18 The Circus Lodging Business in Bath

Reviews

1. Anna Nieminen ★☆☆☆☆

   This site is often described only in terms of beauty, architecture, and wealth. But almost no reviews mention how this wealth was created. The Circus was completed in 1768, during the height of Britain’s sugar economy. The money that built these houses came directly from slavery in the Caribbean. Sugar profits from thousands of plantations were funneled into Britain, and cities like Bath became rich spa centres as a result. Families who lived here owned enslaved people and plantations. At No. 4 lived James Plunkett, whose family owned enslaved people in Jamaica. At No. 5 lived Lawrence Dundas, whose family held plantations in Grenada and Dominica. At No. 9 lived John Newton, who owned the Newton plantation in Barbados – a site where Britain’s first slave code was imposed. That law treated “Black” and “slave” as the same word. White indentured servants had recorded names and legal rights; Black enslaved people were defined as property that could be punished or killed without legal consequence. It was not murder – it was the destruction of property. When Barbados adopted the slave code, other colonies copied it, including Virginia in 1705 when tobacco planters abandoned indentured labour and turned fully to slavery. On plantations, people starved. Women killed their own infants to stop them being born into slavery. Life expectancy for enslaved Africans could be around twenty years. Barbados is fertile and food is easy to grow, yet enslaved workers were under-fed because the land was given almost entirely to sugar. The Newton family bought land for sugar and used four generations of enslaved African labour. That is why John Newton could afford a luxury house here. Other residents grew rich not from Caribbean sugar but from imperial expansion in India – for example Robert Clive, who lived at No. 11 and played a central role in Britain’s takeover of Bengal. It is disturbing that these houses are still desirable homes and that most comments celebrate beauty but ignore the human cost. This space represents lives taken, bodies worked to death, and generations denied names, rights, and humanity. People should know not only what is elegant here, but what paid for it. Source: information from “Empire with David Olusoga” (UK, 2025) and historical records of Caribbean slavery and Bath’s 18th-century wealth.

   almost 8 months ago
2. Julie Cole ★★★★★

   Beautiful architecture that is best seen on a sunny day.

   almost 9 months ago
3. Belinda Huizing ★★★★★

   Very nice apartment,close by the city centre. Very clean and well equipped.

   1 year ago

1. Curt Stiger ★★★★★

   Great spot to stay in Bath. Clean and very comfortable.

   almost 2 years ago
2. Sabrina Bernhöft ★★★★★

   Very authentic flat with wonderful furniture, very quiet at night. Very clean and comfortable. Very close to everything you need to see when you are in Bath. Car parking isn't cheap but this was communicated at the booking. We would absolutely recommend this place.

   almost 3 years ago
3. Jack Stephens ★★★★☆

   Very historically significant.

   more 6 years ago

1. Andrew Masi ★★★★★

   Was an amazing place to stay and also so close to town so you could go everywhere

   more 7 years ago
2. Swan ★★★★★

   Beautiful!

   more 9 years ago

FAQs