry Walters (1667–1753), a wealthy clothier who succeeded to the property through his grandfather, Henry Blanchard.[18]
Pine House dates from 1672, having been built for Richard and Mary Panton. It was extended to the north in the early 18th century.[19]
Eagle House was built in the late 17th/early 18th century and then remodelled in 1724 and again in 1729 by architectJohn Wood, the Elder as his own house.[20] The house was home toMary Blathwayt and her family and became an important refuge forsuffragettes who had been released from prison after hunger strikes, with trees being planted to commemorate each woman. At least 47 trees were planted between April 1909 and July 1911,[20] including forEmmeline Pankhurst,Christabel Pankhurst,Charlotte Despard,Millicent Fawcett and Lady Lytton. The trees planted at Eagle House were removed to make way for a housing estate. Other trees have been planted to mirror the lost memorials.[21]
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