An informative social and cultural history of the English craze for
drinking and bathing in spa waters.
English spas have a long and steamy history, from the thermal baths of
Aquae Sulis in Bath to the stews of Southwark and the elegant pump rooms
of Cheltenham and Buxton. The Secret History of English Spas offers an
informative but light-hearted history of this obsession with "taking the
waters."
This volume tells the stories of the rich and famous, the poor and the
sick, all of whom visited spas in hopes of curing their ailments, which
included everything from infertility to leprosy to gonorrhea. The
Secret History of English Spas also depicts the entrepreneurs who
promoted these resorts, often based on the most dubious scientific
evidence.
Finally, author Melanie King turns to the often riotous and salacious
social life enjoyed in spa towns, where moral health might suffer even
as bodies were cleansed and purged. And yet, English spa towns also
offered an ideal of civility and politeness, providing a place where
social classes and sexes could mingle and enjoy refined entertainments
such as music and dance. The Secret History of English Spas is
beautifully illustrated with paintings, engravings, maps, caricatures,
posters, advertisements, ephemera, and modern photos from 1597 to the
present day.
