There has been a church in Bath since the 7th century. This building was built in the 12th century. In the early 1500s it was left to decay and most of the expensive decorations were stripped out of it. By the end of that century a decision was made to preserve it. A major restoration started in the 1860s.

The building is famous for its vaulted ceiling.

I didn’t enjoy visiting churches in England as much as I like churches in Catholic countries. There is a very different aesthetic. The Catholic cathedrals are over the top with decorations paid for by taking money from people but at least they are pretty. The churches in England just aren’t.

There are pretty details but the overall look is cluttered. There are 617 wall memorials and 847 floor stones.

I also feel like I shouldn’t be walking on ancient engraved stones but that is the whole floor.

Bath Abbey isn’t as overdone as Westminster. I was really disappointed with that church. When we came to a less memorial-laden part, I whispered to my mother. “I’m going to say something offensive.”

She said, “Go on.”

“This feels like what happens when a hoarder gets a fancy pretty new house and then fills it up with crap they bought off the Home Shopping Channel.”

“It also wouldn’t hurt if they dusted it occasionally,” she added.

I’m a minimalist through and through. I do love the eagle though.

They did have a very nice display of quilts on the side. They were paired with paintings done by the same artist.