BRADFORD-ON-AVON AND BATH MEETING. liii. 



After breakfast at the hotel on Wednesday morning the party 

 sallied forth at 9.30 and walked to the Pump-room, where they 

 were received by Mr. Alderman Moore, chairman of the Baths 

 Committee of the Corporation, who was accompanied by Mr. 

 A. J. Taylor, pupil of the late Major Davis, F.S.A., to whom 

 were due the excavations made with such interesting results at 

 the Roman Baths. 



The Members first inspected the cases in which are arranged 

 many of the valuable and curious objects found during the 

 excavation of the Roman Baths. There is a fine series of Roman 

 imperial coins (reported on by Mr. E. C. Davey, F.G.S.), found 

 between 1879 and 1898, and covering a period of nearly 480 

 years, from 50 B.C. to 423 A.D., and a collection of engraved 

 gems found during the excavation of the wooden duct, and a 

 model of a portion of the Roman Baths. 



After visiting the fine concert hall, 



Alderman MOORE took the party to the King's Bath, the 

 famous mediaeval bath, which is sft. 6in. deep, and the bottom 

 of which is the ceiling of the Roman reservoir below it. The 

 central shaft of the spring enters the Roman reservoir. The 

 Romans, with a view to protect the water from any possible 

 contamination, built a wall round the spring 3ft. bin. thick. 



Alderman Moore then led the party down and showed them 

 the old dipping place at the commencement of the Roman culvert 

 which conducted the waste mineral water away to the river. It 

 was here the ear-rings, pearl pin, dipping cups, and various 

 ornaments were found, having evidently been dropped by 

 accident into the water. 



Mr. TAYLOR showed the party close by the interesting frag- 

 ments of the temple dedicated to Sul-Minerva. These fragments 

 were found in 1790 under the west end of the Pump-room. The 

 pediment was supported by four columns. The middle object 

 of the tympanum is a clipeus, or round shield, carved in relief 

 with the head of a gorgon, supported on either side by winged 

 Victories. This head, said Mr. Taylor, is pronounced to be the 

 finest specimen of Roman carving extant on this side of the 



