Victorian Turkish Bath House, Bishopsgate

It is quite a juxtaposition to walk through the City of London, with its glass office blocks, concrete buildings and shops, to then find yourself facing at a Turkish style Victorian Bath House.

These were once very common, in the late 1800s, but, as far as I can find, this is the last of its kind, in London.

So why is it here and when and why was it built?

During the early to mid 1800s London's population tripled to over 3 million residents, bringing with it many problems, including housing issues, which led to health and hygiene problems.

To try and solve this the Baths and Washhouses Act of 1846 was introduced, which encouraged local authorities to provide adequate public washing and bathing facilities.

While many washhouses were large buildings that could be used by many people, the more affluent residents wanted something more to their taste.

Enter David Urquhart. As a diplomat Mr Urquhart had visited Moorish Spain, Greece and Turkey and suggested the use of 'Turkish Baths', a phrase that he coined, in 1850. He claimed that these baths could cure alcoholism, baldness, cholera, constipation and dementia, all of which was unfounded.

Urquhart oversaw the building of many of these Turkish Baths and, in 1860, Roger Evans, a colleague of Urquhart's, opened the first of these Turkish Baths at 5 Bell Street, near Marble Arch.

Walking alone: Aldgate to Barbican... and beyond

Monday November 25, 2024.

Having an occasional day off work I set off for London, unsure of where I would end up.

I took the train to Finchley Road, where I waited for an Aldgate train to complete my journey.

On exiting the station I turned west and headed through Aldgate Square, checking out the latest 'Sculpture in the City' piece, which is a Kissing Gate, by Maya Rose Edwards. I then continued along Houndsditch before turning down Cutler Street, as I had spotted a coffee van.

As I continues along Devonshire Square I noticed a statue of Knight on horseback, so stopped to take a photo, or two. This piece was designed by Denys Mitchell and is called 'The Knight of Cnihtengild'. Lights set into the base cause the lenses in the carapace to glow.

From here I continued my walk towards Bishopsgate and London Wall, stopping to look at the Victorian Bath House, which looks completely out of place against the office buildings that surround it.

Along London Wall I walked, passing Finsbury Circus, crossing Moorgate, until I myself by the Elsyng Spital Church Tower. This building was once a nunnery, church, college, destroyed by fire, rebuilt, destroyed and left as a ruin.

Continuing on I turned up Aldersgate Street, passing the now closed Museum of London, and on to Goswell Road, before turning west onto Clerkenwell Road, where I stopped in the garden of St John's Priory Church.