Bath’s Georgian Garden, tucked behind Number 4 The Circus, stands as a rare and precious glimpse into the city’s 18th-century history. Despite its historical significance and free public access, this hidden gem is at risk due to neglect and uncertain future management.
Originally laid out in the 1770s, the garden is part of a grand Georgian townhouse owned by a charitable trust. However, this trust is now defunct, lacking trustees and assets, placing the garden’s fate in jeopardy. Bath and North East Somerset Council oversees the charity’s administration and currently plans to appoint new trustees with the intent to dissolve it.
The council’s six-year vacancy of the mansion has led to costly maintenance bills—£18,600 last year and an estimated £6,500 this year. During a December 9 meeting of the council’s charitable trust board, the decision to appoint trustees solely to dissolve the charity sparked concerns among heritage advocates.
READ MORE: Map Reveals Most Crime-Severe Areas in Somerset
READ MORE: Fire Service Launches In-Depth Review of Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
Kay Ross, vice chair of the Avon and Gloucestershire Gardens Trust, attended the meeting to emphasize the garden’s deteriorating condition. She highlighted that the iconic box hedges are failing, the garden has become overgrown, and authentic Georgian “hoggin” gravel has been replaced with less suitable river gravel. Additionally, a specially crafted Georgian-style bench has disappeared, and key restoration plans have been lost, threatening the garden’s integrity.
“It’s supposed to be an exact representation of a Georgian garden based on thorough research and archaeology,” Ross said. “If we lose the authentic planting or hoggin gravel, the garden’s historical meaning will be lost.”
Local resident Peter Scott also voiced his worries, pointing out that the council’s lease on the property expired six years ago and that no fundraising efforts had been made during the council’s stewardship. He criticized the council’s approach, warning against treating the matter as a foregone conclusion and calling for the charity’s true purpose to be honored.
Independent committee member Graham Page echoed concerns, noting that recent resolutions seem to limit the charity’s potential activities.
The council’s monitoring officer clarified that newly appointed trustees are not legally bound to dissolve the charity, leaving room for future decisions. These trustees, likely councillors, will be selected in line with political balance.
Councillor Oli Henman expressed a shared commitment to preserving the garden’s heritage, stating, “We all agree it’s an important asset that deserves to be thriving and restored to its historic value.”
The Georgian Garden was rediscovered intact beneath a clay layer during excavations in 1985—a rare archaeological find. Its restoration, completed in 1990, followed detailed planting plans by Dr. John Harvey of the Garden History Society. Today, the garden remains open to the public via Gravel Walk, offering a unique historical experience.
Located on The Circus, one of Bath’s most iconic streets designed by John Wood the Elder and Younger, Number 4 has a rich history tied to Bath’s Georgian elite. It was once owned by James Plunkett, whose family’s wealth derived from plantations and enslaved people in Jamaica—history recently spotlighted in the BBC’s documentary series Empire with David Olusoga.
In the 1960s, Charles and Frances Cooke took ownership and stipulated in their wills that the house and garden be preserved and open to the public. Although their vision hasn’t been fully realized—public access to the house remains limited—the garden still offers a rare, living window into Bath’s Georgian past. Campaigners now hope to secure its future before this treasured part of Bath’s heritage fades away.