Strand Lane 'Roman' Bath, London

Strand Lane 'Roman' Bath, London

Strand Lane 'Roman' Bath, London
3.5
About
Roman baths in London? The baths at 5 Strand Lane in London have been reported since the 1830s as a Roman survival. But they're actually the remaining portion of a cistern built in 1612 to feed a fountain in the gardens of the old Somerset House, then a royal palace. A London curiosity, owned by the National Trust and administered by Westminster City Council.
Duration: < 1 hour
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Covent Garden
Whether you're headed here to check out the multitude of shops, theaters, cafes, pubs, and restaurants, or simply to be among the multitude of people who pass through this pretty part of town, you'll love soaking up the festive and historic atmosphere in and around Covent Garden. Even if you don't have tickets to the opera or a show at one of the many famous theaters here, don't be surprised if find yourself captivated by some impromptu act of a street performer wowing the crowds in Covent Garden's Piazza. If you do have tickets, you'll be pleased to note that many of the local eateries accommodate theatergoers with prix fixe menus, early dinners, and later than usual opening hours. 


How to get there
  • Covent Garden • 4 min walk
  • Embankment • 6 min walk
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3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles37 reviews
Excellent
12
Very good
14
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3
Poor
5
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3

CheekyLondon
Southend-on-Sea, UK1,662 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
It's small and compact and a little bit of hidden London. We had to make a special arrangement for the Bath to be opened up (it's a National Trust property). We felt special to have our own viewing. The Bath itself is rather in ruins but this is part of the charm, to see it as it was - just shut up and left.It was billed as a Roman baths to Victorians as an attraction but the truth is that is is far from Roman. In facts it's origins are not really known. When there you learn about the previous use of the baths and how it ended in the state it is in now. You can also read about it on the internet, but it's always good to see something historical in real life.
Written 28 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

WMIM
Horsham, UK3,200 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2014 • Solo
All but about 4 of the 35 previous reviewers have wrongly posted reviews of the Roman Bath Museum in Bath to this site! HELLO! This is for the Roman Bath in LONDON, Not that other place many miles away! And one of the reviews is for a 'gay male' massage parlour!!
I have taken the trouble and (considerable) time to inform Tripadvisor of this for each wrong review so I hope no-one will in future be misled by these postings.
It's off the relatively quiet Surrey Street which runs downhill from Strand towards Temple Place and the River Thames (nearest underground station is Temple).
On the Western side of the street you will see the small plaque on the wall which says 'The National Trust. Roman Bath. Down steps turn right' Go through, do what it says and there it is, viewed through a window at basement level. There is a plaque which gives some information.
It is mentioned by Charles Dickens in 'David Copperfield'.
It is disputed whether this bathhouse actually does date back to Roman times but other Roman finds have been made in this area. The owner in Victorian times made a great show of its Roman origins but it may date back only to the early 17th Century. It is 4'6" below street level.
You can actually go inside, and current visiting times are 12 noon to 3pm on Monday to Friday only. You must give at least one week's notice by emailing dcreese@westminster.gov.uk. as someone has to come along and admit you.
This place is surrounded by buildings occupied by King's College and there are plenty of students around.
Please note that you cannot access the view from the window between the hours of dusk and 9am as a locked gate blocks the entrance from Surrey Street.
Written 25 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

EmmoLondon
London, UK362 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2015 • Solo
Baffled to see so many reviews here for the town of Bath in Somerset, about 100 miles away from London! Anyway, this is a secret part of London, a plunge bath that was claimed to be 'Roman' during Georgian/Victorian times as a marketing ploy to attract customers. Research shows this was believed to have built as a cistern for a fountain for the original Somerset House in the 17th century. I visited the bath in September 2015 during Open House London. Doesn't take long to read the blurb and check out the bath and some of the old tiling. An interesting piece of hidden London history.
Written 21 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CANsam2005
Toronto, Canada76 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2014 • Couples
Lots of confusing entries here. NOT the city of Bath.

The London Roman Bath is a tiny little bath in the basement of a building just off The Strand. It is certainly very interesting albeit small. There is a detailed plaque with the history outside. It is interesting and we're glad we stopped by. We did not pre-book so had to simply peek through the window - which is actually suggested on off-hours. The window however, was filthy - green algae, etc. We could barely see it. It might be worth cleaning the window once in a while.
I can't speak to the guided tour.
Written 13 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brad
Hong Kong, China177,342 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2013 • Couples
Not to be confused with the city of Bath and the famous Roman Baths and Museum found there, this is a minor historic attraction known as the Roman Bath on Strand Lane. It is difficult to find and almost impossible to visit, requiring advance appointment for Wednesday afternoon visits from mid April to mid October only.

Roman Bath is located on the small Strand Lane, not far from the old Norfolk Hotel. While it was at one time touted as having originated during the Roman period, it is now believed to only be a few centuries old, likely from the Tudor period. As such, it is not really a Roman Bath and should perhaps is called a Roman style bath instead.

There is a small National Trust sign marking the location of the Roman Bath but it is easy to miss if you are not paying attention. Considering the limited visitation times and fact that it isn't really from the Roman period, makes it difficult to recommend for most visitors to London. We'd give it a pass and focus your efforts on more interesting attractions in this area of the city.
Written 15 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SevenoaksSinjun
Sevenoaks, UK1,442 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2018 • Solo
Not easy to find, as the stairs by the sign to the bath are now gated and padlocked shut. You can still get on to Strand Place via the embankment though, and then you can walk up to the building that houses the bath. There's a small sign to indicate where it is and you can look in through a misty window. I couldn't really see anything of interest. Maybe there's more to be seen inside but this is only accessible by appointment. The best thing is probably the old sign telling you where it is.
Written 12 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ChristineC242
Los Angeles, CA10 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2016 • Solo
July 19, 2016. I am staying near the Roman Baths in London just off The Strand. I visited or shall I say attempted to visit these historic baths. I followed through to the address and discovered a passage alley from the street to another alley with on going construction and a walled bike park. This didn't seem correct. Since the baths are located on King's College, I walked back to find their information desk. The people were extremely helpful but really couldn't tell me where the baths were located. The woman called a security person and he revealed that I was in the correct spot, I just needed to look through the windows. What??? I am loading photos of what I discovered, quite a let down from a number of the pictures posted in other reviews. For all budding Romans or archaeologists , please don't make a special trip.
Written 20 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brian S
Melbourne, Australia235 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2017 • Family
This is not easy to find but well worth while. Off Surrey Street near The Strand, it is not well signposted if you weren't aware of its location.
It is open from 10:30 am on weekdays for only 90 minutes. If you arrive and it is closed, there is an outdoor switch adjacent to the curved window that illuminates the inside.
The bath is about 4 metres long and just under two metres wide. That it is still fed from a spring and replenishes the bath every day was interesting. Also that it has been incorporated in a house and alleged to have been used continuously since Roman times.
Entry is free and operated by The National Trust.
Written 3 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tp19862011
Windsor, UK4,275 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2016 • Friends
The Roman baths are very hard to find and they are not really Roman but all the same it is a very interesting little historical space and worth the effort if you are in the area.
Written 20 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Natalie S
Staffordshire, UK77 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2016 • Solo
A bit of a disappointment after finding it down an alley way and no one around there at midday. The place was closed and a sign offering you to look through the window at the Baths. There was a light switch to light it up as you peered through the glass but the light wouldn't turn on and I couldn't get a picture as all I could see was my reflection. I felt very on edge being down that street alone looking through a window as though I was up to no good! Such a shame it wasn't opened as it looked worth a visit!
Written 1 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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STRAND LANE 'ROMAN' BATH, LONDON (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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