In December 1987 UNESCO bestowed its greatest honour on Bath when it declared the city a World Heritage Site for its outstanding cultural heritage – including its natural thermal spa waters – and landscape setting. Bath was one of the first ten sites to be recognised in the United Kingdom and received its award along with Blenheim Palace, Hadrian’s Wall and the Palace of Westminster.

Published to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Bath’s inscription as a World Heritage Site, Water, History & Style is a celebration of Bath’s Outstanding Universal Values. With informative and lively text by Bath scholar Dr Cathryn Spence Water, History & Style explains the significance of UNESCO’s award in the context of Bath’s economic, social and architectural history. The 25 locations and themes are richly illustrated with a wealth of fascinating historic images representing Bath’s six millennia of human history.

Dr CATHRYN SPENCE is a museum professional, lecturer and historic gardens consultant. She is the Curator of Archives at the American Museum in Britain and was previously Director of the Building of Bath Museum, now the Museum of Bath Architecture. She has also worked at the National Portrait Gallery and the V&A Museum. In addition to her work as a consultant, Cathryn is also an independent researcher, her specialism being the architectural, cultural and social history of Georgian Britain. She wrote a regular monthly column for several years for The Bath Magazine; much of the research undertaken for those articles served as the basis for the four books she has published with The History Press.