The Circus, Bath

October 22, 2025 - The Circus is a historic ring of large townhouses in the city of Bath, Somerset, England, forming a circle with three entrances. Designed by architect John Wood, the Elder, it was built between 1754 and 1768, and is regarded as a pre-eminent example of Georgian architecture.

When viewed from the air, the Circus, along with Queen Square and adjoining Gay Street, form a key shape, which is a masonic symbol similar to those that adorn many of Wood's buildings. Look a little closer at the detail on the stonework and you’ll see many emblems, such as serpents, acorns, and nautical symbols. Wood was known to admire the druids, the creators of prehistoric stone circles. Convinced that Bath had been the principal centre of Druid activity in Britain, Wood studied Stonehenge, and designed the Circus with the same diameter.

It s like entering the quiet of an elegant and refined square typical of the Victorian period... the houses are basically identical but this is certainly part of the charm... in my opinion the Circus really reflects the soul of Bath, quiet, elegant, a bit retro, simply ..

Bath · LoginSave · The Circus is a Georgian masterpiece. Built to John Wood the Elder's design and completed in 1768, it's said to have been inspired by the Colosseum in Rome. Arranged over three equal terraces, the 33 mansions form a circle ...

September 9, 2023 - Originally modelled on Ancient Rome's Coliseum and England's Stonehenge, the Circus – originally called the ‘King’s Circus' – is an architectural marvel and one of Bath's most iconic addresses, previously populated by famous residents ...

As its name suggests, The Circus itself is a circle of magnificent Bath architecture. This Circus consists of a central round lawn, shaded in summer by a group of majestic plane trees which are over two centuries old. Formed by three curved terraces of immaculate, Grade I listed Georgian ...

February 22, 2025 - The Circus is a fascinating Georgian Street in Bath. Built around the 1750s, the town houses here are very large and very beautiful, all encircling a public green area in the middle.

Wikipedia: The Circus, originally called King's Circus, was designed by the architect John Wood the Elder, although he never lived to see his plans put into effect as he died less than three months after the first stone was laid in 1754. It was left to his son, John Wood the Younger to complete the scheme to his father's design by 1768.

Nowhere in Bath is quite as eye-catching as the magnificent Royal Crescent and this circle of Georgian houses, the King’s Circus. The idea behind Bath’s design was quite revolutionary at the time.

December 3, 2025 - Book your The Circus, Bath tickets online! Save time and money with our best price guarantee ▻ make the most of your visit to Bath!

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November 29, 2023 - It has been suggested by architectural historians that on the street plan of Bath, the Circus represents the sun, while the Royal Crescent was supposed to symbolise the moon. Both developments feature grand symmetrical façades, classical forms, ...

August 11, 2025 - Built between 1754 and 1768, the Circus is a ring of townhouses designed by John Wood the Elder, who, convinced that Bath had been the principal centre of Druid activity in Britain, designed the Circus with the same diameter as Stonehenge.

Wood drank in the latest architectural ideas while working in London in his teens and early twenties. Passionately embracing Palladianism, he returned to Bath in 1727 afire to transform his native city. His head bursting with ideas, Wood had already devised a grandiose scheme. It would include a grand circus for the exhibition of sports, together with a royal forum and imperial gymnasium.

May 8, 2019 - If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Bath, you will most certainly find the Circus. If you want to find the Assembly Rooms (aka the Fashion Museum) or the Royal Crescent, I would be shocked if you didn’t walk through the Circus to get there. Originally called the King’s Circus, it was designed by English architect John Wood, the Elder.

August 19, 2022 - For others wondering the same: The Circus is a circle of townhomes surrounding a large roundabout and small lawn. The design was inspired by Stonehenge, and the circle has a similar diameter.

The Circus, Bath, Somerset, 1969. The Circus was built by John Wood the Elder in 1754-1758.

The Circus · Bath, England Original ... which means a ring, oval or circle. Divided into three segments of equal length, the Circus is a circular space surrounded by large townhouses....

December 18, 2017 - The Circus, Latin for “circular”, is an iconic building in the city of Bath, in Somerset, in England, consisting of three curved segments of Grade I listed townhouses arranged in a circular shape.