Congleton's Hidden Gem

Congleton Bath House and Physic Garden 

Tucked away behind old buildings and through an archway it is easy to see how most people in Congleton have never seen the Bath House or know it exists. 

Congleton Bath House

The Bath House itself dates from around 1800 and is a brick building, in the former grounds of Bradshaw House, that has a deep, stone lined plunge pool in the basement. This was fed with water from a nearby spring or stream in the 1800s and would have been used by residents and visitors of Bradshaw House. 

It is believed that the Bath House may have been used to treat medical conditions as records show that medical practitioners occupied Bradshaw House in the early 1800s.  Another theory is that it could also have been used for leisure purposes. The volunteers' website has more information about the history of the Bath House here.

The Physic Garden 

The building has been restored by the volunteers of Congleton Building Preservation Trust and is now open to the public. These days the plunge pool is empty of water, the water supply was disrupted by the building of the nearby housing development, but visitors can walk down stone steps into the bath and imagine what it would have been like.

Steps down into the plunge pool

Local events can be held here, a play has been presented in the Bath House and musicians have played here during local music festivals.

The grounds around the Bath House have been brought back to life as a Physic Garden growing herbs and medicinal plants that would have been used in earlier times as cures or aids to healing.

Volunteers in the Physic Garden

It is a delight wandering around the physic garden and visitors can sit and admire the view over the garden from the Robert Adam style garden shelter in front of the Bath House.

Adam style garden shelter

The Bath House and Physic Garden volunteers usually have a stall at Congleton events like the Food Festival and the Heritage Open Days in September where you can buy herbs and medicinal plants for your own garden.

Plant stall at the Congleton Food Festival

Herbs for sale

You can find this hidden gem to the south of Lawton Street and Colehill Bank, look out for signs on High Street and Lawton Street.

In case you are interested, the volunteers meet on a Monday morning at the Bath House so go along then if you'd like to get involved.