Bath Life – Issue 552

ISSUE 552 / EARLY AUTUMN 2026 / £5

12 PAGE

BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL

The Lansdown home where Georgian grandeur meets Grade I beauty

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ISSUE 552 / EARLY AUTUMN 2026 / PERIOD PERFECTION

A HERITAGE HAVEN

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Exploring Bruton and Frome, where town meets country – How an Ethiopian emperor made Bath his home – My cultural life with actor John Leader – Hot on the trail of the Batheaston artists

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EDITOR’S LETTER

I

think it’s because of Bath I now love art. Because I didn’t grow up in an arty household. We had a badly framed print of two pale upper-class Victorian children on the wall of our 1970s Bristol semi. I have no idea how, why, where or when. It was just there, looking all wrong and looking down on us as we ate fish and chips on Fridays and McCain’s oven pizza the rest of the week. I didn’t do well at school in art – traced portraits of sad Pierrot clowns, and ants crawling up the inside of a Smarties tube to demonstrate perspective – were never going to get me into that A–C bracket. When I started earning, I’d never have considered spending a single penny on ceramics, paintings, or sculpture (my wages were strictly for clubbing, pints, and smoking).

But now I’m a grown-up it turns out I can’t get enough of it. And I blame Bath for that. Moving here nearly 30 years ago, I realised you can’t move for art.

The delightful stuff, and its variations, are everywhere.

It’s in the curve of the Crescents, it’s in the glow of the stone, it’s in the landscaping of the parks, and of course it’s in the galleries, the collectives, the studios, the trails.

And this issue joyfully celebrates much of that.

On our cover there’s the craftsmanship, artistry and sheer beauty of No 4 Lansdown Crescent (see more magnificence over on page 106 ); to our left we have the skilled and exquisite work of Tom Davey, who happens to be our Bath Lives over on page 114 and a regular at the Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair which returns to Green Park Station on Sunday 13 September after its summer break; over on page 33 we mark the Victoria Art Gallery return of the Bath Society of Artists Open Exhibition for an incredible 121st year; and starting on page 71 there’s a round-up of the eclectic and beautiful work of the Batheaston Arts Trail; then of course there’s our what’s on section starting on page 34 which lists a whole host of new exhibitions about to launch.

So here’s to life imitating art, and art imitating life, and Bath Life celebrating both!

SARAH MOOLLA Follow us on

@bathlifemag

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 3

FAIRLY, SOMERSET

UPTON CHERYNEY, NEAR BATH

A beautifully restored period home with landscaped gardens and breathtaking countryside views.

An immaculately restored Grade II listed house, set in landscaped gardens with outstanding views.

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6 bedrooms | 3 bathrooms | 3 reception rooms | EPC F

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Guide price £3,200,000

Sophie Tarbatt | Sam Daniels 01225 325 991 | 01225 325 992 sophie.tarbatt@knightfrank.com | sam.daniels @knightfrank.com

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6 bedrooms | 2 bathrooms | 4 reception rooms | Garden & grounds

Guide price £1,500,000

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Sophie Tarbatt | Charlie Taylor 01225 325 991 | 01225 325 993 sophie.tarbatt@knightfrank.com | charlie.taylor@knightfrank.com

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COVER A home comes up for sale in Lansdown Crescent, one of Bath’s most prestigious addresses.

Turn to page 106 for more; www.savills.co.uk

HISTORY

PHOTO BY BENEDICT BRAIN; WWW.BENEDICTBRAIN.COM

Issue 552 / Early autumn 2026

12

24 FAIRFIELD HOUSE Marking 90 years since Emperor Haile

THE ARTS

33 ARTS INTRO Bath Society of Artists’ Open Exhibition returns 34 WHAT’S ON People to see, places to go 36 CULTURE CLUB The arty picks of John Leader 41 BOOKS Brief encounters of the classic kind

FURTHER AFIELD

46 BRUTON & F ROME Visiting our townie neighbours 62 GARDENS Exploring the 173 acres of the 42 Acres estate

FOOD & DRINK

66 GREAT ESCAPE Ringing the changes at The Old Bell 68 NEWS FEED Nuggets from the foodie scene

LIFESTYLE

PHOTO BY ROWENA KO; INSTAGRAM @ROWENAKO_VISUALS

Selassie made Bath’s Fairfield House his home

71 SHOP LEAD The work of Jane Riley 72 EDITOR’S CHOICE On the trail of the Batheaston artists

46 36

NETWORK EDUCATION

81 LEAD STORY Norland becomes a university 82 NEWS SPECIAL The A stars of our schools and unis 92 EDUCATION BLA WINNER TheBath Rugby Foundation 95 LEARNING CURVE Jo Stoaling, the head of Three Ways School 97 SCHOOL GUIDE Victoria Bond gets ‘technical’

103 LEAD STORY Batheaston House comes to market 104 NEWS The latest from the market 106 SHOWCASE Explore the exceptional 4 Lansdown Crescent

DEPARTMENTS

12 SPOTLIGHT Shining a light on the city’s positive stories 17 SCENE Hello party people!

23 FLATLINE Flats on why he dreads a deadline 59 UPPER CASE Georgia Fendley on finding life’s luxuries 114 BATH LIVES Meet artist Tom Davey

PHOTO BY RICHARD GRASSIE

PROPERTY

Editor Sarah Moolla sarah.moolla@mediaclash.co.uk Managing editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Iona Bas, Ras Benji, Victoria Bond, Nic Bottomley, Elsie Chadwick, David Flatman, Rowena Ko, John Mather, Claire Thatcher and Nick Woodhouse Commercial director Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Dan Nichols dan.nichols@mediaclash.co.uk Business development executive Ruby Coburn ruby.coburn@mediaclash.co.uk Production and distribution manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@ mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Bath Life MediaClash, Media House, 1 Widcombe Parade, Bath, BA2 4JT. tel: 01225 475800; www.mediaclash.co.uk. Instagram @TheMediaClash ©All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath and Bristol.

Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

10 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SouthGate’s latest nature-inspired installation

OVERHEAD DISPLAY

SouthGate Bath has marked a decade of summer installations with a nature-inspired display transforming St Lawrence Street into a blooming canopy of flowers, butterflies and bees. The display, which was created by Festival of Nature, the UK’s biggest free celebration of the natural world organised by The Natural History Consortium, draws on this year’s theme of trees and forests.

SouthGate’s centre director Guy Henderson says, “Over the past ten years, the installations have become a real highlight of Bath’s summer calendar, bringing colour, creativity and immersive experiences into the city centre. Following last year’s ‘river in the sky’, which was inspired by Bath’s connection to the River Avon, this year’s display continues that celebration of nature.”

For more: www.southgatebath.com

PHOTO BY JON CR AIG

ROCKING IT

Maisie Williams has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Bath Spa University in recognition of her contribution to the arts and advocacy for positive change across the creative industries. The Emmy Award-nominated actor, best known as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones and has just finished filming Practical Magic 2 with Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock and Joey King, received the honorary doctorate for Arts from vice-chancellor Georgina Andrews during a graduation ceremony at The Forum, Bath, in July, alongside 1,500 graduating students.

In her acceptance speech, Maisie, who is also the founder of Daisie, a social media platform for creatives, and supports causes including WaterAid, Greenpeace, the Dolphin Project and Bristol food poverty charity The MAZI Project, told the assembled graduates, “Stop worrying about getting it right.

Stop wondering if you’re good enough, qualified enough, old enough, young enough. Just get in the zone and rock it.

There is no one else like you.”

For more: www.bathspa.ac.uk

TIDES THEY ARE A-CHANGING

Changes are afoot for Athena Cauley-Yu, owner of Meticulous Ink, as the Walcot Street stationery business begins a new chapter – and she appears on television in a sand sculpture competition filmed in Scotland.

Athena featured on Race Against the Tide, which can be seen now on BBC iPlayer, after being approached by a member of the production crew who remembered her from an appearance on Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas several years ago. She was teamed with professional sand artist Rachel Stubbs, and along with her fellow contestants, was required to shovel tonnes of sand in order to carve large-scale 3D sculptures, in what was thought to be the hottest May week in Scotland for a hundred years.

The broadcast comes during a major period of change for Meticulous Ink as it moved out of its 16-year Walcot Street shop. Following a seven-month commercial property purchase, Athena received the keys to its new headquarters in Chippenham in July but has also managed to keep a presence on Walcot Street at no 144.

She says, “It’s been such an absurd and crazy year; I’m really looking forward to getting nested and making the shop feel just right. We are also organising our bi-annual On Paper festival, a creative gathering of paperbased goodness, which is happening on 28 November.

Next year, I think there will be lots of in-person events and taking a moment to breathe.”

For more: www.meticulousink.com 12 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

inset: Athena Cauley-Yu of Meticulous Ink is on the move; above: Athena with her professional sand sculpture TV partner Rachel; below: The impressive Race Against the Tide sand sculptures

left: Maisie Williams was recently awarded an honorary doctorate from Bath Spa University; inset: Playing the feisty Arya Stark in Game of Thrones

SPOTLIGHT

THE SKY ALIGHT

The skies over Bath took on an atmospheric glow on 12 August as we witnessed a dramatic partial solar eclipse. With the moon covering roughly 94 per cent of the sun low in the western sky just before sunset, the rare celestial moment offered some wonderful photo opportunities. Here’s a round-up of just a few unique takes of the once-in-a-lifetime event by our talented local photographers.

@benedict_brain

@uniofbath

@helena.m.photography

@prettylittlebath

@no1royalcresent

@bathastronomers www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 13

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SCENE T H E L AT E S T A DV E N T U R E S I N PA R T Y- GO I N G AC ROSS BAT H

Andrew Marchesi, Gina Marchesi and Tine Stapelfeldt

Jade Parfitt

Detmar Blow, Max Harvey and Edward Williams

Anita Chaperon and André Chaperon

Tom Kennedy, Tanya Estrella and Clare McGrath Jacqui Fear and Nick Fear

DRESS CODE

Katie Twynam, Sarah Epsom and Louise Pennington

Gieves & Hawkes, the Savile Row tailors since 1771, welcomed around 40 guests to its Broad Street store for an exclusive launch evening featuring Gusbourne drinks, canapés from Root Bath, and styling insights from Jade Parfitt and Louise Pennington.

Guests admired the Morse code pinstripe collection, with Jade’s suit subtly spelling ‘G&H’, and described as ‘a refined tribute to the brand’s military heritage’.

Photos by Ben Reed For more: www.gievesandhawkes.com

Louise Pennington Warren Bates

Jane Campbell-Howard and Adrian Campbell-Howard

Jack Thomas and Robert Billet

Louise Pennington, Max Harvey and Jade Parfitt

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 17

Young festivalgoers enjoying life Big Pollo

Founder Peter Gabriel and festival director Chris Smith

The children's parade

FIELD TRIP

WOMAD closed a memorable first edition at its new near-Bath home, Neston Park, as festivalgoers enjoyed a weekend of global music, culture and discovery. More than 460 performers from 38 countries appeared, with highlights including Barrington Levy, Greentea Peng, Boko Yout, Daniela Mercury, Oumou Sangaré, and Bristol takeovers from Jam Jar and Saffron. Beyond the music, the culture stages Taste the World, World of Words, and the new teen-focused Launch Pod, also drew in the crowds.

Next year's event runs 22 – 25 July, with the wait list for tickets now open.

Photos by Garry Jones For more: www.womad.co.uk

Greentea Peng

Daniela Mercury

Say She She

18 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

A world of fun for little ones

Seppuku Pistols

Drumming skills workshop Barrington Levy

Ta Dhom Project

DARLING BUDS ,

The inaugural RHS Flower Show took place at the Badminton Estate from 8 – 12 July, drawing 60,000 visitors for five days of horticultural highlights. Show gardens included Tom StuartSmith’s expansive Julia Rausing Garden, Stephen Moody’s Cricket Pavilion Garden (winner of Best in Show), Jo Thompson’s Archers 75th Anniversary Garden, and Elle Arnett’s Nascent Shade Garden, which won Best Construction. Over 70 specialist nurseries featured in the floral marquee, while the perfume pavilion offered aromatic displays.

Next year the show tours to Bristol for its first-ever urban edition at the Prospect Building, running 8 –11 July.

Photos by Claire Thatcher; Instagram @clairethatcher For more: www.rhs.org.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 21

FLAT LINE © BETTY BHANDARI BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY; WWW.BETTYBHANDARIBRANDPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

“I shut down and try to make it all go away”

To the wire

There’s only one thing that stresses Flats more than a deadline, and that’s deadline avoidance

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ot that you’re supposed to know, dear reader, but this column is so late that I think I’ve actually gone beyond our poor editor* rolling her eyes in the office and asking her colleagues: “What is he like, hey?” and I’m now in the realms of: “No, this actually isn’t cool. I’m going to have to speak to the publishers about him.”

Oddly, I hate being late so much that even the thought of it can ruin a day. So when I casually, post-shower, after a long day cruising around in Salcombe sipping rosé, check my emails on this phone and see 47 emails from said editor – each one becoming less friendly and more overtly irked – my pulse quickens.

Yes I am on holiday, but taking half an hour to write something for a magazine that I’ve always loved so much isn’t much to ask. Yet I can’t do it. Not on time anyway. They’ve tried everything. Advanced warnings about incoming warnings. Fully highlighted and big-fonted print schedules and deadlines. And no change.

Maybe I’m an awful bloke who thinks his time is more important than everyone else’s.

Or maybe my brain isn’t wired up in a terribly helpful way when it comes to things like

deadlines. I’ve just never been able to manage or meet them. At school I was poor at exams because I could never manage to revise, but I was even worse at completing coursework, so exams were my only shot at blagging a result. Once out of professional sport I rapidly discovered that no re-wiring had occurred during the years of scrums and weightlifting, and that an actual job was something – and I do not say this flippantly – I was simply incapable of doing.

Like 107 per cent of the British population, I’ve now been diagnosed with ADHD. It’s a thing. I’ve probably mentioned it here before but I can’t remember because…yep…

Unlike lots of the ADHD crew, though, I get rather bored of people referring to it as a superstrength. I mean, my brain – and, crucially, how it sends signals to my large mouth – has been as vital to me in life after sport as my body was during it. There are elements of my work, my personality, for which I suppose ADHD could take some credit, but overall it’s a massive pain in the arse. And not just my arse. Lots of people’s arses.

No matter how much I adore and value you, you simply will not get a reply from me when you want it, if at all. This has nothing

– nothing – to do with anything but how overwhelmed I feel by something as simple as texting people back. I shut down and try to make it all go away. As for a deadline, well, that feels like having a crossbow pointed at my head. I simply have to forget it. I must. Or I’ll end up throttling an innocent barista at Costa, or snatching some sausage rolls to live on and driving into a field and going to sleep for a week with my phone off while humming Bob Dylan to myself.

When I go to work – to commentate or to film something or to host a large public event – I do not need my medication. I think this is because all I have to do is that job. Everything else is left to someone else. At work it’s the producers, at home it’s my wife. My wife, like a donkey in a paddock: endlessly patient.

When I’m on holiday with my family, though, I now know not to miss a day. Not to miss a pill. This isn’t because I don’t like my family, it’s because I really do and I’m desperate for my shamefully low tolerance of (the inevitable) chaos not to ruin any of our time together. I don’t always manage, but the pills help, and my wife promises me I’m a decent enough bloke around the place. Never is my medication so important as when my family is all together. I feel concurrently embarrassed and comfortable saying that.

We had an amazing day today. Just wonderful. Not perfect, but in the end it was a brilliant one. Then I sat down and yelped from the sofa as I hit ‘mail’ and realised what I’d been blocking out. Maybe I need to take more pills… *Editor’s footnote: Yes, it’s true. Flats is always late with his words. Yes, the whole team gets stressed. Then more stressed. And then his utterly word-perfect copy arrives, and we’re all charmed into submission. We repeat the process for the next issue. And the next. And the next. Until the end of time…

David Flatman is an ex-Bath and England rugby star turned TV pundit and rent-o-mic. Follow him on Instagram @dflatman and X @davidflatman

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AN EMPEROR IN BATH From Ethiopia to Fairfield House, how the Emperor Haile Selassie made the city his home Words by Ras Benji Main photos by Bath in Time; www.bathintime.co.uk 24 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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his autumn, in honour of the 90th anniversary of the Ethiopian Royal Family becoming resident in the City of Bath, a major series of anniversary events and activities is underway: 90 Years of Ethiopia in Bath. The programme includes events at Fairfield House as well as at familiar landmarks across the city, exploring themes of exile, displacement, welcome and celebration. But how does this remarkable story of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, making Bath his home start?

It was the evening of 5 August 1936 when an extraordinary and unexpected visitor arrived at Bath Spa Station. the Emperor had come to Bath as a political exile, forced from his country following the invasion of Ethiopia by Mussolini’s Fascist Italy. Accompanied by members of his family and a small group of advisers, he quietly made his way to the Bath Spa Hotel. His immediate purpose was to receive treatment with Bath’s famous Spa waters, but his decision to leave London was also politically astute. His presence in the capital was proving increasingly uncomfortable for the British Government, then pursuing a policy of appeasement

HISTORY towards Mussolini.

The Emperor’s arrival may have been discreet, but his presence in Bath could not remain so for long. The following day, when Haile Selassie and his family visited the Royal Baths, enormous crowds gathered, bringing the city centre to a standstill. Huge numbers of Bathonians squeezed together to catch a glimpse of the Ethiopian visitors and offer their support. Although the Emperor had sought privacy, he was deeply grateful for the welcome he received from the people of the city.

During his restorative stay, Haile Selassie decided to establish a more permanent home in the city. He purchased Fairfield House, a Victorian property in Newbridge, for just over £3,500. The decision was strategic. With limited funds, he needed a secure base from which to continue his political activities. Bath offered strong support in the West Country while remaining close to London, allowing him to advance his cause with the British Government and maintain communications with the Ethiopian Embassy.

In October, the Emperor returned to Bath Spa Station to await the arrival of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Menen. The Empress joined her husband and their children, other members of the Ethiopian Royal Family, advisers, priests and attendants. Together, they began a new life at Fairfield House, adapting to an existence very different from the imperial court and the country they had been forced to leave behind.

For the Emperor, exile was certainly not a retreat from public life. He maintained a disciplined routine and became known locally for his daily walks. At Fairfield House, he began writing his autobiography while continuing to conduct the affairs of a government in exile, maintaining communication networks with patriots fighting in Ethiopia as well as supporters and activists in Britain. Among those often seen meeting and strategising with him in Bath was the renowned suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst, who had become a prominent supporter of the Ethiopian cause.

For Empress Menen and the wider Royal Family, life in exile was different. At first, the Empress lived quietly

“The Emperor was known to frequent The Little Theatre”

opposite: His Imperial Majesty

Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia pictured at Bath Spa Station in 1936; above and below: The Emperor returned in October 1954 for a state visit and received the Freedom of the City.

at Fairfield House, struggling to adapt to the unfamiliar surroundings and the English winter. As the years passed, she became an increasingly familiar figure in Bath and gradually took a more visible place in the life of the city. She attended events at the Assembly Rooms with her daughter, while the children of the Ethiopian Royal Family pursued their education and developed their professional skills, both locally and elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

The Royal Family also became increasingly connected with life beyond Newbridge. The Emperor often travelled across Britain to visit his grandchildren at school, and his appearances generated renewed interest in Ethiopia and reinvigorated public support. Together, the Emperor and Empress visited the Bath and West Agricultural Show and attended churches in Bath and further afield, including Wells Cathedral.

The Emperor maintained a close interest in international affairs throughout this period. He was known to frequent The Little Theatre, then a brandnew business in the city, having opened in January 1936.

There he attended private screenings of newsreels, watching footage from Ethiopia and keeping himself informed about events unfolding around the world, including the rapidly changing political landscape of Europe and the growing alliance between Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler.

The political tides were turning quickly. Ethiopia was increasingly accepted as a firm ally of Britain, and the plea for international justice that the Emperor had made before the League of Nations was finally beginning to be answered. In June 1940, with a supportive Winston Churchill, by now Prime Minister of Britain, the Emperor prepared for a journey to London to undertake further diplomatic activities in support of his cause.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 25

HISTORY Instead, an opportunity arose that would change the course of his exile. He suddenly found himself heading back towards the South West and, in utmost secrecy, departed from Plymouth Harbour aboard a Sunderland flying boat bound for Africa.

This marked the beginning of the Emperor’s triumphant return to Ethiopia. His journey ultimately culminated in the combined Ethiopian and British entry into Addis Ababa and the defeat of the Fascist Italians in the capital on 5 May 1941.

Back in Bath, the news was met with enormous joy. The Empress, members of the family and local supporters were overjoyed to hear of the Emperor’s return, and Bathonians requested that a public celebration be held.

Later that May, Her Imperial Majesty held a private celebration at Fairfield House, with around 60 guests, including the Mayor of Bath.

By September 1943, the last member of the Ethiopian Royal Family living in Bath had returned to Ethiopia.

Their years of exile in the city had come to an end, but the connection they had established with Bath would endure. Before leaving, the Emperor gave permission for Fairfield House to be used as a temporary home for babies evacuated from Seagry Manor in Chippenham during the Second World War. Meanwhile, back in Ethiopia, Haile Selassie faced the gargantuan task of rebuilding his country, but he never forgot his time as a citizen of Bath and named one of their residences Fairfield Palace. It would be more than a decade before the Emperor returned to Bath. During his state visit to Britain in October 1954, he once again stayed at Fairfield House and was made an Honoured Freeman of the City. In the years following this visit, and ‘in appreciation of the warm and courteous hospitality’ received by his family during their period of distress, Emperor Haile Selassie decided to gift Fairfield House to the City of Bath for the benefit of the elderly. Today, Fairfield House remains a remarkable and perhaps unexpected reminder of this extraordinary chapter in Bath’s history.

The Emperor’s former home continues to fulfil his wishes for the elderly. The longstanding charity Bath Ethnic Minority Senior Citizens Association serves

“Emperor Haile Selassie decided to gift Fairfield House to the City of Bath”

above and inset: Fairfield

House was gifted ‘for the benefit of the elderly’; below: The Emperor and his family pictured in Newbridge during their exile

elderly people in Bath through a day-care service operating during the working week, welcoming members from all backgrounds and ethnicities.

Fairfield House has also developed into a wider community hub. It provides a meeting point for the Ethiopian and Rastafari communities, while also serving as the headquarters for organisations working locally in Bath, including Headway, First Impressions, Sudafest, Hope Art Therapy and the Combe Down Holiday Trust.

Ninety years after Emperor Haile Selassie and his family first arrived in Bath, their story remains woven into the fabric of the city. What began as a period of political exile created a remarkable and lasting relationship between Bath and Ethiopia, one that continues through Fairfield House, the communities it serves, the stories preserved within its museum and the people who continue to celebrate this shared history. n

Fairfield House now houses a museum sharing artefacts and local stories connected with the Ethiopian Royal Family’s time in Bath. It opens most Sundays throughout the year, offering a guided tour followed by a vegan lunch.

Bath’s unique connection with Ethiopia has also more recently been embraced by a group of local musicians who have named their collective the Fairfield Ethio Jazz Project. Their recently released new album, Bath Ketema, is a tribute to the enduring relationship between our city and the east African country.

For more: www.fairfieldhousebath.co.uk

26 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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hey have now joined together to create Manera Interiors, to focus exclusively on delivering interior transformations of all shapes and sizes. This isn’t restricted to the wealthy few. They offer their expertise to anyone needing an interiors guiding hand - whether it is an entire house rebuild, a bathroom and kitchen renovation, a final artwork flourish or creating a specific layout of a single empty room. Rebecca and Sophie have done it all.

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www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 29

THE ARTS ROUND UP BY PATRICK HALLISSEY

S N A P S H O T S O F B AT H ’ S C U LT U R A L L I F E

A TALENTED ROUND UP One of Bath’s best-loved annual art events returns this autumn as the Bath Society of Artists’ 121st Open Exhibition opens at Victoria Art Gallery on 19 September and runs until 7 November.

Managed by Bath & North East Somerset Council, the exhibition showcases original artwork by artists from across the country, with many pieces available to buy. Selected through an open submission process, the show changes completely each year, spanning painting, printmaking, sculpture and mixed media from

both established and emerging artists.

This year’s invited artist is acclaimed British painter and printmaker Basil Beattie RA, a leading figure in UK abstract expressionism whose work was given a dedicated room at Tate Britain in 2007. The exhibition also features a strong awards programme, including £5,500 in cash prizes and more than £800 in vouchers, plus the popular Public Choice Prize voted for by visitors.

For more: www.bsaorg.uk | www.victoriagal.org.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 33

WHAT’S ON

The work of artist Angel Otero can be seen at Hauser & Wirth Somerset until 18 October

DREAMS AND SALT BY ANGEL OTERO. PHOTO BY KEN ADL ARD

5 September – 10 October

EXHIBITIONS Until 18 October

ANGEL OTERO Known for his physically immersive approach to paint as material, Otera presents a deeply personal body of work completed during his recent Hauser & Wirth Somerset residency. www.hauserwirth.com

25 circus-inspired, interactive, imaginative mechanical sculptures.

American Museum & Gardens; www.americanmuseum.org

Until 3 January

BATHTOWN DARKTOWN Printmaker Jonny Hannah presents a collection that blends playful references to art, music, and pop culture. Palette; www.palettable.co.uk

AMERICA 250 The American Museum & Gardens is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence with a trail, two special exhibitions, works in the permanent galleries, and a packed events programme celebrating American arts, artistry and culture. www.americanmuseum.org

Until 1 November

Until 3 January

Until 31 October

JOURNEYS The Karun Thakar textile collection displayed throughout Dyrham Park’s 17th-century house interiors reveal powerful narratives about migration, trade, craftsmanship and colonialism. Dyrham Park; www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Until 3 January

CIRCUS OF CURIOSITIES Developed and toured by the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, this playful exhibition brings together

34 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PHOTOLOGY & THE AS-YET UNSEEN The Herschel Museum of Astronomy has launched two new exhibitions: Photology highlights John Herschel’s and Henry Talbot’s pioneering roles in early photography. The As-Yet Unseen by contemporary Irish artist Grace Weir and curated by Bridget de León, features installations inspired by the Herschel legacy, including embroidery based on the Milky Way map. www.herschelmuseum.org.uk

Until 27 June 2027

LACOCK BY MARTIN PARR The final major commission by the late British photographer Martin Parr captures a year in the life of Lacock village. This intimate exhibition at the Fox Talbot Museum explores community, tradition and daily life, bringing Parr’s acclaimed documentary style back to where it began. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

13 September & 11 October BATH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS’ FAIR The monthly Green Park Station Sunday event showcases the works of talented artists from across the region, including painter Tom Davey, whose Bath Lives can be seen over on page 114. www.bcaf.co.uk

25 – 27 September

BATH ARTISTS’ STUDIOS Visit the Old Malthouse and the artists collective before they move on from their Upper Bristol Road space.

Help them celebrate 30 years of enriching the city’s creative life and explore the working studios, meet the artists, and see new work first-hand. www.bathartistsstudios.org

29 September – 4 October

TRUTH DECAY: STORIES FROM THE FRONT An exhibition from Photo Bath, a network of documentary and fine art photographers, that engages with competing notions of truth, ideology, authenticity, censorship, and the reliability of memory and evidence.

44AD; www.44ad.net

3 October – 10 January

ANCIENT LANDSCAPE, MODERN TIMES Through paintings, drawings, prints and archival material, the exhibition reveals how the stark, rolling forms of the South Downs and related chalk landscapes inspired a generation of artists, including Eric Ravilious seeking to reinvent landscape painting for the modern age. Holburne; www.holburne.org

THEATRE

24 – 26 September

FIREBIRD In this centenary year of American choreographer Glen Tetley, London City Ballet pays homage by reviving his gothic retelling of Firebird, with this fresh take illustrating the story

WHAT’S ON

THE WESTBURY HORSE,1939 BY ERIC R AVILIOUS. IMAGE TOWNER EASTBOURNE

clockwise from top left: See how chalk landscapes inspired a generation of artists at the Holburne’s upcoming exhibition starting 3 October; the children’s classic Not Now, Bernard comes to The Egg 26 September – 4 October; celebrate three decades of the Bath Artists’ Studios 25 – 27 September; Rory Bremner will be making a good impression at the Roper Theatre on 18 September; London City Ballet perform the Russian folk-tale inspired Firebird at Theatre Royal Bath 24 – 26 September

of a woman breaking free from the constraints of her controlling family.

Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org

29 September – 3 October

CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG Bath Light Operatic Group celebrates 70 years with its biggest production yet, the magical family favourite featuring the unforgettable Sherman Brothers’ score. A ‘truly scrumptious’ treat is expected!

Theatre Royal; www.theatreroyal.org

MUSIC

9 September

JAZZ EMU The musical comedy sensation brings a brand-new show The Pleasure is All Yours, following his hit US tour, a triumphant Edinburgh Fringe run, and sell-out performance in London.

Komedia; www.komediabath.org

18 September

MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! My, my! The acclaimed ABBA Experience arrives in the UK for its nationwide tour, performed with energy, heart, and plenty of disco sparkle. Komedia; www.komediabath.org

18 September

RORY BREMNER + FRIENDS The writer, actor, and impressionist delivers a host of perfectly executed impersonations from Major to Mandela, and from Clinton to Cameron. He’s joined by compère supreme Tim Clark, who The Guardian described as ‘an unsung hero of stand-up comedy.’ Roper Theatre; www.dragonflyleisure.co.uk

30 September

NISH KUMAR The leading political comic, presenter and panellist is on his Angry Humour from a Really Nice Guy tour – a very funny mash up of existential angst and political disquiet.

The Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

CHILDREN

25 September – 4 October

SAM CAMPBELL Known for his offbeat humour and imaginative, slightly surreal storytelling, expect sharp observations blended with the absurd. The Forum; www.bathforum.org

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL In association with Longleat and running across multiple venues in the city, highlights include Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Rosen with MC Grammar, Cressida Cowell, Cornelia Funke, Andy Day and Dame Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. www.bathfestivals.org.uk

21 September

26 September – 4 October

COMEDY SCR AP BY MARY-JANE EVANS

show Cruel Little Man to Bath.

Expect razor-sharp storytelling and darkly hilarious observations, ranging from psychedelic adventures with his brother to an unlikely encounter with a Spanish sausage dog. Komedia; www.komediabath.org

10 September

MIKE RICE One of Ireland’s fastest-rising stand-up comedians brings his latest

NOT NOW, BERNARD Roustabout Theatre tell the modern classic story written and illustrated by

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 35

PHOTO BY RICHARD GR ASSIE

WHAT’S ON David McKee of a young boy who discovers a monster in the garden, but whose distracted parents are simply too busy to listen to him.

The Egg; www.theatreroyal.org

OTHER

11 – 20 September

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS History-centred events, talks, and tours across Bath including at the Museum of Bath at Work, the Roman Baths, Prior Park and the American Museum & Gardens – all are free, but some will require prebooking. www.heritageopendays.org.uk

11 – 20 September

JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL The world’s largest and longestrunning celebration of the author and her Regency era. Spanning ten days, it features more than 200 events, including costumed balls, theatrical performances, guided walks, literary talks, and of course the wonderful costumed promenade on the Saturday. www.janeausten.co.uk

12 September

FROME AGRICULTURAL & CHEESE SHOW Celebrate food, farming, and even ferrets at the West Woodlands Showground. Along with the prestigious Global Cheese Awards, main ring attractions include stunts, showjumping, machinery, livestock judging, 350+ shopping trade stands, food stalls, tastings, and a free family play zone. www.fromecheeseshow.co.uk

20 September

AN EVENING WITH NIGEL OWENS MBE Rugby’s most famous referee shares his brilliant tales and insights from on and off the field.

Theatre Royal; www.theatreroyal.org

23 September

IDLE IN PROVENCE Monty Python legend Eric Idle celebrates his new memoir in which he reflects on five decades living in the south of France.

Komedia; www.komediabath.org

John, alongside co-star Nandi Bhebhe

CULTURE CLUB with JOHN LEADER John Leader, whose theatre credits includes for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, stars in Emma Rice’s revival of Tristan & Yseult. Performing from 11 to 19 September, it centres on an epic Cornish tale of forbidden desires and broken hearts.

ART WORK BY THE VERY WONDERFUL, L ATE, JASON DORLEY BROWN

The last great film I saw: Not a new one, but I watched Up with my daughter recently. I’d heard all the warnings about how emotional it was but still wasn’t prepared. Went in expecting balloons and cute dogs, came out with a tear-streaked face wondering where the last 90 minutes went.

A film I could watch over and over again: It’d have to be between Hook and Sister Act 2. Both are absolute top-tier films, in my very humble opinion.

One celebrates the power of imagination; the other has no business having that many great songs in one film. I won’t be taking questions.

Best TV show ever: Either This Is Us or Friday Night Lights. I don’t think another series has hit me in the feels quite so many times or made me care that deeply about fictional characters. Every season finale felt emotional, and by the end I genuinely wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

It’s nearly time to start celebrating the Queen of Bath, Jane Austen

36 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The book I could happily re-read: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. I do re-read it to my daughter. It’s one of those simple, thoughtful books that seems to meet you wherever you are in life.

My TV guilty pleasure: Survivor.

It appeals to every competitive bone in my body. I spend half the time admiring the strategy and the other half convinced I’d absolutely nail it… right up until the point I was voted out for overthinking everything.

A painting that means something to me: I’d never have guessed I’d become the sort of parent who keeps every nursery painting, fingerprint masterpiece and pasta creation in a folder… but here we are. Turns out they’re all priceless.

Last live music gig I went to: Whenever I’m touring, I always try to seek out an Irish trad session in a local pub. My mum’s Irish, so there’s something about sitting in the corner of a pub listening to a fiddle that feels like a connection to my Irish roots.

My desert island disc: If I had to pick just one song, it’d be Twice

by Little Dragon. I’ve never tired of it.

The first song I remember hearing: She’s Royal by Tarrus Riley is one of the earliest songs I really remember. It was always on growing up, and hearing it now still takes me straight back.

My karaoke go-to: Given that karaoke would probably feature quite highly if you asked me to list activities I’d actively avoid, this feels slightly contradictory. But if I am handed a microphone, it’s I Feel for You by Chaka Khan.

For more: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Upcoming Events 1

Alan Davies - Think Ahead The Forum | Wed 23 Sep

2

Bath Camerata 40th Anniversary Concert Bath Abbey | Sat 3 Oct

3

The Archers: Flower Cast The Forum | Thu 8 Oct

4

PATIENCE - Bath Gilbert & Sullivan Society The Mission Theatre | Wed 11 – Sat 14 Nov

5

Dido and Aeneas - The Handful Chamber Choir St Swithin’s Church | Sat 28 Nov

6

Handel Messiah with Bath Choral Society Bath Abbey | Fri 4 + Sat 5 Dec

1

2

3

4

5

6

bathboxoffice.org.uk | 01225 463362 | @bathboxoffice The Forum, St James’s Parade, BA1 1UG | Open 10am – 5pm, Monday to Friday (closed Bank Holidays)

NOVEL IDEAS NIC BOTTOMLEY

P Three brief encounters that have made a lasting impression on Mr B

“This is a comedy dystopia in which incompetence, hubris and hysteria combine”

enguin Random House’s bottomless access to the rights of literary gems and its skill at resurrecting out of copyright or more recent deep cuts, has often led them to create excellent series of classics or ‘back-list’ books. But in twenty years, I’ve rarely seen a collection as enticing and well-presented as the new Brief Encounters series from Vintage Classics.

They’ve picked out 52 novellas or shortstory collections from a globetrotting range of nineteenth and twentieth century writers. And then they’ve created covers that are almost universally striking and that somehow manage to have some synergy whilst being different enough to be specific to the particular book.

I’ll be working my way through this series bit by bit for some time, so watch this space for thoughts on fresh discoveries and classics I should have read long ago, in amongst future Bath Life reviews. To start with, here comes a short introduction to the first three I devoured this summer.

Behind a Mask by Louisa May Alcott (£9.99) is a world away from the setting and atmosphere of Little Women. A soporific privileged family living on an English country estate welcome the seemingly mild and muted Jean Muir as a new governess for the youngest and flightiest sibling. Amidst the immediate charm offence of her arrival, there are warning signs – Miss Muir has an unnerving habit of hearing conversations on the other side of a room and delivering some brutal put-downs to any gossip that seems to be at her expense.

With creeping tension reminiscent of Du Maurier, the family balance gets increasingly thrown off as the governess inveigles herself into the affections of one family member after another. Ulterior motives appear and slowly come into focus, but not quite in time to give away the direction of this steadily darkening tale.

Mikhail Bulgakov’s riotous masterpiece The Master and Margarita is a classic I love pointing readers towards if they happen not to have tried it yet. So I was drawn immediately to his short novel Fatal Eggs (£9.99), particularly as this is the best jacket treatment I’ve ever seen it given.

This is a comedy dystopia in which incompetence, hubris and hysteria combine to bring Moscow to the brink of catastrophe.

Two unfortunate occurrences coincide – first, Professor Vladimir Ipatievich stumbles on an inexplicable reaction of exposure to a ray of light in the amoebas beneath his microscope – they grow and reproduce at lightning speed.

Secondly, a plague mysteriously wipes out Russia’s chicken and egg population.

An out-of-control media hastens the inevitable push to solve a national problem with a poorly understood solution, as Bulgakov turns his plot towards a familiar satire of bungled state control.

Lastly, Sunday’s Children by Ingmar Bergman (£9.99) is an exquisitely told and suitably cinematic autobiographical novel from one of cinema’s greatest directors.

Aside from some crucial flashbacks and flashforwards it describes one summer in the life of young Pu Bergman spent in an eccentric house in the Swedish countryside.

The narrative is light and dark in quick succession throughout. One moment you’re seeing a naive child’s eye view of marital conflict and listening to a frankly petrifying retelling of a local legend about a watchmaker driven to suicide. The next you’re in tears of laughter at Pu’s traumatic enforced nighttime accompaniment of Aunt Emma to the outdoor privy.

Either way you’re sad you’ve reached the end so soon – the only drawback of reading through a series of short novels.

Nic Bottomley is the general manager of Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, 14/15 John Street, Bath; www.mrbsemporium.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 41

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DATE

K.O.

COMPETITION

OPPONENT

HOME/AWAY

6 Sept

15:00

Prem Rugby Cup

Sale Sharks

Away

25 Sept

19:45

Gallagher Premiership

Harlequins

Away

2 Oct

19:45

Gallagher Premiership

Exeter Chiefs

Home

10 Oct

15:05

Gallagher Premiership

Northampton Saints

Away

17 Oct

20:00

Investec Champions Cup

Montpellier

Home

23 Oct

19:45

Gallagher Premiership

Gloucester Rugby

Away

31 Oct

15:05

Gallagher Premiership

Sale Sharks

Home

7 Nov

15:00

Prem Rugby Cup

Exeter Chiefs

Away

14 Nov

14:00

Prem Rugby Cup

Gloucester Rugby

Home

20 Nov

19:45

Prem Rugby Cup

Bristol Bears

Away

4 Dec

19:45

Gallagher Premiership

Bristol Bears

Home

12 Dec

20:00

Investec Champions Cup

Cardiff Rugby

Away

18 Dec

19:45

Gallagher Premiership

Newcastle Red Bulls

Away

26 Dec

15:05

Gallagher Premiership

Leicester Tigers

Home

2 Jan

15:05

Gallagher Premiership

Saracens

Away

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K.O.

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HOME/AWAY

9 Jan

15:15

Investec Champions Cup

Vodacom Bulls

Away

17 Jan

17:30

Investec Champions Cup

Stade Francais Paris

Home

23 Jan

TBC

Gallagher Premiership

Northampton Saints

Home

6 Feb

15:00

Prem Rugby Cup

Bristol Bears

Home

13 Feb

15:00

Prem Rugby Cup

Exeter Chiefs

Home

20 Feb

14:30

Prem Rugby Cup

Gloucester Rugby

Away

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Sale Sharks

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Gallagher Premiership

Gloucester Rugby

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27 Mar

TBC

Gallagher Premiership

Sale Sharks

Away

17 Apr

TBC

Gallagher Premiership

Newcastle Red Bulls

Home

24 Apr

TBC

Gallagher Premiership

Leicester Tigers

Away

8 May

TBC

Gallagher Premiership

Exeter Chiefs

Away

15 May

TBC

Gallagher Premiership

Harlequins

Home

29 May

TBC

Gallagher Premiership

Bristol Bears

Away

5 Jun

TBC

Gallagher Premiership

Saracens

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*Fixtures are subject to change.

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TOWN & COUNTRY An insider’s guide to the beauty and uniqueness of Bruton and Frome Words by Elsie Chadwick Main photos by Rowena Ko

PHOTO COURTESY OF AT THE CHAPEL

C

BEYOND BATH

lose enough for an easy day trip, yet distinct in character, the creative market towns Frome and Bruton have become destinations in their own right, drawing artists, makers, independent businesses and food lovers with their rich mix of heritage and contemporary culture.

Frome charms with its cobbled streets, thriving markets, independent shops and quietly bohemian spirit, while Bruton brings together rural elegance, acclaimed galleries, standout restaurants and a strong sense of place. Both share a deep connection with Bath, not only through geography, but through a wider cultural landscape shaped by architecture, craft, history and design.

Together, they form a golden triangle of creativity and countryside living, highlighting all that is beautiful, special, and unique about our area. Here, we speak to those who know their towns best, asking them to share what they love most and offer their recommendations.

BRUTON

Chloe Hallam, general manager of At the Chapel, the all-day restaurant, artisan bakery, wine store and boutique hotel; www.atthechapel.co.uk “Bruton has this brilliant contradiction about it. It is tiny, tucked into the Somerset countryside, yet incredibly creative and outward-looking. You can see internationally renowned art, eat exceptional food and browse wonderful independent shops, then find yourself waiting behind a tractor on the High Street five minutes later.

“That mix is exactly what I love. For all the attention Bruton receives, it has not lost its character as a proper Somerset town. There is a warm, creative and slightly unconventional community here, and the surrounding countryside is glorious.

“At the Chapel has been part of Bruton since 2008, and working here has made me appreciate how special it is when a business genuinely

opposite: Bruton sits in the beautiful Brue Valley; above: At the Chapel is a local

favourite; below: The bronze statue Man on a Bench by Giles Penny can be found near Bruton’s Packhorse Bridge

feels part of the place it calls home. We welcome guests from all over the country and further afield, but some of my favourite moments are the everyday ones: familiar faces dropping in for coffee, families sharing pizzas, or the Clubroom filling up for an event. Bruton punches ridiculously above its weight. The food, art, gardens, shops and cultural life are extraordinary, but what makes it truly special is the creative energy between them all.”

Chloe recommends: The gorgeous independent lifestyle boutique Rose & Lyons, a treasure trove of clothes, accessories and gifts; the wonderfully fresh and exciting contemporary art gallery Bo Lee Gallery; and the farm-to-table restaurant Briar at Number One Bruton led by Sam Lomas and his brilliant team.

David Gelhaar, general manager of The Newt in Somerset, the country estate with gardens, woodland, farmland, cyder orchards and a luxury spa hotel; www.thenewtinsomerset.com “I moved to the area just in late May last year – but Bruton has already made a strong impression on me. The nature of my work at The Newt means the shorter my commute, the better, so proximity was up there, but Bruton is very beautiful, with lots of character, and it offers a great quality of life. Having nature on my doorstep has changed my life significantly. Not spending hours of my day on the Tube is a benefit beyond measure, and with two young children, the surrounds were a big pull.

“What makes this part of Somerset so special is the balance it offers.

You have all the benefits of life in the country, but alongside that there are a surprising number of world-class art galleries and exceptional restaurants. One day you can go for a walk through the hills, the next you can catch an exhibition worthy of a major metropolis. I love the blend of people who’ve moved down from the city and families who’ve lived here for generations, and how they coexist.”

“Bruton, Frome and Bath form a golden triangle of creativity and countryside living” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 47

BEYOND BATH David recommends: A wander up to The Beacon in Corton Denham,

followed by a drink and a bite at The Queen’s Arms; Woodshedding Brewery, Westcombe Dairy and Landrace Bakery in Westcombe; and the speakeasy-style wine shop at the back of Schimmel Hardware in Castle Cary.

Celia Willis, sales adviser for Acorn Property Group and Lodestone Property at Longcroft at Cubis Bruton; www.acornpropertygroup.org “Bruton has such a strong sense of character. It has a wonderful mix of independent shops, cafés, restaurants and galleries, yet it is surrounded by beautiful countryside. There is a genuine feeling that people care about the place, which is something you notice very quickly.

“It offers a lovely balance. You have everything you need close by, so day-to-day life is very easy, but you are also surrounded by some of Somerset’s most beautiful countryside. Having been here since the first phase of homes launched at Cubis Bruton, I have been able to watch the community take shape and help homeowners settle into life here. Bruton has certainly become more widely known over the years, with many wonderful independent businesses and places to eat, but it has not lost its character. It still feels like a real Somerset town, rather than somewhere that has simply become fashionable.”

Celia recommends: At the Chapel, a wonderful independent café and wine bar; Bruton Dovecote, for walks and views across the town and countryside; and The Creamery at Castle Cary, a favourite for train travellers.

Lindsay Punch, showroom manager of Sofas & Stuff Bruton; www.sofasandstuff.com “We opened our Bruton showroom in November 2024, so we are still relatively new to the town, but it very quickly felt like somewhere we

opposite: Bruton Museum is an ideal starting point to discover more about the town’s

rich history; above: The Bruton Dovecote was built between the 15th and 17th centuries; below: A place of cobbled corners and handsome stone buildings

belonged. There is a natural connection between Bruton and what Sofas & Stuff is about: creativity, British craftsmanship, heritage, individuality and a love of beautiful things designed to last. The building itself was a huge part of the attraction. Dating back to around 1580, it has enormous character and feels quintessentially British, with intimate rooms, wonderful period details and the sense that you are walking into a home rather than a conventional retail space.

“There is a real sense of community and creative energy in Bruton.

You can walk down the High Street and meet independent shopkeepers, designers, artists, makers and people working in food and hospitality, while visitors arrive from across the country and the world specifically to experience the town. Bruton manages to feel internationally creative while remaining unmistakably Somerset. It celebrates individuality, with the indies not all trying to be the same. That is something we love.”

Lindsay recommends: Hauser & Wirth Somerset, for contemporary art, restored farm buildings and Piet Oudolf ’s garden; At the Chapel, for coffee, pastries, relaxed lunches, dinners and wood-fired pizzas; and Number One Bruton and Briar, for a characterful stay and wonderful seasonal West Country cooking.

Bruton Museum, a small collection that shares local history and also contains the tourist information office; www.brutonmuseum.org.uk “Bruton Museum makes an ideal starting point for exploring the town.

Set on the High Street, it tells the story of Bruton from its early origins, through its Saxon and medieval history, to more recent times.

“The museum is relatively small, so it is easy to visit without needing to set aside half a day, but there is plenty to discover. Displays explore Bruton’s development as an important medieval ecclesiastical centre, including material relating to Bruton Abbey, while art lovers can see work by Ernst Müller-Blensdorf, the German refugee artist who settled in Britain after fleeing Nazi persecution.

“Perhaps the most unexpected exhibit is a collection of letters, photographs and a writing desk used by the American novelist John Steinbeck during his stay in Bruton in 1959. It is a charming reminder that the town’s history is not confined to the distant past.”

48 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“Bruton manages to feel internationally creative while remaining unmistakably Somerset”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NEW T IN SOMERSET

BEYOND BATH

“Bruton has such a strong creative energy”

above: The sprawling and magnificent Newt in Somerset estate with luxury hotel, spa, agricultural grounds, restaurants, and gardens; below: Between 19 – 20 September Hauser & Wirth Somerset hosts the Big Brue festival, with a line up that includes Bob Geldof, Adwoa Aboah, DonMcCulin, Mariella Frostrup, Dominic West, Prue Leith, and Carlos Acosta

Bruton Museum recommends: one of Bruton’s most important

R ADIC PAVILION, DESIGNED BY SMIL JAN R ADIC, 2014, HAUSER & WIRTH SOMERSET PHOTO BY HEATHER EDWARDS

historic buildings St Mary’s Church, dating back to around 1350; the remains of Bruton Abbey, which originated as an Augustinian priory founded around 1127 by William de Mohun, Earl of Somerset; and Sexey’s Hospital, built around 1630 as almshouse.

Catherine Fairweather and Mariella Frostrup, the co-creators and organisers of the debate, discs and discovery festival, Big Brue, taking place at Hauser & Wirth Somerset on 19 – 20 September; www.bigbrue.com Catherine says, “There is a unique magnetism to this ancient town. It has drawn a remarkable range of artists, writers and thinkers into its orbit, and we wanted to create something that reflects that spirit – open, curious and full of possibility.

“I think Bruton, when I came to live here, was unlike any other English town. Maybe a bit of a backwater, but with creatives drawn by the mystical energy of the land near Glastonbury — makers, artists, writers. It’s never been commuter belt, which gives it its spirit of independence and rural authenticity. It’s never been dominated by the patronage of large estates, as in Dorset or Wilts. Despite the fact it’s become so popular with those escaping the city, it always felt real – a little leftfield, a little different, full of creativity.”

Mariella adds, “Small towns have a lot to contribute but rural communities are rarely given the stage. Bruton already has such a strong creative energy, and we wanted to build something around that – a festival where people can come together, share ideas, disagree, discover something new, and feel part of a larger conversation.”

Catherine recommends: The varied landscape walk that follows the valley from Batcombe through Spargrove and Snake Lake to Bruton; a vegetarian scotch egg made at Durslade Farmshop, followed by their Portuguese pastel de nata; the intimate and fascinating Bruton Museum, which does such a great job at offering a window on the history and heritage of this former wool town.

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BEYOND BATH FROME

PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMUNA

Neil Brown, designer with Kutchenhaus, the kitchen suppliers who opened a showroom in Frome last year; www.uk.kutchenhaus.com “Moving to Frome was genuinely life-changing. It is where I met my wife, where we have built our life together, and where we are raising our family. Looking back, one decision to move here shaped so much of what followed.

“Frome has grown enormously since I first arrived in 2009. It has become much more widely recognised and has attracted people from all over the country, yet somehow it has managed to retain the charm and friendliness that made people fall in love with it in the first place. The Independent Market has played a huge part in that and has really helped put Frome on the map.

“It is the balance that Frome strikes so well. It is creative and vibrant, with a fantastic town centre full of independent businesses, but you are also surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside in the country. There is a real sense of pride in the town and people genuinely care about where they live.

“Work may have brought me here initially, but it didn’t take long for Frome itself to win me over. There is a warmth and character to the town that is hard to describe until you have experienced it. Before long, I knew it was somewhere I wanted to put down roots and call home.”

Neil recommends: The Frome Independent Market, for its brilliant atmosphere, local makers and town-centre buzz; Longleat Estate, for its grounds, history and scenery; and Catherine Hill, where the independent shops and creative spirit perfectly capture what makes Frome unique.

above: The small town of Frome with a big reputation for an independent spirit; below: The new Communa summer terrace brings together hospitality, culture,

wellbeing, creativity and community

Emma Goldsmith, registered nurse, practitioner of aesthetic medicine, and owner of The Babington Clinic; www.thebabingtonclinic.com “I’m originally from Essex, so I can’t claim to be Fromie born and bred, but I moved here in 2011, so after 15 years I think I’m getting there!

I opened The Babington Clinic in Frome in October 2018, initially alongside my nursing career. Eight years later, it is still very much my passion project and has grown into something I am incredibly proud of.

“There is a real sense of community here, particularly among independent businesses. People genuinely recommend and support one another. Frome has given me the confidence and community to build a business that feels completely authentic to me. I never wanted The Babington Clinic to feel intimidating or overly polished. I’m a nurse, I take what I do very seriously, but I also like to have fun and be myself.

The people of Frome seem to appreciate that combination, and I have been incredibly fortunate to build a loyal client base through trust, recommendations and word of mouth.”

Emma recommends: Frome Library, for browsing thrillers and coming home with unexpected reads; Loudmouth Cafe, for coffee and something good to eat after clinic; and Palm St Pilates, Emma’s new selfcare obsession, just a few doors from The Babington Clinic’s new home at Emerald Florence on Palmer Street.

Andy Harding, founder of Communa, the new social destination in Frome bringing together hospitality, culture, wellbeing, creativity and community; www.communa.co “I’ve been based in Frome for several years, but the journey towards Communa really began in 2023 when I acquired the first buildings on Church Street, with the first public phase, the summer terrace, opening in July this year.

“Communa has grown out of many of the qualities I value about Frome – an unusual combination of independence, creativity and community. It is a beautiful historic market town, but it also has an

“There is a strong culture of collaboration” 52 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BEYOND BATH That sense of history, combined with the town’s creative energy, is very special.”

Stephen recommends: Garden Café and La Strada, for great cafés; the brilliant bookshops Hunting Raven and Sherlock & Pages; and Black Swan Arts, for art and exhibitions.

Bekka McCarthy, owner of Honey on the Hill, the independent shop that specialises in gifts, homeware and wellbeing; www.honeyonthehill.co.uk “Honey on the Hill was established in 2020, after I had lived in Frome for eight years, when I wanted to create a space filled with exciting small designers and local creators I had discovered on my travels. Frome has a really supportive community. If you come up with an event, creative project or business idea, it feels like people roll their sleeves up and say, ‘I can help you with that’ and ‘I’ll join in’. By choosing to encourage each other, we all make it a thriving little town. And to be amongst lots of creativity is what inspires me, along with time spent exercising and in nature. It is what keeps me vibrant.

“There is a lot happening here – markets, music, art – yet it is a relaxed place to live. People still have time to pause, chat and say good morning. There is a real and genuine Somerset friendliness here.”

Bekka recommends: Vallis Farm, for its natural swimming pond, sauna and seasonal events; Mojo Moves, for joyful aerobics; and the Hunting Raven bookshop is Bekka’s “safe haven”.

Christina Oswin, owner of Christina Oswin Jewellery; www.christinaoswin.co.uk “I moved to Frome in 1996 and set up my first studio in the Black Swan Arts centre in 2005. Frome was run-down when I arrived, but I met so many creative people that straight away I felt it was a place where I could thrive as a maker.

energy that feels much more contemporary than its size might suggest.

What particularly appealed to me was the number of people here doing interesting things independently, in food, music, design, art, retail and craft. There is a genuine appetite for new ideas and for supporting people who are trying to create something locally.

“From a business perspective, there is a strong culture of collaboration. For us, that has been particularly important. Rather than trying to do everything ourselves, we are building a platform where local and regional chefs, makers, musicians and independent businesses can contribute to the programme.

“A lot of modern life has become increasingly individual and digital.

Yet Frome demonstrates the continuing importance of physical places – markets, cafés, pubs, shops, music venues and shared spaces – where people encounter one another naturally.”

Andy recommends: Frome Independent, for food, makers, music, vintage and design; Catherine Hill and St Catherine’s, for independent retail and creative businesses; and a walk out of town, where streets quickly give way to fields and river paths.

Stephen Thomas, goldsmith and director of Marchbank Jewellery Design; www.marchbankjewellery.com “What first drew me here in 2001 was the independent retailers and the vibrant creative community. Frome has so many independent shops, great cafés and restaurants, plus art galleries and music venues. There is also good support from other retailers and the wider community, which means we all help each other out. That makes for a great atmosphere to work in.

“There is so much going on culturally, which makes it a great place to live and work. Frome has a real sense of life about it, and that comes from its independent spirit, its history and the people who continue to make things happen here. Cheap Street, where we are based, is one of the oldest shopping streets in England, dating back to 1500, and Frome itself dates back to Saxon times, receiving its market charter in 1239.

54 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

opposite: Catherine Hill is one of Frome’s most distinctive streets; above left: Historic handsome architecture lends the town much of its charm; below: Frome spills over with creativity and independent finds

“I knew it was somewhere I wanted to put down roots and call home”

BEYOND BATH “There is community spirit everywhere here, in the arts, in sport, and in the town in general. There is always a project to be involved with. I also have such lovely customers, lots of whom I have known for over 20 years, and that is really special. Our retail community is incredibly supportive of each other, and maybe that is why we have such loyal customers. Over the years, Frome has grown and our independent shops have thrived against the odds. We now have so many inspiring and interesting places to shop. I think what makes Frome different is that the shops are small – too small for the big brands – so we have filled them with fabulous independent retailers.”

Christina recommends: Cheap Street, for cafés, clothes, homeware, plants and jewellery; Black Swan Arts, for exhibitions, its shop, studio makers and café; and Merlin Theatre, for brilliant shows.

The PR and communications manager for Visit West on Cobble Wobble, Paul McCartney, theatre nights, and loving her hometown

By Emma Frayling

Frome is a town that encourages a slower, more relaxed pace.

There is always something happening, but it never feels rushed. It is the sort of place where you can browse, wander, stop for coffee, discover somewhere new and let the day unfold.

The renowned Frome Independent Market runs on the first Sunday of every month, excluding January and February, and is great for a browse or to pick up locally crafted products and scrumptious food. The annual Frome Festival in July always kicks off with a mighty food festival, followed by a packed programme of art, music, theatre, dance and open gardens. Also on the events calendar are Frome Children’s Festival, Frome Kindness Festival, Window Wanderland, where residents decorate their windows with art to illuminate the town’s streets, Frome Pride, the Cobble Wobble on Catherine Hill and the annual procession and lighting of the town’s Valentine’s lamp.

Frome really packs a punch when it comes to entertainment.

With an independent cinema, three independent theatres and a performing arts venue, the town attracts big names from the world of music and theatre. You might well have heard of The Cheese and Grain, where Emily Eavis of Glastonbury Festival is patron, and where Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters and Coldplay have performed for Glastonbury warm-up gigs or used the venue for rehearsals.

The Memorial Theatre hosts touring productions and is home to Frome Musical Theatre Company. Don’t miss their annual panto – it is full of warmth and humour and performed by amateur actors.

The Merlin Theatre also attracts great talent and film screenings, and we now have The Lucky Chance, the creative home of Emma Rice’s award-winning touring theatre company. Just a ten-minute drive away, Rode Comedy Festival brings world-class names including Lenny Henry, Katherine Ryan and Jason Manford.

There is a thriving creative arts scene too. You can stumble across artists and textile designers at The Silk Mill, ceramists, florists and jewellery designers at Black Swan Arts, and a growing arts community at Makers Yard Frome.

Food and drink are a huge part of the town’s appeal. At The Station, a stone’s throw from Frome station, is an independent food hub and events space, with wood-fired pizza, Indian street food, cheese and English wines. Bistro Lotte, The High Pavement, Little Walcot, Moo & Too, Projects, Café La Strada and River House Café are all favourites, while Flow Bar, The Archangel, Palmer Street Bottle Shop and Communa are great for evening drinks.

And then there is the nature. While away a few hours with a picnic by the river at Rodden Meadow, explore Rodden Nature Reserve, or head to Vallis Farm for wild swimming, gardens, workshops and a moment to reconnect.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEESE & GR AIN

Polly Coupland, landscape garden designer; www.pollycoupland.com “We moved from Brighton in 2012 with a young family and wanted a smaller town to raise our family without losing the creative, community feel of Brighton. The cobbled streets, surrounding countryside, and quick connections to Bath and Bristol drew us in straight away.

“Frome has a unique vibe and a lot to offer, from the independent market to the boutique shops along Catherine Hill. I mostly work from my peaceful little home studio on the edge of town, but I love popping into the local cafés and restaurants for lunches and client meetings.

“The town has evolved quite a lot since we moved here. It has become livelier, with new businesses and shops popping up all the time. As a garden designer, seeing more and more people planting trees and greening their front gardens brings me joy.”

Polly recommends: Cheap Street, for its stream, little shops and cafés; Rye Bakery Café on Whittox Lane, for coffee, pastries, lunches and summer garden visits with the whippet; and Broadway Community Garden, a welcoming green space with wildflowers, a veg plot and wildlife pond. n

A FROME OF MY OWN

above: Frome has early roots dating back to the 7th century, when a settlement grew around a monastery; right: Cheese & Grain, once linked to the town’s market tradition, is now a major music and events venue

56 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PHOTO BY K ATIE HYAMS

GEORGIA FENDLEY UPPER CASE

Georgia Fendley on finding opulence and indulgence in the small corners of Frome and Bruton

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ull disclosure: I’m really difficult to please! As a designer I specialise in creating and transforming luxury brands, including Aman, Boodles, Claridge’s, Hotel Bel-Air and Mulberry. This means I’m not easily satisfied, I like to challenge the definitions of luxury and hunt down the unexpected, the things that make you smile and form memories you will treasure for a lifetime.

For me luxury has never been defined by price, or status, it is a concept embodied in experience and emotional resonance. It’s often the outcome of masterful craft, rarity, a genuine story and shared meaning. Luxury can be found in moments, experiences and objects that transcend the everyday and it can be deeply personal. For the new mum there is nothing more luxurious than undisturbed sleep,

for someone who’s lived in their home as long as I have there is a deep sense of joy in watching a garden grow over decades, not seasons.

At this time of year my favourite experiences happen outside the city: walks in the countryside with my dogs and escaping to our surrounding towns. Bradford on Avon, Bruton, Corsham, Frome and Lacock are all delicious historic gems with their own warmth, independence of spirit and unique character.

I think to really enjoy something it helps to understand it. I love to look under the surface, which often starts with history, something we are blessed to have in abundance in the South West. Frome can trace its roots to the year 685, and today has more than 350 listed buildings.

This is not the grand symmetry of Bath, it’s more intimate in scale and somehow personal. You can feel how successive generations

“I like to challenge the definitions of luxury”

have moulded this beautiful place.

Wander off the beaten track, slow down and look up. The architectural detail and diversity are beautiful. The built legacy of this history, combining trade, industry and local governance is the perfect canvas for Frome’s reinvention as a town serious about art, culture, sustainability with a vibrant independent scene at its heart. Stroll St Catherine’s Hill for an amazing selection of independent shops, travel back in time with a walk down Gentle Street and pause to enjoy the façade of Rook Lane Chapel – the 1707 James Pope building now an architect’s studio and arts centre.

Don’t forget to put the Frome Independent Market in your diary, it runs on the first Sunday of the month from March to December.

Get there early for delicious local food, crafts and a huge dose of community, definitely a luxury in our age of digital distance.

Bruton a near neighbour, is smaller but no less gorgeous, only a 20-minute drive from Frome.

Make sure to detour here to browse the gorgeous shops on the high street, including Philo &

Philo (yes, that’s Phoebe’s mother and sister!), a must-visit for vintage furniture and local craft. Shop at Commune for the most desirable hand soap, the perfect present, pleasingly packaged and made in Somerset. Check out what’s on at Hauser and Wirth, just outside Bruton. Until mid-October, you can see Angel Otero’s work. This extraordinary gallery excels at displaying sculptural works in its garden. Dreams and Salt features a vivid blue door set into the ground with a descending staircase just outside the main gallery – a surreal invitation into another realm.

And the most decadently luxurious experience of all?: stop at The Chapel in Bruton, an independent bakery, shop, restaurant, and hotel. The doughnuts are the definition of indulgence and the custard one should not be missed!

Georgia Fendley is a creative director, founder of Construct, ex brand director of Mulberry, NED of Cambridge Satchel Company, Crafts Council Advisor, Luxury Briefing columnist and D&AD judge. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 59

Marchbank Jewellery Design Ltd 6 Cheap Street . Frome . Somerset . BA11 1BN . 01373 455332 Member of National Association of Jewellers. Member of Guild of Valuers

GARDENS

THE TRANSFORMERS The nature reserve and wellbeing retreat 42 Acres is actually 173 acres of rewilding meadows, ancient woodland, regenerative growing spaces, and an 11-acre lake Words by Nick Woodhouse

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he journey from Bath to 42 Acres doesn’t feel like a drive. It’s more a slow, gentle immersion into Somerset’s ancient landscape. As the tarmac fades into narrow, high-hedged lanes, a weathered oak sign quietly directs you down a private gravel track – to an estate that effortlessly combines wellbeing retreat with nature reserve.

Its name is admittedly somewhat of a fiction, or at least an anachronism, because 42 Acres now runs to over four times its name, at 173 acres. It is an estate of ancient woodland, rewilded meadow, a walled garden and a lake buzzing with wildlife – all pressed into a fold of east Somerset between Frome and Bruton. At the estate’s beating heart sits The Hermitage, originally a 15thcentury monastic retreat for Carthusian monks, later a noble hunting lodge rebuilt by the Duke of Somerset. Its original role of sanctuary has recently been reimagined for today’s solace-seeker, thanks to a sympathetic, eco-conscious restoration that offers lightdrenched yoga spaces, a library room, roaring log fires, and accommodation for those looking to reconnect.

The aesthetic throughout is restrained: local and natural materials, paint finishes in calming, neutral tones. The site also runs on renewable energy, thanks to two on-site solar farms and biomass heat systems that use wood-chip harvested from both their 40-acre forest and a local supplier based nearby in Frome.

Step outside and the Hermitage’s walled garden is home to a rare thing: the ornamental and the edible grown together.

The kitchen works to what it calls a soil-togut principle, much of it grown in the walled garden or gathered on the land, the rest sourced locally. A cut-flower plot supplies the rooms and retreat spaces too; perhaps a small, precise reminder of the estate’s larger argument – that beauty and productivity are not in competition; their division a habit, not a rule.

It all began in 2015, when siblings and environmentalists Lara and Seth Tabatznik conceived the idea of making a place where people could reconnect – not just with the land, but also with themselves. What they built refuses to be the one thing; it is a retreat centre, with a calendar of weekends led by yoga teachers, foragers, meditation instructors and regenerative land designers.

But it is also a place to book a cottage, to unwind and restore. And underneath both, funded in part by both, it is a working nature restoration project – the sort of long-term ecological project that usually happens on estates closed to the public, hidden behind gates.

Not here. Guests are given the run of the land: trails along the lake edge, a treehouse you have to know how to find, a rowing boat, a wood-fired sauna set among the trees. The rewilding takes several forms, from wartime spruce plantations thinned to let native species come back through, to the reintroduction of beavers to the water. Barn owls hunt the field margins; otters use the lake; hares sit out in the open grass with an unbothered confidence that comes only to those who have worked out nobody here is going to chase them.

A separate enclosure for white storks displays even greater ambition. Once a regular sight in Britain’s ancient wetlands, the last record of a breeding pair of these rare birds on our shores was over six centuries ago, their demise due to overhunting and relentless habitat loss. The stork enclosure at 42 Acres features multiple roosts, both high and low, allowing the birds to explore their environment, along with dedicated nesting platforms. In partnership with the Species Recovery Centre, it is hoped that the enclosure will form part of a national network of habitats and feeding grounds along migration routes and will ultimately see the establishment of a free-flying, breeding population here in Somerset.

Wild Weekends now run through the year on rotating themes – nature restoration,

“Originally it was a 15th-century monastic retreat for Carthusian monks”

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EMERGING EARTH

42 Acres, in partnership with Land, Food and Medicine, is about to host a new fourday gathering exploring what it means to be human in a changing world. Running from 14 to 18 September Emerging Earth’s programme will include meditation, yoga, breathwork, land skills, wild plant and medicine making, music, singing, dance, art, ritual, ceremony, wild swimming and woodland sauna sessions. Speakers and facilitators include international bestselling author and spiritual teacher Rebecca Campbell, Sacred Business author Nikki Trott, and Tasha Elena, founder of Land, Food and Medicine, alongside storytellers, growers, artists, healers and practitioners. Residential tickets include meals, workshops, sauna access and accommodation, with limited day tickets available.

medicinal and wild-tended foods, self-care rooted in the landscape – often with a visiting practitioner. And for those wishing to escape just for the day, the estate also offers its Slow Sundays. The invitation is simple: come as you are, and spend a relaxed few hours reconnecting with nature, each other, and the elements. The day centres around fire and water, with guests meeting in the forest glade, and returning there for lunch, cooked over an open flame and using ingredients organically grown and foraged from the land. From there, the pace is entirely yours: take a wild swim in the lake, ease into the wood-fired sauna, or simply rest and restore on land that has been given the very same permission.

However you choose to visit – for a day, for a stay – 42 Acres is a rare breathing space that leaves you feeling deeply restored, quietly inspired, and beautifully reconnected to the wild world.

For more: www.42acres.com Nick Woodhouse is the co-director of interior and garden design company Woodhouse and Law at 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

clockwise from top left: Despite its name, there’s around 173 acres of estate land; 42 Acres offers vegetarian wild dining experiences; enjoy a leisurely Sunday lunch in the company of old and new friends; explore ancient woodland and the 11 acre lake; retreats and stays are available; team members in the permaculture produce garden

SPONSORED CONTENT

BREAKING THE RECORD Jamie Skinner and Meg Abernethy-Hope will attempt to set a new world record while raising £5,000 for 2 charities.

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tarting at 9am on Saturday 12th September 2026, the pair will broadcast continuously from Somer Valley FM for more than 31 hours, as they attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Longest Radio Interview.

The current record stands at 30 hours and 25 minutes, set in Tanzania by Tumaini Mwenesi and Nickson Minja.

Somer Valley FM is creating a dedicated pop-up station for the attempt, broadcasting live on DAB across Bath, Midsomer Norton and the surrounding area, as well as streaming online worldwide.

Jamie and Meg will remain in the studio throughout, discussing a wide range of topics as they aim to keep the conversation going beyond the 31-hour mark. The challenge aims to raise £5,000, split equally between two charities.

Meg has chosen BillyChip, the homelessness and social outreach charity she co-founded in

FRESH THINKING OVER A FINE LUNCH

Unmissable social business event with insightful interview and superb array of attendees

memory of her late brother Billy. It provides tokens that can be given to people experiencing homelessness and exchanged for food and drinks at participating outlets.

Jamie is supporting Beyond, a youth mental health charity helping young people access mental health support through schools, workshops and personalised support.

Meg is an actor, model and charity advocate who received a Diana Award for her work with BillyChip. Jamie is a radio presenter, film journalist and interviewer who has contributed to Film Stories, Picturehouse and BBC local radio.

Listen: somervalleyfm.co.uk Donate: gvwhl.com/RMFTW

Speaker opportunities available now…

Let’s talk

Sponsored by:

If you would like to get involved, email Claudia.butler@mediaclash.co.uk

B E PA RT OF TH E CON V E R S AT IO N

The challenge begins at 9am on Saturday 12th September, with Jamie and Meg hoping to make history while raising vital funds for two charities, BillyChip and Beyond.

www.billychip.com | www.wearebeyond.org.uk

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Emma Goldsmith Independent Nurse Prescriber A nurse-owned, award-winning, discreet boutique clinic located in the heart of Frome, Somerset.

Proudly a WINNER of Boutique Skincare Clinic SouthWest by Prestige Awards, nominated Safety in Beauty Award and nominated International Aesthetics Award for Rising Star.

www.thebabingtonclinic.com

THE OLD BELL HOTEL

CLARE MORRISROE visits the oldest hotel in England – but does this 13th century Malmesbury inn stand the test of time?

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he Old Bell Hotel is a beautiful Grade I listed building, believed to be the oldest inn in all of England. Yet its owners are American antique dealers. Texan, in fact.

So one could be forgiven for worrying the recent renovation might see this historic building stuffed with suits of armour, medieval paintings and tapestries galore. Or worse, given a Disney-style makeover.

Thankfully, Kim and Whit Hanks have impeccable taste, as well as a respect for originality, authenticity and history. The Malmesbury inn has been accommodating guests since 1220. Next door to a magnificent Saxon abbey that dates back to the 7th century, everything about it, from leaded bay windows, ivy-clad walls and in keeping with the rich, lush Wiltshire surrounds, says considerate conservation needed. There are traces of every century throughout the building, including a hooded stone fireplace in the bar, which dates to 1220.

This ancient South Cotswolds hilltop town is even the final resting place of King Athelstan, the first crowned monarch of England who was buried here 1,100 years ago. (Yes, I know, King Edgar, who had a formal coronation in Bath Abbey some 34 years later, might claim to be the first true monarch but it’s a close call!)

Kim and Whit bought the hotel in 2021, after Whit tracked his ancestral roots to Malmesbury, and the pioneering industrialist Walter Hanks who operated a mill on the River Avon, just below the hotel, in the late 1100s. The couple have delivered a wonderfully

66 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“A wonderfully whimsical take on quintessential English charm”

whimsical take on quintessential English charm. From the bold patterned wallpapers to the huge coloured glass chandeliers and overstuffed velvet sofas, the interiors are a feast for the eyes. Every inch is carefully curated with an eclectic mix of antiques, collected treasures and vibrant colours. There are even a couple of faux giraffe heads on the wall, waiting to greet you in the reception hall.

And it works. An ancient building like this could so easily be formal and stuffy. But it’s far from that, with quirks round every corner. There’s even a beach bar – yup, you heard that right – a Tyger Tiki bar that serves cocktails and leads to the charming courtyard garden, where you can soak up the summer sun.

In the cosy restaurant, we eat like royalty. I go for the pan-seared scallop, cooked in brown butter and served on a bed of punchy cauliflower purée, salty cubes of flavoursome pancetta and crunchy hazelnuts. My other half opts for the juicy jumbo prawns drizzled with shellfish oil and served with an airy seaweed focaccia.

For mains, it’s the delicate sea bass in a shellfish and saffron broth with mini potatoes, courgettes and samphire for me. My partner goes for the trio of corn-fed chicken served with herb barley and fresh greens from the hotel’s cottage garden. Both are absolutely exquisite tasting – fresh, beautifully balanced and perfectly cooked.

The hot sticky malt pudding with toffee sauce and malt ice cream for pudding feels very old English and apt. It’s hefty and satisfying. Keeping with the vintage theme, my other half has the Old Bell Peach Melba, which, in a contemporary twist, is deconstructed on a plate.

GREAT ESCAPE

After a stroll around the charming town – where there’s an old phone box now used as a mini greenhouse where locals can take tomatoes and swap cuttings – we head back for a nightcap in the bar, then bed.

The rooms are individually designed and blend historic charm with contemporary chic. Our room had a huge velvet headboard, quirky wallpaper, green tiled bathroom and an old-fashioned phone on the bedside table. There’s even a bed provided for our dog.

Our room overlooks the abbey – and in the morning we listen to church bells as we lie in bed reading The Sunday Times, which has been delivered to our room. A lovely old-fashioned touch – and so much better than the usually inevitable doomscrolling on mobile phones.

Breakfast is one of the best we’ve eaten. There’s plenty of choice, as well as the freshest, crispiest pastries, fruit and yoghurt. I’m tempted by the full-English but opt instead for avocado and poached eggs – the sourdough toast was piled with a citrus and chilli-laced whipped cottage cheese and the combination of tastes was simply mind-blowing. If you’re going to look for a test for the kitchen, then poached eggs are probably it. And the team passed with flying colours and runny yolks! The white is fully set and firm and the yellow centre, soft and warm.

We stay reading the supplements, munching on pains au chocolat washed down with piping hot café lattes as the bells peal and the sun shines through the open leaded windows. Sunday mornings don’t come more perfect than this and we’re in no hurry to leave.

It’s a real mark of this place that it is not just looking to please the passing residents like us; The Old Bell also feels like the beating heart of the town, with friendly locals enjoying a few tipples in the bar and sharing local knowledge, wisdom, and anecdotes. We were also so impressed by the service – fast and friendly – and, unusually, the majority of staff are young. In quieter towns like this, the youth often leave to find work in the big cities, but here, general manager Helen Bath works with local schools to showcase hospitality careers, and the hotel supports community events and local charities.

The Old Bell not only chimes out with ye olde world charm and a few contemporary quirks, but also has kudos with the locals, ensuring the genuineness and positivity of the hotel rings true. n

DINING DETAILS The Old Bell Hotel, Abbey Row, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 0BW. tel: 01666 822344; www.oldbellhotel.co.uk

Accommodation The Old Bell has 34 rooms and six townhouse suites, with prices starting at £195 with breakfast

Setting The Old Bell Hotel is a Grade I-listed building in the heart of Malmesbury, believed to be the oldest inn in England, with traces of every century throughout

Type of food Traditional hearty British classics many with an uplifting modern twist

Owned by Kim and Whit Hanks, who are founders of Whim Hospitality and also own Camp Lucy and Tillie’s Restaurant in Dripping Springs, Texas Established Kim and Whit purchased the hotel on 31 March 2021 after dicovering Whit had ancestral links to Malmesbury

Prices Starters £14–£22, mains £18–£38, desserts £8–£14 Covers 50 in Abbey Row restaurant, 30 in the lounge and 40 in Tyger bar seated Disabled access It is advised guests enquire beforehand In a nutshell Celebrates the past but with an energy and vision that speaks of now

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 67

FOOD AND DRINK The Hop Pole Inn publicans Hannah Randall and Charlie Rawlings with the new garden bug house

POLE POSITION Since reopening in 2025 after a seven-year

closure, The Hop Pole Inn in Limpley Stoke – owned by the local Limpley Stoke Community Benefit Society and run by Hannah Randall and Charlie Rawlings – has gone from strength to strength.

Now, in addition to an award-winning menu, there’s a new projector and screen in its community room, a revamped garden complete with skittles, and a bug house. The transformation is supported by a garden box from Pub is The Hub and funding from the Department for Business and Trade, who help volunteers maintain the green space.

Kate Dearden, the Minister of State in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, praised the projects, as well as the pub’s continued work: “Rural pubs like The Hop Pole Inn are vital. Our Hospitality Support Fund helps secure their future as community lifelines.”

For more: www.hoppoleinn.uk

IT’S SIMPLE Celebrated chef and author Yotam Ottolenghi will appear

at Bath Pavilion on 15 September in an event organised by Topping & Co Bookseller, to present his highly anticipated new cookbook, Simple Too. Building on the global success of the first volume Simple, this latest collection promises even more flavourpacked dishes with pared-down ingredients such as braised halloumi with tomatoes and smoky tomato and feta prawns.

Ottolenghi says, “We wanted to carve out a space that allows people to relax a little more in the kitchen.”

For more: www.toppingbooks.co.uk

Writer and chef Yotam Ottolenghi is heading to Bath

TAKING THE REINS AT THE BULL Acclaimed chef Liam Goldstone has been

appointed executive chef at The Bull at Hinton, a celebrated 17th-century inn on the Cotswold Way, by independent pub group Inn The Sticks. Goldstone, known for his ingredientled, seasonal menus at Bath’s The Elder and Goldstone Food, brings his passion for “simple dishes done well” to The Bull. He says, “I’m excited to work with the talented team and local produce to create honest, seasonal menus for both the pub and the community.”

For more: www.thebullathinton.co.uk

68 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Liam Goldstone, centre, with The Bull owners Mark Florey and Mark Holton

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Artist Jane Riley paints from her studio in Batheaston, where she works chiefly in oils, turning her eye to landscapes, portraiture, and the quiet theatre of everyday life. Her recent work includes Bath townscapes influenced

by L.S. Lowry, populating her compositions with figures that hint at a story. A Quiet Coffee captures exactly that instinct: two figures deep in conversation at a pavement table outside the Bath Coffee Company on Kingsmead Square, a third woman absorbed in her own world nearby, all rendered with the loose, confident brushwork and cool Bath-stone palette that define her street scenes.

Jane is also a member of the Bathampton

group of artists, where she paints rapid, on-thespot portraits during their annual exhibitions, and she serves as artist-in-residence at the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust in Midsomer Norton, producing paintings and prints inspired by the steam railway.

The weekend of 26 – 27 September, there’s the chance to see Jane’s finished pieces and work in progress when she opens her studio (Venue 5) to the public as part of the Batheaston Arts Trail.

See more talented contributors to the trail overleaf.

A Quiet Coffee by Jane Riley, £175, www.janerileyart.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 71

TOCO TOUCAN BY INKY BIRD, £65 FRAMED Inky Bird make beautiful, bright bird screen prints to create framed and unframed prints, greetings cards, handcrafted notebooks, pencil cases and other small gifts.

Venue 8; www.inkybirdart

LIDDED JAR BY MONOGRAPHIS CERAMICS, £85 Polished white porcelain with gloss yellow inner glaze.

Venue 8; www.monographis.co.uk

TRAILBLAZING Batheaston Art Trail returns 26 – 27 September, bringing with it a brilliant display from the local artists

WAKENING SPRING II BY SHAY PARSONS, £350 A shimmering photographic depiction of sunlight on water in early spring.

Venue 7; www.shayparsons.com

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE BY JO HILL, £350 Mixed media textiles created by combining painting with textile collage and stitching.

Venue 7; www.johilltextiles.co.uk MIGRATION BY ROB GRIEVE, £55 An original hand-printed jigsaw linocut based on the activity of birds in a park surrounded by high-rise modern buildings.

Venue 8; Instagram @robgrieveart 72 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

EDITOR’S CHOICE IN HIS TOWER – LONDON BY AMANDA JANE GRENVILLE, £4,123.50 This portrait is one of a larger collection, When the Muse turns Artist, first exhibited at Chelsea Arts Club, London, last year.

Venue 4; www.abovethemarkcoaching.com

FONTANA DELLA SPERANZA BY TIN CITY, £180 A recycled media piece inspired by the street fountains of Rome.

Venue 7; www.tincitylovesu.com

COVERACK. LOW TIDE, FADING LIGHT BY BRENT KING, £150 This painting was developed from an early morning sketch while on holiday in Cornwall and finished it later in the artist’s studio using acrylic and oil pastel.

Venue 9; Instagram @brentk20

SHAPES THAT I KNOW SERIES

BY CLARE DAY, £350 EACH These two wall pieces are reduction fired stoneware from a series of works made responding to a stay at the Mawddach artist's residency.

Venue 12; www.claredayceramics.com

A MOMENT IN TRANQUILITY BY JAN FISHER, £20 The artist loves experimenting with linocut and paper cut elements, sometimes using a digital process to bring together the different elements of the illustration.

Venue 8; www.janfisher-illustrator.com

The Batheaston Art Trail may be only six years old, but it has already grown into one of the area’s most popular art events. Around 52 artists are opening their doors to exhibit and sell a wide range of mediums, from oils to illustration to sculpture. Along with the chance to meet the makers and discover new work, there will also be free, family-friendly workshops to help engage the next generation of art lovers.

For more: www.batheastonarttrail.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 73

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MEET THE WEDDING EXPERT From photobooths and cocktail bars to original vows and telling your story, we chat to the experts who can make your wedding day truly special

MELT WEDDINGS www.meltweddings.com

How would you describe your signature style and specialty?

Relaxed, creative and considered. We love taking an idea and producing something fun and memorable, ensuring that each detail has a purpose. Bespoke builds and production are our specialty: Each wedding we help our couples create is unique and meaningful to them. We often design and build personalised installations and bespoke builds, our in-house production and Workshop teams turn ambitious (and sometimes slightly wild) ideas into something incredible! What we love is that many of our creations then become focal points for each wedding.

Tell us about a fun wedding you’ve been involved with A team favourite was a wedding for a couple with roots in Bath.

Their goals were simple: create something memorable and throw a hell of a party – our dream. We built a bespoke 6ft x 8ft Vogue-style photo booth, styled as an oversized, glossy magazine cover, with personalised print, draping and lighting. Our sister company, Melt Productions, took care of the stand-out production and Melt Bars took the reins on the bar service and themed cocktails! (We love it when all three arms of our business can collaborate on one celebration!)

What’s your best advice for a couple?

Stop stressing over traditions and trends. Intentional spending is incredibly important, especially when it comes to managing your budget. Prioritise what you and your guests will genuinely experience, remember and enjoy, that also reflects you as a couple... after all, isn’t that all that really matters?

CELEBRANT JANE ROQUES-SHAW www.janeroques-shaw.com

What’s the best bit of advice you could give a couple?

Choose a celebrant-led wedding. Before the champagne is poured, the speeches begin, and the dance floor fills, there is one moment that shapes everything that follows. The moment your favourite people come together, your story is shared, and the emotional tone of the entire wedding day is set. As an independent celebrant, I spend time really getting to know my couples – how they met, the life they’ve built together, the people who matter most to them, what makes them laugh, what they’ve overcome, what they love and admire about each other, and what drives them a little mad.

And on the day itself, my job goes beyond the words. I’m looking after all the little things happening behind the scenes, so the only thing my couples need to think about is each other and being completely present for one of the most extraordinary moments of their lives.

How would you describe your signature style?

I’m inspired by tradition but never constrained by it. My ceremonies are modern, deeply personal and effortlessly stylish, with plenty of warmth, humour and heart.

FIRST PRESS HOSPITALITY

www.firstpresshospitality.com

What is it that you love about working on weddings?

Every marquee wedding starts with an empty field. By twelve o’clock there’s a working kitchen, a full team and a restaurant that exists for one night only.

Then it’s gone. Creating something that temporary for one special day is the thrill — and the food does the rest, pulling everyone together.

How have weddings changed in the last few years?

Couples want the reassurance of a package, but they want it to sound like them. We build menus around food that means something to them, so their story runs through the day.

What’s the best bit of advice you could give a couple?

Pick up the phone earlier than feels comfortable. Most couples research quietly for months, but ten minutes on a call tells you far more about a supplier than any brochure — and always book a tasting. It’s the only way to know you’re all imagining the same day.

PHOTO: VENETIANORRINGTONPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

CITY TAILORS

www.citytailors.co.uk

What’s the most memorable wedding emergency you’ve rescued?

A bride came to us just three days before her wedding after her dress had been cut too short. We had to think creatively and rethink the design completely, so we created and added a new waistband to restore the length. It actually transformed the dress and, surprisingly, improved the overall look. She collected it the day before the wedding absolutely over the moon. Those are the jobs you remember!

What’s the biggest mistake people make with wedding outfits?

Leaving alterations too late. Even small changes can completely transform how an outfit looks and feels, from getting the hem and sleeves right to making sure everything sits comfortably. Give yourself enough time to get the fit right, rather than trying to squeeze alterations in at the last minute.

If you were getting married tomorrow, what would matter most?

Comfort! You should be able to sit, eat, walk and dance without thinking about your clothes. The perfect outfit isn’t just about how it looks – it needs to feel right too. If the fit is right and you feel comfortable, you can forget about the outfit, relax and enjoy the day. After all, that’s what it’s really about.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 75

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PRODUCTS WITH PURPOSE How BRAMLEY is raising the bar for responsible business What was it that drew you to the B Corp movement?

At Bramley, looking after people and planet has always been part of who we are. We wanted to challenge ourselves against the highest standards of responsible business and B Corp gave us the framework to do that, and to keep improving.

What makes the B Corp certification process unique?

It looks at the whole business, from how we treat our people and work with suppliers to our environmental impact and governance. It’s rigorous and challenging, making certification much more than a badge. For us, when the answer to every question is “does this align with our values?”, decision-making becomes remarkably straightforward.

What is the most rewarding element of being part of the B Corp movement?

Being part of a community of businesses that

believe commercial success and positive impact can go hand in hand. It’s inspiring to share ideas, learn from others and be held accountable to doing better.

What is your ambition as a B Corp and what are your future commitments?

We want to keep raising the bar; from recyclable packaging and compostable refill pouches to supporting our people and reducing our environmental impact. We were amongst the pioneers of the refill movement in 2009, and we want that same spirit of innovation to shape what comes next. n

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EDUCATION SPECIAL

NORLAND MAKES HISTORY THE LEGENDARY BATH HIGHER EDUCATION PROVIDER BECOMES THE WORLD’S FIRST UNIVERSITY DEDICATED TO EARLY CHILDHOOD

LEARNING CURVES

Jo Stoaling on being the head of Three Ways

TECHNICAL ISSUE

Victoria Bond discusses the power of the practical

CHANGING FUTURES

Bath Rugby Foundation on its education programmes

TOP MARKS

Local educational institutions share their A*** achievements

below: Norland now offers the opportunity to study at the world’s only university dedicated to early childhood;

NETWORK

inset: The degree offers a fourth year in paid employment sourced and supported by Norland

A UNI FIRST After training nannies for nearly 135 years, Norland has been granted university status

B

ath’s historic Norland College has become Norland University of Early Childhood as of 7 September this year after being granted university status by the Office for Students. The specialist higher education provider, which was founded in London in 1892 by education pioneer Emily Ward, will be the world’s first university dedicated to early childhood. The new title marks a major milestone for the gold-rated institution, which has spent almost 135 years training early years professionals and Norland Nannies.

Leaders say university status will allow Norland to strengthen its role in education, research and professional practice, while raising

the status and value of the early childhood sector.

Norland’s degree programme combines academic study with practical skills and workplace experience. Students on the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education and Care degree also complete the skills-based Norland Diploma, including more than 1,200 hours of placements in schools, nurseries, hospitals, specialist settings and family homes.

The institution also supports students through a fourth year in paid employment sourced by Norland, as well as access to its dedicated employment agency, which places fully qualified graduate Norland Nannies with children and families around the world.

University status will also support Norland’s postgraduate ambitions, including a new MA programme about to launch. The course will

include specialisms in supporting behaviour, food and nutrition, sleep, and home-based pedagogy and care, aimed at early childhood professionals seeking leadership, practice development and policyfocused roles.

Dr Janet Rose, principal of Norland University of Early Childhood, says, “Achieving university title is a landmark moment for Norland and for the field of early childhood education and care. Becoming Norland University of Early Childhood strengthens our ability to advance research, connect knowledge and skills with practice, extend our influence on policy and professional standards, and help shape the future of early childhood for generations to come.”

“UNIVERSITY STATUS… STRENGTHENS OUR MISSION TO ELEVATE THE STATUS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE”

Dr Rebecca Digby, Norland vice principal, adds, “Early childhood is one of the most formative periods of human development, laying the foundations for lifelong learning and wellbeing. University status places Norland on the global stage as a centre of excellence, strengthening our mission to elevate the status of early childhood education and care.”

Norland has held degree awarding powers since 2019, which were made indefinite in 2025. It was rated gold in all aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework in 2023, placing it in the top 12 per cent of providers nationally, alongside Oxford and Cambridge universities. It has also been named UK Specialist Institution of the Year in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards from 2023 to 2026, and is home to what is considered to be the world’s first research centre and journal dedicated to homebased early childhood education and care.

For more: www.norland.ac.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 81

THE A STARS

Our local educational organisations share accomplishments, achievements, and accolades

F

rom national recognition to local success stories, schools, educational organisations and universities across our region continue to shine.

This year’s achievements reflect not only academic excellence but also the care, creativity, and commitment that help students thrive.

Here, we celebrate the A stars making education across Bath and surrounds truly exceptional.

University of Bath’s Gold Scholarship Programme is now ten years old

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

The University of Bath is celebrating ten years of its Gold Scholarship Programme, launched as part of the university’s 50th anniversary celebrations to support students from lower-income and under-represented backgrounds. Since then, the flagship programme has helped more than 500 students access university, build connections and develop confidence for life after graduation.

Available to students with a household income of £30,000 or below, the programme offers up to £5,000 per year of study, alongside mentoring, networking, volunteering opportunities, placement support and employability coaching.

For graduate Rachelle Wabissa, the scholarship was transformative. “For the first time in my life, I could just throw myself into my education,” she says, describing the programme as “a golden ticket”.

Professor Cassie Wilson, pro-vice-chancellor for student experience, says, “Gold combines financial support with a caring and inclusive community, creating opportunities for students to develop skills, build connections and discover what they can achieve.”

For more: www.bath.ac.uk

HAPPY DAYS

The new Bath City Football Club shirt created by Bath Spa University student Callum Crowther

CREATIVE GOAL

Bath Spa University, the city’s professionally creative-focused university, recently won Best Marketing Campaign at the 2026 Creative Bath Awards for its Bath City FC Third Shirt project. As sponsors of Bath City Football Club, the university worked with the club to create a unique third shirt for the 2025/26 season. More than 25 students entered a competition to design the shirt, with the winning concept created by Sports Media Production student Callum Crowther.

Callum’s black-and-gold design incorporated a skyline of Bath and a traditional Roman pattern, celebrating both the city and the club’s heritage.

He says, “I wanted to make a shirt that isn’t too over the top, one that isn’t too vibrant, yet stands out. Adding the city map covers a lot of the shirt while still being subtle, and the colourway of black and gold works really well together.

“It’s an amazing feeling to have won the competition and seen my concept come to life.”

For more: www.bathspa.ac.uk

82 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Sexey’s School and Sixth Form, the co-educational state boarding school located in Bruton, was recently named the happiest secondary school in Somerset by The Sunday Times. Sexey’s, with a score of 98 per cent, ranked in the top 2 per cent of all secondary schools in the UK and first for schools in Somerset and North Somerset.

The Sunday Times conducted an analysis of five years of data from Ofsted’s Parent View surveys, focusing on parental feedback regarding student happiness. The Times only used data from secondary schools with at least 500 pupils and 100 parent submissions, ensuring that the rankings reflect meaningful and representative feedback.

“This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire school community,” says headteacher Steve Clayson. “At Sexey’s, we believe that happiness and well-being are the foundations of academic success, and we are committed to offering an environment where every student can flourish.”

For more: www.sexeys.somerset.sch.uk Sexey’s students are officially the happiest in Somerset

EDUCATION St Mark’s CofE School was recognised

by Ofsted for its ‘strong standards’

HIGH STANDARD

St Mark’s CofE School, the co-educational, inclusive secondary school in Larkhall, was recognised for its strong standards following an Ofsted inspection in March this year. The report highlighted a school community where pupils genuinely thrive, supported by ambitious expectations, a broad curriculum and a warm, family atmosphere.

Inspectors awarded the school a ‘Strong standard’ across key areas including achievement, inclusion, curriculum, personal development and leadership. The recognition was especially meaningful for the school, validating staff dedication to creating an inclusive, stable environment where all pupils are fully integrated and encouraged to achieve highly.

“I could not be more proud of the St Mark’s community,” says headteacher Mrs Clare England. “Our staff and students showed the Ofsted inspectors what a fantastic school this is and highlighted how what we do every day leads to fantastic outcomes.”

For more: www.st-marks.org.uk

SPORTING HIGHS

Beechen Cliff, the high-achieving state day and boarding school for boys in Years 7 to 11, with a mixed Sixth Form, has celebrated a year of significant national sporting success. Across the 2025/26 academic year, the school’s U15 cricket and rugby teams both reached the quarterfinals of their national cup competitions for the first time, while pupils also enjoyed local cup success in rugby, football and tennis. At first team level, Beechen Cliff Rugby 1st XV won its first RFU ACE League title, winning nine out of ten games and finishing the season with a resounding 54–14 victory over Loughborough College.

The achievement reflects Beechen Cliff’s commitment to providing an exceptional all-round education, combining high academic standards with an impressive range of extra-curricular opportunities. Its partnership with Bath Rugby continues to go from strength to strength, offering students a successful pathway to develop their rugby alongside high-quality education.

Headmaster Tim Markall says, “We are incredibly proud of this achievement and the successes of our students, which is testament to their hard work and commitment. More importantly though, significant numbers of pupils have represented the school in many different sports and activities throughout the year.

“With more than 350 sports fixtures taking place across all year groups, Beechen Cliff will continue to support high levels of participation through sporting partnerships and beyond.”

For more: www.beechencliff.org.uk Beechen Cliff has had a year of considerable sporting success

King Edward’s School has been named Independent Secondary School of the Year in the South West

EXCELLENCE RECOGNISED

King Edward’s School (KES), the independent, co-educational day school for pupils aged three to 18, was named Independent Secondary School of the Year in the South West by The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026, which recognised the school’s outstanding academic outcomes alongside its commitment to pupil wellbeing, personal development and preparing young people for life beyond the classroom. The school also retained its position as the leading co-educational independent school in the region in The Sunday Times league tables.

This recognition was reinforced by the findings of the school’s most recent Independent Schools Inspectorate inspection. KES was awarded a rare Significant Strength, with inspectors praising the way pupils become “curious, resilient, kind, compassionate and responsible members of the school community”, and highlighting the strong sense of belonging and support that underpins school life.

Headmaster Martin Boden says, “These endorsements reflect something that has always been at the heart of KES: the belief that wellbeing and happiness provide the foundation for achievement. We want every young person to feel known, valued and supported, so that they have the confidence to be ambitious, the curiosity to explore new opportunities and the character to make a positive contribution to the world around them.”

For more: www.kesbath.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 83

CLASS ACTS

WorldSkills UK finalist Alex Huggins (right) receives his award

SKILL SET Bath College is celebrating after refrigeration apprentice Alex Huggins reached the WorldSkills UK Finals 2026. Alex, who is completing a building services apprenticeship, will compete in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps competition this November at Cardiff and Vale College. His success follows a competitive national selection process, with only the most skilled apprentices progressing to the final stage.

Representing both Bath College and his employer, Cotswold Vale Refrigeration Limited, Alex will compete alongside some of the UK’s top RACHP engineers. The

WorldSkills UK competition is regarded as a hallmark of quality in technical education and training, testing finalists through practical and theoretical challenges including system installation, commissioning, fault finding and safe working practices.

“It’s fantastic to support Alex throughout his journey and watch his confidence, knowledge and skills grow,” says Ebner Heatley, employer engagement manager at Bath College. “Seeing him progress to the WorldSkills UK Finals is incredibly rewarding and a testament to his dedication and commitment to excellence.”

For more: www.bathcollege.ac.uk

PITCH PERFECT

Young footballers from Moorlands Schools Federation are celebrating a record-breaking year after securing five major footballing victories across the academic year.

The mixed football team won the Bath & North East Somerset Cup with a 2-1 victory against Weston All Saints Primary School, having already been crowned champions of the B&NES Invitational League. Their “double” marked a school first, adding to previous cup successes since 2019. Earlier in the year, the Year 3 and 4 footballers also won the B&NES and District competition. Moorlands’ girls’ team added further silverware, becoming County Champions before winning the B&NES Plate with a 2-0 victory against Combe Down Primary School.

“We’re ever so proud once again of the fabulous sporting achievements of the children of Moorlands,” says Louisa Sellars, executive head teacher. “It’s clear that they have been exemplifying the school values of never giving up and achieving their best. Congratulations to both teams for their outstanding wins this term. We see some future football stars in the making!”

For more: www.moorlands-school.org Moorlands Federation School winning football teams with coach Mark Gunning.

xx I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Director of performing arts at Monkton School RICHARD MAINWARING has just had What’s All That Noise? published by Hachette. It is a science and music illustrated book for 7–10 year olds, and described as “a spectacular wayin to understanding sound waves, volume, frequency, rhythm, and music composition.”

What’s All That Noise?

It also has an accompanying playlist of soundscapes and tracks, accessed via a QR code on the contents page, featuring tracks that play rats’ whiskers (did you know they’re tuned to a strange musical scale?) and the sound of the world’s loneliest whale. www.richardmainwaring.com Bath educator JOEY JAMES has launched Friday Brain Building Club, a weekly subscription sending screen-free activity sheets for children aged 7–11.

Designed to build literacy, numeracy, problem-solving and logical thinking, the low-cost club also donates printed sheets and pencils to schools supporting disadvantaged pupils.

“As both a parent and an educator, I could see a gap between boring worksheets that feel like homework and screen time that often lacks real educational value,” Joey says. “I wanted to create something children would genuinely enjoy and actively choose to do Fun worksheets while quietly building the knowledge and thinking skills that underpin success, in school and beyond.” www.fridaybb.com Bath psychologist and mum DR EMMIE FULTON has launched Hero Cards, a psychology-based tool helping children aged 6–12 build emotional resilience, confidence and coping skills. The 49-card pack uses CBT-informed stories, emotions and “superpowers” to support families and schools.

“Emotional strength is a skill and we can teach it,” explains Emmie.

“After years of working with adults Hero Cards struggling with unhelpful thinking patterns, I realised how important it is to give children these tools early, before difficulties start. Hero Cards turns evidence-based psychology into something simple, playful and accessible for every family.” www.loveherocards.com

EDUCATION St Gregory’s received ‘Outstanding’ for the third consecutive inspection

SMART THINKING

Stonar School, the independent day and boarding school in Wiltshire for pupils aged two to 18, is celebrating national success after winning the Innovation Award in the Year 7–9 category at the PA Raspberry Pi Competition UK. A team of six pupils from Years 8 and 9 won the award for Budd-Ai, a smart sensory-support system designed to help pupils who experience sensory overload in busy classrooms. The device uses sensors to monitor noise, light, movement and environmental conditions, helping to create a more inclusive learning environment for pupils with autism, ADHD and sensory processing needs.

The judges recognised the project for its originality, technical excellence and real-world impact. The award was especially significant as it was won in the competition’s most competitive category, attracting the highest number of entries nationwide. Alongside the trophy, the team also secured £1,000 for the school.

Mr Cole, head of computer science, says, “Winning such a prestigious national award in the competition’s toughest category is a testament to the creativity, determination and teamwork the pupils demonstrated throughout the project.”

For more: www.stonarschool.com A team of six Stonar pupils won the Innovation Award at the PA Raspberry Pi Competition UK

TRIPLE TRIUMPH

Saint Gregory’s Catholic College, the Roman Catholic co-educational secondary school with a sixth form based in Odd Down, is celebrating an Outstanding judgement in every area from the Catholic Schools Inspectorate for the third consecutive inspection. Inspectors praised Saint Gregory’s exceptional pastoral care, ambitious teaching and strong sense of belonging, describing an inclusive school where every child is known, valued and encouraged to flourish academically, personally and spiritually.

Headteacher Melissa George says, “Receiving Outstanding for the third consecutive inspection is something our whole community can celebrate.

It reflects the dedication of our staff, the support of our families and, above all, the wonderful young people who make St Gregory’s such a special place to learn.”

For more: www.st-gregorys.org.uk

Kingswood’s production of The Addams Family was a triumph

SPOTLIGHT SUCCESS

Kingswood, the co-educational day and boarding school on Lansdown Road, offering education from nursery to sixth form, is celebrating the success of its Junior Production of The Addams Family.

Staged in June, the production proved to be an outstanding triumph and one that will live long in the memory at Kingswood. Despite an unprecedented heatwave disrupting the performance schedule and forcing a six-day gap between opening night and the final two performances, the cast and crew returned with remarkable professionalism and enthusiasm to deliver three superb shows.

“Productions of this quality are never the result of individual performances alone,” says Jo Brayton, director of Drama. “They are built on months of commitment, teamwork and countless hours of rehearsal from pupils and staff alike. The Addams Family showcased not only the exceptional talent within Kingswood, but also the spirit, humour and sense of community that make school productions so special.”

The Kingswood music and drama departments will next stage a whole-school musical performance of Oliver! in February 2027.

For more: www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk

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EDUCATION Prior Park Paragon is a new development for Bath’s leading independent schools

EXCITING NEW CHAPTER

SERVING SUCCESS

St Mary’s Calne, the boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 in the heart of Wiltshire, is celebrating the success of its tennis academy after receiving a highly commended LTA Excellence Award.

The recognition followed the academy’s nomination in the prestigious School of the Year category and came after it was named Wiltshire County School of the Year, further cementing St Mary’s Calne’s reputation as one of the region’s leading centres for school tennis.

Judges praised the academy’s thriving and inclusive approach.

More than 180 pupils, over half the school community, take part in a programme delivering more than 200 individual lessons each week, alongside group coaching, PE, team practices, Cardio Tennis, competitive fixtures and school competitions.

Head Anne Wakefield says, “Our tennis academy is outstanding, so it was super to hear this was endorsed by the LTA. Receiving an LTA Excellence Award after being nominated in the School of the Year category is a wonderful achievement for everyone involved.”

For more: www.stmaryscalne.org

PHOTO BY ANNA BARCL AY

Prior Park Schools has announced that The Paragon School will become Prior Park Paragon from this September, marking an exciting new chapter for two of Bath’s leading independent schools.

The change reflects the increasingly close relationship between Prior Park Paragon and Prior Park College, which have been part of the same school family for more than 20 years. Together, the two schools will offer a connected educational journey from age three through to Sixth Form, across two distinctive campuses in Bath.

For families, the move creates a clearer and more seamless pathway through their child’s education. Pupils completing Year Six at Prior Park Paragon will no longer need to sit the traditional 11+ entrance examination to progress to Year Seven at Prior Park College. Instead, they will continue within one school community, supported by shared values, expertise and a commitment to knowing every child as an individual.

“This is a hugely exciting moment for our school community,” says Malcolm Bond, head of Prior Park Paragon.

“This next chapter allows us to build on those foundations and create an even stronger sense of connection and belonging for our pupils as they grow.”

For more: www.priorparkschools.com

Royal High School Bath is thrilled at its students’ A level success

St Mary’s Calne tennis academy received a highly commended LTA Excellence Award

FORWARD THINKING

Royal High School Bath is celebrating another year of exceptional Sixth Form success, with Year 13 students achieving outstanding results across both A Levels and the IB Diploma. This year, 53 per cent of all grades were awarded at A or A* including IB equivalents, while almost 90 per cent were graded A–C. The school’s IB Diploma cohort also achieved an impressive average score of 37 points, significantly above the global average.

Among the standout achievements, headgirl Jemima will read history at the University of Oxford, while Hilda, who joined the school in Year 7 from China, achieved three A*s and two As and will study economics at King’s College London.

The school’s head, Ms Heidi-Jayne Boyes, says, “What stands out is the breadth of their success and the global nature of their next steps. Their achievements demonstrate the power of a girls only education that encourages every student to think boldly, pursue her passions and define success on her own terms.

“This cohort embodies the spirit of sisterhood at Royal High Bath. They have championed one another, led with integrity and contributed enormously to our community. We are excited to see the impact they will make in the future.”

For more: www.royalhighbath.gdst.net www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 87

EDUCATION Dauntsey’s was awarded one the highest ISI accolades available

SIGNIFICANT STRENGTH

Dauntsey’s is celebrating an exceptional inspection outcome after its recent Independent Schools Inspectorate inspection recognised both the breadth and quality of the school’s educational provision and the strength of the community at its heart.

Following a comprehensive inspection in April, Dauntsey’s was awarded ‘Significant strength’, the highest accolade available within the ISI framework and a distinction given only in exceptional circumstances.

The recognition was awarded for the development of pupils’ moral understanding and their commitment to serving their community, reflecting a culture that places character, compassion and responsibility alongside academic achievement.

The accolade comes during a year in which Dauntsey’s has also been shortlisted for TES Independent School of the Year, placing it among the leading independent schools in the country. “I am delighted with these findings and incredibly proud of our whole community,” says headmaster John Davies. “While it is gratifying to see the recognition of our academic and co-curricular provision, what stands out most is that the inspectors recognised something genuinely special about Dauntsey’s – the strength of our community.”

For more: www.dauntseys.org

Monkton Combe School was named Independent Boarding School of the Year

FULL HOUSE

Monkton Combe School, the independent co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged two to 18, is celebrating after being named Independent Boarding School of the Year.

The award recognised Monkton’s distinctive and fully integrated approach to day and boarding, with the school becoming the first in Bath to win an Independent School of the Year Award. At Monkton, day pupils are not simply pupils who leave at the end of the school day. They are fully part of the boarding community, with access to the same breadth of opportunities and experiences. As principal Bradley Salisbury explains, “The number of day students opting to return at weekends is a proud reflection of a boarding culture so engaging and welcoming that it attracts the entire school community.”

For more: www.monktoncombeschool.com

Hayesfield Girls’ School has partnered with Team Bath Netball

NET GAINS

Team Bath Netball has announced a new partnership with Hayesfield, which will see the girls’ school based in Upper Oldfield Park become one of the host training venues for Team Bath Netball’s Player Pathway squads during the 2026–27 season and beyond, creating stronger links between school, community and pathway netball.

Gemma French, head of PE at Hayesfield Girls’ School, says, “This partnership is a fantastic opportunity for our students and reflects our commitment to providing highquality sporting experiences and developing netball at Hayesfield. Having Team Bath Netball use our facilities for Player Pathway training will help strengthen the profile of netball within our school and give our students a greater awareness of the opportunities available to them within the sport. We hope it will inspire more girls to get involved in netball and continue playing throughout their school years and beyond.”

For more: www.hayesfield.com | www.teambath.com

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EDUCATION Downside Upper Sixth achieved great results

TOP GRADES

Downside School is celebrating another excellent set of A Level and BTEC results, reflecting pupils’ hard work, character and commitment. This year, 35 per cent achieved three or more A* or A grades, while more than a quarter of subjects were awarded exclusively at A* or A. As a non-selective school, the results mark a significant achievement.

Pupils have secured places at leading universities including St Andrews, Warwick, Edinburgh, Durham, UCL, Exeter, York and Cardiff. The Extended Project Qualification also shone, with 78 per cent achieving A* or A. Mike Randall, interim head, says, “Exceptional achievements such as these are worthy of celebration and represent part of a much broader story of ambition, perseverance and success across the year group.”

For more: www.downside.co.uk

left: An outstanding set of A level

results this year for Bath Academy;

below: Student Conrad with head

Tim Naylor

IMPRESSIVE RESULTS

Bath Academy, the private sixth form and independent college based on Queen Square, is celebrating an outstanding set of 2026 A-Level results, with 25.3 per cent of grades awarded A*/A and 46.8 per cent at A*-B. Across the cohort, 78.5 per cent of grades were A*-C, slightly above the national figure, while 23 out of 24 subjects achieved a 100 per cent pass rate.

French, Maths and Media Studies recorded 100 per cent A*/A grades, while resit students improved by an average of 1.4 grades per subject. So far, 92 per cent of students have secured places at their first-choice university, with many progressing to Russell Group, Times Top 20 and University of Bath destinations.

For more: www.bathacademy.co.uk

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EDUCATION GOLD STANDARD

Millfield School, the leading co-educational boarding and day school set in 250 acres in Somerset, is celebrating outstanding success at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, where 22 Millfield students and Old Millfieldians were selected to compete.

Millfield athletes secured a total of 15 medals across swimming, athletics and cycling, including two golds, seven silvers and six bronzes. Representing Jersey, Upper Sixth student Filip Nowacki won gold in the men’s 200m breaststroke and silver in the men’s 100m breaststroke, becoming the first Jersey athlete to win a Commonwealth Games medal in 36 years.

Old Millfieldian Jazmin Sawyers also claimed gold in the women’s long jump for Team England, while fellow former pupils James Guy, Elise Thorner, Kieran Bird, Lauren Bell and Matthew Richards all contributed to the medal tally for England, Wales and Scotland.

The achievement reflects Millfield’s reputation for combining exceptional academics with elite sporting pathways. The school has been named the UK’s Best Sports School for 12 years.

For more: www.millfieldschool.com Millfield School’s Filip Nowacki was a gold and silver winner at the 2026 Commonwealth Games

Pupils from St Margaret’s, Calne pupils competed in the FIRST Lego League UK National Finals

BUILDING BRIGHT FUTURES

St Margaret’s, Calne, the outstanding nursery and prep school for boys and girls aged 2–11 in the heart of Wiltshire, recently reached the FIRST Lego League UK National Finals. A team of eight pupils competed as ‘Lego Treasure Unearthed’ at the Harrogate Convention Centre, joining 67 teams from across the UK and around the world.

The competition challenged pupils through robot games, innovation presentations and teamwork activities. St Margaret’s impressed judges with its inventive ‘Multi-tool for Archaeologists’ project, while demonstrating confidence, communication and problem-solving skills throughout the event.

“For a team completely new to Lego League, and among the youngest competitors, our pupils represented the school with enormous pride,” says head of computing Mrs Mitchell. “It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm, teamwork and curiosity shine throughout. We are incredibly proud of everything they achieved.”

The achievement reflects the school’s commitment to specialist teaching and STEM education from an early age, with expert-led computing lessons encouraging pupils to think creatively, tackle complex challenges and build confidence in innovation and design.

For more: www.stmargaretscalne.org

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PHOTO BY NARRATED FRAMES; WWW.NARRATEDFRAMES.COM

The foundation works to help young people reconnect with education and gain confidence

Halena Coury, Lucy Slade and Jonno Wood of Bath Rugby Foundation celebrate the win at The Forum

BLA Q&A

BATH RUGBY FOUNDATION EDUCATION WINNER

“TRANSFORMATIVE, WIDE-REACHING, AND LONG TERM EDUCATIONAL OFFER”

SPONSORED BY THE JUDGES SAY

L

ucy Slade, communications manager at Bath Rugby Foundation, reflects on the children and young people’s charity’s growing education provision and its Bath Life Awards win.

“2025 was a significant year for Bath Rugby Foundation. Our alternative education provision had grown considerably, and we had our most comprehensive developments in our pathway of support to date, supporting children and young people who were struggling to engage with mainstream education.

“As an alternative provider, we work with young people who can often be at risk of being overlooked or left behind. Our role is to provide the social, emotional and practical support they need to re-engage with learning, rebuild confidence and find a pathway forward.

That might mean helping a young person who has completely disengaged from mainstream education or creating a different environment in which they can learn, feel safe, and begin to trust education again.

“Putting our Bath Life Awards application together was a valuable opportunity to stop and

92 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

reflect on how much our education provision has developed and, more importantly, the impact it is having on young people. Working in communications, I spend a lot of time telling the stories of our pathway of support and the young people we work with, but stepping back showed us just how many different ways our team is helping young people stay connected to education.

“Winning the Education category means a huge amount because it is the first time Bath Rugby Foundation has been recognised externally in the education sector in our community. It gives real credibility to the importance of alternative education and the role it can play in changing a young person’s future.

“Most importantly, though, it is recognition for our staff. They are the people who turn up every day, build relationships with young people who have lost trust in education, and help them take those small but incredibly important steps forward.”

For more: www.bathrugbyfoundation.com | www.bathlifeawards.co.uk

OPEN EVENING Tuesday, September 15th OPEN MORNING Friday, September 25th

Small School, Big Potential At St Mark’s, small classes, personalised learning and exceptional teaching help every student thrive. Our broad curriculum celebrates individual strengths, while enriching opportunities and tailored careers guidance prepare students for life beyond school.

With a strong family atmosphere and dedicated staff, every child receives the support, challenge and confidence to reach their full academic and personal potential.

St Mark’s School, Bath Bay Tree Road, Larkhall, Bath BA1 6ND T: 01225 312661 st-marks.org.uk E: info@stmarks.mnsp.org.uk

Read our report

LEARNING CURVES The school opened in 2007

Leading a school like Three Ways comes with tremendous highs, from celebrating the first time a pupil walks after intensive physiotherapy support to being privileged to hear a pupil’s first words after years of dedicated speech and language therapy support. Every milestone is celebrated.

JO STOALING

How a local holiday play scheme inspired the career of the THREE WAYS SCHOOL head teacher

J

o Stoaling is the head teacher at Three Ways School, a specialist school in Bath for pupils aged four to 19 with profound, severe and moderate learning and support needs.

As well as leading the education and operational effectiveness of the school, which has 266 pupils, her role includes overseeing 3 Cafe Kitchen, which is the school’s on-site work skills centre and community café, the Brighter Futures outreach service, and the development of two new specialist schools opening locally.

Tell us a little about the history of Three Ways School The school is the amalgamation of Limegrove Special School, The Royal United Hospital School and Summerfield Special School. It opened 19 years ago and provides education for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES).

What was your own educational path?

I attended the village primary school in Colerne before moving to Bath High School and then King Edward’s in Bath for sixth form. I went on to Homerton College, Cambridge, graduating with a BEd Hons with Qualified Teacher Status. I also hold the National Professional Qualification for Headship and have recently completed my National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership.

Were you always interested in going into teaching?

As a teenager I worked in the school holidays for the Bath Area Play Project (BAPP), which provides holiday playschemes for children and young people with SEND. This early work was a hugely important foundation.

It gave me direct experience of supporting children and young people with SEND and helped shape my commitment to specialist education.

Is BAPP still going?

Yes, and it now uses our school premises during the holidays, and I’m proud to still have a connection to their amazing work providing play opportunities across Bath.

Talk us through the motivation to becoming a headteacher I was inspired to become a school leader by my school team, who have always supported my oftencrazy ideas and worked tirelessly to provide a caring, fun and positive learning environment for our pupils. The pupils inspire me every day and are proud of their school. The pupil leadership team gives us great ideas for new initiatives and charity fundraising.

There must be both challenges and highs in your everyday work…

“FOCUSING ON WHAT WE CAN DO, RATHER THAN WHAT WE CAN’T DO, IS KEY”

…and some of the challenges?

Balancing the support needed and high staff ratios with current school budgets continues to be a challenge, but we are creative and always welcome the support of local businesses to provide extra special events and opportunities that our budget cannot always stretch to.

How are these issues tackled?

We work in partnership with an embedded multi-agency health team to ensure health and social care needs are met effectively.

We also focus on making every minute count, with fun, friendship, learning opportunities provided by skilled practitioners and laughter filling the building.

For pupils with life-limiting conditions, we work hard to ensure every day counts.

That must be tough emotionally…

It is tough and emotionally challenging supporting pupils who have complex health needs and life-limiting conditions, but the strength of our pupils, families and staff team is extraordinary.

How would you describe the school’s relationship with pupils’ families?

Being a parent or carer of a child with SEND can be emotionally challenging at times, which is why we invest in multi-agency practitioners and a family support practitioner to assist when needed. When a child starts with us at four years old and leaves at 19, we have worked with families for their child’s entire school journey, so those relationships are extremely important. We share the laughter and at times the tears, but throughout everything we try to focus on the positives and the joy our pupils bring. Focusing on what we can do rather than what we can’t do is key.

Tell us a little about the Three Ways team…

They are the school’s greatest strength – caring, resilient, supportive, and bring their musical, creative and sporting talents to school life. Each staff member is committed to achieving amazing outcomes for every single one of our pupils.

Is there someone in education you particularly admire?

I’d say our teaching assistants (TAs). Every day they support pupils to access their curriculum, support personal care and deliver therapeutically overseen programmes in partnership with speech and language, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and Thrive practitioners.

Specialist schools could not operate without TAs. I’d like to mention Joyce McCaughey, who, at 75 years old, worked as a TA at Limegrove School, then Three Ways, and still works as a bank TA for us to this day. Amazing people like Joyce are what make specialist settings thrive.

Any local collaborations you’d like to highlight?

AgencyUK, an integrated brand, communications and web agency based in Bath, which worked with our pupils to design the new specialist school logos and has provided work placements for our pupils. Every team member at AgencyUK has welcomed our pupils, and we are incredibly lucky to have their ongoing support.

Any developments imminent?

We are developing two new specialist schools. Charlton House in Keynsham is due to open in September 2027, and the old Culverhay School site will be redeveloped to become Green Ways Special School, in partnership with B&NES council.

I can’t wait to open both schools and provide more specialist placements for pupils with SEND in the area.

For more: www.threeways.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 95

Every Norland graduate has work experience and a real job to walk into

SCHOOL GUIDE VICTORIA BOND

A degree of difference As Bath’s Norland College gains university status, are vocational qualifications the future?

W

hen new Prime Minister Andy Burnham took over this summer, he set out his plan to put technical education on an equal footing with the academic. “Britain will value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap,” he said. Young people would get the respect they deserve whether they “choose construction, coding or classics.”

The PM is on a mission to wipe out NEETs. It’s estimated that one in eight 16 to 24 year olds are now Not in Education, Employment or Training, the first time the figure has topped a million since 2013. Part of the problem is a generation sold the idea that the only way is uni: that an academic degree, any degree, was the smart choice and technical qualifications were the sports day equivalent of playing for the C team.

This week one of the oldest

institutions in Bath has become the new kid on the block when it comes to championing practical, vocational training. Norland College, founded in 1892, has gained university status and is now Norland University of Early Childhood. The city’s beloved Norland nannies may wear brown crested felt hats rather than hard hats, but their worldclass students now gain a full BA (Hons). According to official government Discover Uni figures, newly qualified Norlanders earn up to £35,000, rising to £65,000 after five years, and the top roles can command six figures. Sniff at this as the underdog to a Russell Group undergrad if you dare.

Norland’s fees may not be a model of modern accessibility; the full course runs to over £50,000, but the structure is exemplary. More than 1,200 hours of hands-on placement, in nurseries, schools, hospital neonatal units and family homes,

and a final year spent in a paid post arranged by the college.

Every Norland graduate has real experience and a real job to walk into. Five of them, in fact, for every newly qualified nanny.

Training providers across the land could do worse than study this practically perfect blueprint.

The problem isn’t just lack of courses, however. We also need a shift in mindset.

Many of the parents I speak to say they love the idea of their children stepping off the traditional GCSE-Alevel-Uni conveyor belt: it’s soooo expensive; there are no jobs; AI is going to do everything clever anyway.

But in the next breath they ask me what makes an excellent UCAS personal statement. It’s educational NIMBY that is pushing up the NEETs. This is not finger pointing; I am just as guilty. And yet we are really not to blame. Education reforms rolled out in the early 2010s saw league tables tilt towards academic subjects and the arts

and the practical being quietly squeezed out. So the technical route came to feel like the lesser one. As part of the new national curriculum due to be rolled out from September 2028, technical pathways will be introduced from Year 10 (age 14), combining core subjects including maths and English with technical education, work experience, and employer projects. All of it tied to local industries and the growth sectors of the future: digital, clean energy and life sciences.

The world of work is changing and it’s vital we offer our children more than one door marked success.

“Newly qualified Norlanders earn up to £35,000, rising to £65,000 after five years”

Victoria Bond is the founder of School Guide and is now offering bespoke school consultations with a focus on Bath, Bristol and the South West.

Victoria offers a complimentary 15-minute introductory call.

Email: victoria@schoolguide.co.uk For more: www.schoolguide.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 97

SPONSORED CONTENT

WHY FAMILIES CHOOSE TO RELOCATE TO BATH A CITY THAT EDUCATES THE WHOLE CHILD

Ask any parent who has moved to Bath why they stayed, and the answer rarely starts with league tables. It starts with something harder to quantify: a sense that their children are safe, known, and free to become themselves ACADEMIC RIGOUR, BROADLY DEFINED Bath and the surrounding villages have long punched above their weight academically. The area’s schools, both state and independent, consistently produce outstanding exam results and Ofsted ratings, with strong STEM provision sitting alongside the arts and humanities.

But talk to families here and the conversation quickly moves beyond grades to something broader: an ethos of whole-child education that treats academic rigour as the foundation, not the finish line.

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM Walk through any local prep or senior school on a weekday afternoon and you’ll find as much energy on the touchline, in the art studio and on the drama stage as there is in the classroom. Rowing on the Avon, rugby on muddy pitches, basketball, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions across the Mendips, debating societies, orchestras, and sell out school productions – these aren’t extracurricular afterthoughts. They’re where children learn resilience, teamwork and the quiet confidence that comes from trying something difficult in front of other people.

Francesca Watson and Abbie Long

Compared with London, many families also find independent schooling here notably more accessible – a difference that opens up real choice between the excellent state and private options across the area, rather than one being decided by budget alone.

A COMMUNITY, NOT JUST A CITY There’s also a distinctly outward-looking, community-minded thread running through education here. Schools twin with local charities and volunteer alongside neighbours, and a genuine can-do ethos runs through everything from fundraising treks to local projects. The two universities in Bath add another dimension entirely – the sports facilities, lectures, arts and events are woven into community life, giving children (and their parents) a sense of ambition and possibility well beyond the school gates.

For families relocating, often from London or further afield, it’s this combination that draws them in: the safety of a slower pace, the ambition of excellent schools, and a community where children can try basketball on Tuesday, play the cello on Wednesday and still make it home for supper. Many describe it as a place where their children have had room to be genuinely well-rounded rather than simply well-scheduled.

It’s this quality of life, as much as the schools themselves, that continues to draw families to Bath and its surrounding villages, and why so many who visit for a school open day end up looking at what it might mean to actually live here.

For those of us who already live here, we know the privilege of raising children in a city where education reaches beyond grades and league tables, giving young people the freedom to discover their passions, develop their talents and discover who they are. So if you’re weighing up a move to Bath for the schools, the community, or simply the pace of life, Otters Home Search would love to hear from you. n

email: hello@ottershomesearch.com. tel: 07400 736436 / 07900 905764. www.ottershomesearch.com

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EDUCATION IS ABOUT MORE THAN GRADES State boarding and sixth form in Bruton, Somerset From £2,940 a term | No VAT 3-night, weekly & full boarding

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PROPERTY P L A C E S T O L I V E , W O R K A N D P L AY

above: Batheaston House is a classic Queen Anne residence;

below: The property combines 300 years of history with thoughtful restoration; bottom: One of four reception rooms

Residential

A GRAND AFFAIR A Grade II* listed Queen Anne residence is up for sale Set in approximately 1.15 acres overlooking the River Avon, Batheaston House is a seven-bedroom property that combines more than 300 years of architectural history with a comprehensive modern restoration. The house, in its present form, was largely created in 1712 when Henry Walters, then High Sheriff of Somerset, commissioned a symmetrical Bath stone façade overlooking the valley. An earlier house on the site dated back to the 1500s, with its surviving lower level now forming the Tudor basement.

The basement now forms the heart of the home, with a kitchen centred around a large working stone fireplace and vintage Electrikit AGA. It also includes a pantry, larder, media room, utility room, cloakroom, wine cellar and plant room. The landscaped grounds feature terraces, courtyards, topiary, an orangery, both a kitchen garden and cut-flower garden, Alitex greenhouse, potting shed and river frontage. A former coach house provides garaging, with a separately accessed one-bedroom annexe or home office above.

The main property consists of four reception rooms, four bathrooms and a series of period features, including high ceilings, sash windows with working shutters, original fireplaces, panelling, cornices and a central staircase. The ground floor offers formal and informal living spaces, including a drawing room opening onto the garden terrace, a morning room, dining room and garden room with concealed kitchen and bar.

“I think this is one of the finest houses to come to the market in the Bath area for some time,” says Sam Daniels, partner with Knight Frank, who is marketing the home with a guide price of £3.75 million. “We were fortunate enough to be involved in the previous sale, so I’ve followed the property for a number of years. The combination of exceptional architecture, fascinating history, breathtaking views and beautifully restored accommodation is incredibly rare. It manages to feel both grand and welcoming, and I honestly think it’s one of those houses that only comes along once in a generation.”

For more: Knight Frank; www.knightfrank.co.uk

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PROPERTY NEWS

Residential

REGENCY GEM

A Grade II-listed Regency townhouse overlooking Bath’s Royal Crescent is on the market for £3million with Strutt & Parker. No 1 Marlborough Buildings, a seven-storey end-terrace property dating from the 1780s, has undergone an extensive restoration led by Bath-based design and development company Suite 07.

The five-bedroom home includes five reception rooms, four bathrooms, landscaped gardens, two garages and views across the Royal Crescent and Royal Victoria Park.

The original Georgian features have been restored and incorporated into the interiors, with modern additions including a bespoke Smallbone kitchen with Gaggenau appliances and Bianco Eclipsia stone, as well as a gym and treatment room with an infrared sauna. The gardens were designed by Rosie Nottage and delivered by Selby Landscapes.

For more: www.struttandparker.com

Ma above: The perfect wine cellar and chill out zone; below: The property has its own infrared sauna; inset: Marlborough Buildings comes with gorgeous views across Victoria Park

There’s ‘wheel’ progress being made on creating safer roads in Bath

Transport

LINK ROADS

More than £70 million is being invested in walking, cycling and wheeling routes across the West, with Bath seeing major benefits from new safe links and crossings.

Work is currently progressing on Scholars’ Way and the Bath Quays Links to help create safer connections into the city centre. Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, says, “Active travel was a big part of our recent Transport Vision announcement, with a commitment to doubling our number of school streets by 2028 – making pick-up and drop-off times safer for more families. Walking, wheeling, and cycling are good for our health and good for our planet, so I’m delighted that we’re working together to invest in more improvements across our region.”

For more: www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk

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PROPERTY

A TALE OF RESTORATION The Lansdown Crescent home with Georgian grandeur, Grade I beauty, and grazing sheep

By Elsie Chadwick

L

ansdown Crescent has long been one of Bath’s great addresses, and No. 4 demonstrates exactly why. Raised high on Lansdown Hill, the crescent was built between 1789 and 1793 to designs by John Palmer, and remains one of the city’s defining pieces of architecture. Its whole conceit is the Georgian dream of countryside within the city – and standing before it, with sheep grazing on the protected pasture opposite, that dream still holds.

The house has been restored from top to bottom by its current owner, who has made something of a specialism of bringing Georgian townhouses back to life – seven of them in this part of Bath alone, including others on this very crescent.

It was the position of No. 4, though, that won her over. Set at the eastern end of the row, the house is thought to command the finest outlook of any on the crescent: an unbroken sweep across the city and hills beyond from the front rooms, and a gentler, greener view toward St Stephen’s Church from the back. Every restoration decision has favoured authenticity. Original cornicing and floorboards have been coaxed back to life, while handmade sash windows and shutters, reclaimed door furniture and period light fittings have quietly replaced the well-meaning but wrong-headed alterations of the last century.

As Matthew Pegler, marketing the property for Savills Bath, says, “The comprehensive and beautifully considered restoration of 4 Lansdown Crescent has created a home that not only honours but celebrates its Georgian heritage. The elegant interiors are coupled with some of the finest views Bath

106 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PROPERTY

has to offer, and despite its wholly rural feel, the city is just a short distance down the hill.”

Outside, the rear elevation has been carefully repointed, and the original wirework window baskets remade to the historic pattern – small details, but the kind that add up to something honest rather than merely pretty. Behind the house, a walled garden has grown soft and secretive with age: white wisteria, vines and climbing roses that have clearly been there a while, joined by newer planting chosen to keep the whole thing feeling leafy and unhurried. A gate at the far end opens straight onto the mews lane behind – a rare bit of practicality for a Georgian townhouse, and one that makes the garden feel less like a courtyard and more like a proper escape.

The restoration turned up its share of surprises, too – among them a mid-nineteenth-century pressing iron, found tucked into a basement fireplace, a small relic of the house’s working past hiding in plain sight. Spread across five floors, the accommodation is generous and genuinely liveable, built for family life rather than just admiring from the doorway. A butler’s kitchen, walk-in linen room, boot room and plant room see to the practical side of things, leaving the principal rooms free to do what Georgian rooms do best: entertain, and impress, without really trying.

Lansdown Crescent’s reputation, of course, precedes it. Its most celebrated resident was the novelist, collector and one of the richest men in England, William Beckford. In 1822 he bought both No. 20

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 109

PROPERTY

“The Georgian dream of countryside within the city” Lansdown Crescent and No. 1 Lansdown Place West – neighbouring houses split by a lane – and linked them with an arched bridge thrown across the gap. He then set about landscaping the hillside beyond into gardens climbing up to Beckford’s Tower, completed in 1827 and still one of Bath’s most recognisable landmarks. Not content there, he added Nos. 18 and 19 Lansdown Crescent to his collection in 1836.

It’s a history of ambition and eccentricity that still colours the crescent today – and at No. 4, that spirit meets a house properly restored for the century ahead, sheep and all.

110 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

HOUSE NUMBERS Guide price

£5.5million

Bedrooms

6

Bathrooms

4

Receptions

4

Built

1789–1793

Area

6,608 sq ft

Walled garden

1

Vaults

3

For more: Savills, 21 Milsom Street, Bath; www.savills.com

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PHOTO BY BEN REED

BATH LIVES

TOM DAVEY

The former chef turned artist on medium-rare fried eggs and the joys of being sketchy Tom Davey originally moved from Lancashire to study at Bath Spa University. He started a part-time chef role at River Cottage on Westgate Street. Over the years, and went full-time in the kitchen because he couldn’t make any money from painting. Tom has now finally managed to quit the kitchen and become a professional oil painter.

I come from quite an arty family. My grandma was a

lovely place to live. Otherwise, I’d probably go back to live.

I remember looking up Bath on an old box computer

debating whether or not I should move. My first impressions were definitely intimidating. How on earth was I supposed to make a living in a rich city painting pictures?

I often found that I would be turned away from galleries in my early 20s. I’m sure it was

brilliant artist who painted landscapes. My dad wanted to be a cartoonist, and he and my mum would have little drawing and still-life evenings around the kitchen table. My Maltese/Irish mum used to sing in operatics and would often be singing so loudly that people walking past the house would turn their heads to listen. My aunties on both sides of the family still produce and sell oil paintings or charcoal portraits.

my hair. I looked like Snape from Harry Potter but with a backwards hat on.

We lived so close to the seaside at Lytham St Annes

My style has definitely progressed over the years.

that a lot of my upbringing was spent walking along the beach with my two brothers. It’s almost unfortunate that Bath is such a

114 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The worst job I had was running a restaurant. All the

other chefs either left or were fired, and somehow, I ended up running the place. It was like Fawlty Towers! I was once asked for a medium rare fried egg. I once worked for Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall at River Cottage, which was certainly interesting.

My paintings went from being quite sketchy to much neater, and now somehow become sketchy again. I began Bath scenes with

“I’d do these weird little city scenes that would weigh a ton”

a lot more paint. Using a palette knife, I’d do these weird little city scenes that would weigh a ton.

I tried charcoals for years and have stacks of them on my shelves still. I actually now like busier scenes and try not to avoid things such as cars or bins.

windowsill and painting the distant view. I was lucky enough to see the sunrise every morning while having a coffee. I’m over in Batheaston now, which is nice and quiet. I climb Solsbury Hill probably three or four times a week.

My biggest achievement is probably pursuing my artist career. It’s by no means been

You get a very different view of the city if you can get up early enough to watch it. No

easy. I’d work 16-hour days in kitchens and then go out painting the next morning. There were plenty of times when it would have been easier to give up on painting and carry on with something more secure. It took me years of failing before things started to sell.

I overcame a giant anxiety disorder to stand in the street painting. We all suffer with it in

some form and facing the demons is unfortunately one of the only ways to get over it.

I won a Pete the Street charcoal in an auction once.

A tiny one of a man smoking a cigarette. It’s one of my most prized possessions – I keep it on the stairs to give me a kick to go out painting every morning.

I lived on Walcot Parade for about ten years, and I loved being so close to the city.

During lockdown, I spent a lot of time sitting at my window, feeding the pigeons on the

traffic. See the sun hitting the chimneys of all the old Georgian buildings. I love strolling around with my easel covered in paint trying to find a spot. But I think my favourite painting Bath moments are when it’s rained during the twilight hour – that’s when all the colours start pinging all over the place.

My dream would be to own a cosy little shop somewhere in Bath

where people could come and see my paintings.

It would be nice to have somewhere of my own, without having to rely on the gallery commission rate.

For more: www.tomdaveyart.com | Instagram @tomdaveyart