When we decided to visit Bath I was keen to follow in the footsteps of many famous authors and poets. But I was also keen to visit some of the places mentioned by the children's writer, Jane Shaw.
I have loved Jane Shaw's books for years, her Penny and Susan series are extremely funny, as are all of her standalone books. She clearly knew Bath well. Under the pseudonmym of Jane Gillespie, she wrote many regency romances in the style of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, many set in Bath. So before we set off for Bath, I browsed through some of her books to find any actually set in this lovely city.
My favourite example is Threepenny Bit, one of Shaw's Penny series. Most of the action takes place in Bath, around the Abbey, and there are some lovely descriptions of some of the places we visited.
Laura and John led them through the Abbey Churchyard, and Laura pointed out the two stone ladders soaring up the West Front of the Abbey, on either side of the great window, with angels climbing up and down.
The Pump-room was huge and rather grand, and there was a little sort of alcove with a fountain and glasses on a ledge.
They walked along North Parade and into Abbey Green....."It's not what I'd call a Green exactly," said Jill...."No but there's something nice and secluded about it" said Penny, "sheltered by the abbey" - and she glanced up at the towering Abbey in the background... "And there's a lovely little house....with two elegant bow windows... ".
It was so lovely to follow in the footsteps of Penny and her friends, as we explored Bath.