Bath, 1680-1850: A Social History or A Valley of Pleasure, yet a Sink of Iniquity

First published in 1981, Bath, 1680-1850 reveals the changing structure of society and its social values as shown in the expansion of the city.

The book examines the lives of men and women who lived in Bath and who, as consumers and producers, transformed it from a small Cotswold town built in the vernacular style, into a uniquely spacious Palladian city devoted to the well-being and leisure activities of the wealthy. In doing so, it explores how the changes in Bath emerged in response to the needs of commerce, industry, and its growing working class, and presents the city as a microcosm of the social transformation brought about by the development of capitalism in England.

Bath, 1680-1850 will appeal to those with an interest in social and cultural history.