IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
St. James's Square, BATH, BA1 2TS

The north side of this rectangular square which has roads entering diagonally at each corner. Pevsner observes that it is "the most complete Georgian square in Bath", which is surprising until one remembers that Bath's most notable set pieces are crescents or terraces (or the Circus). Bowed ends, a pilastered and pedimented centrepiece, and accompanying arched windows. Identical to the south side. By John Palmer, 1790-93. Grade I listed.

We had just taken off from Victoria Park, flying roughly westwards.

Many of the houses in the Square hang up wreaths on their doors at Christmas. Two adjacent doors in particular seem to try to outdo one another every year for size and elaboration. Here is one of them with 2012's wreath.

Bath's answer to London's squares. "Exuding quiet taste and charm... In 1790 Sir Peter Rivers Gay leased the land (by then partly gardens to the Royal Crescent) to four craftsmen, who commissioned the architect John Palmer. To maintain quality, the lease specified that building costs should be at least ten thousand pounds. Work was complete by 1793. ... The railings [seen here] were restored in the 1990s" (Michael Forsyth, Pevsner Architectural Guide to Bath)

The hooks on the iron racks would have once been used by a nearby butchers' shop to hang game.

Mostly by John Palmer, c1790-93, but the far group up the hill by John Pinch, c1808. Grade II listed.

The east side of this rectangular square which has roads entering diagonally at each corner. Pevsner observes that it is "the most complete Georgian square in Bath", which is surprising until one remembers that Bath's most notable set pieces are crescents or terraces (or the Circus). Pedimented centre. The east, and west, sides are plainer. By John Palmer, 1790-93. Grade I listed.

Behind a couple of other trees on the left is a cherry tree, in the grounds of St. Andrew's School, which is currently threatened with being felled. There is a 'Save the Cherry Tree' poster on display in the window of the house on the right (as in many others in Northampton St.) [Update: The tree was spared as a result of this campaign] Note the broken-off remains of a doorway to a house which was destroyed by bombing in the Second World War.

The west side of this rectangular square which has roads entering diagonally at each corner. Pevsner observes that it is "the most complete Georgian square in Bath", which is surprising until one remembers that Bath's most notable set pieces are crescents or terraces (or the Circus). Pedimented centre. The west, and east, sides are plainer. By John Palmer, 1790-93. Grade I listed.

By John Pinch the Elder, 1808-16. Grand late Georgian terrace of ten three-bay houses and a four-bay house rounding the corner with Park Place. Pevsner isn't happy about the "unfortunate blemish" of the two adjacent accented windows. The parapet, cornice and platbands all ramp up the slope to avoid staccato breaks as the terrace climbs the hill (Image]). Grade I listed.