Medieval Bath

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Bath became a City of trade and prospered from the woollen industry. It was ideally situated: the drovers could bring their sheep from the edge of the Cotswold Hills to the north east of the City. Trade was aided by Bath's proximity to the port of Bristol. The monastery was, by now, a considerable landowner, with the Bishop and monks organizing the local populace. The power of the River Avon was harnessed to run the woollen mills and Bath became famous for its tightly woven broadcloth. There were 50 broad looms in one area of Broad Street alone.

King Richard I sold the City of Bath its first Charter in 1189 in order to raise funds for his Crusades. It granted freedom from tolls, thereby giving Bath its first real taste of local Government. In the years to come, the City was to receive a further 26 Charters from various monarchs. For more information on the Royal Charters, click here.

In 1192, Bishop Savaric surrendered the City to the Crown. He later decided to remove the See to Wells where he would have his Cathedral. By 1245 the Pope had declared the See to be a joint one and so it became the Bishopric of Bath and Wells, as it remains today.

In 1348, nearly half the population of Bath died as the plague spread across the country. This had a devastating effect on the City, which fell into decline and the monastery into ruin.