The British spa came into its own in the Georgian period, with thousands flocking to take the waters at Bath, Cheltenham and Tunbridge Wells as well as numerous other towns. As these towns grew, their reputation as fashionable destinations became as or more important than the benefits of bathing, which in any case often involved immersion in water tainted by dirt and diseases from fellow bathers. Ian D. Rotherham here traces the story of the British spa back to Roman and medieval times, through their heyday in Georgian and Victorian Britain and right up to their decline in the twentieth century and recent revival. With a wealth of colourful illustrations, this book is a perfect introduction to changing attitudes to public bathing and health, and describes the rise of some of Britain's most famous towns.

Ian D. Rotherham, ecologist and landscape historian, is Reader in Tourism and Environmental Change at Sheffield Hallam University. An international authority on cultural and historical aspects of landscapes, especially peat bogs and peatlands, he also writes and broadcasts on environmental issues.

Introduction to Healing waters: Baths, Bathhouses, Bathing, Wells and Spas / Bathing and Bathhouses in Medieval Times / Sense and Sensuality: the Rise of Georgian Spas and Spa Towns / Balynology and Hydrotherapy: the Victorian Craze for Healing Waters / Decline and Fall in the Twentieth Century / The Rebirth of the Great Spas and Spa Towns / Some of the Main British Spas / Places to Visit/Further Reading / Index