Museum of Bath Stone

About the museum

Combe Down, on the southern edge of Bath, was quarried and mined for its pale limestone from the Georgian period onwards. Ralph Allen bought the local quarries in the 18th century, and the stone was used to build much of Georgian Bath. Underground mining left a network of abandoned galleries below the village.

In the 1980s a series of incidents showed that the mines under Combe Down were unstable, and it was estimated that around four fifths of the stone beneath the village had been removed. Over about ten years up to 2010 the voids were filled with foamed concrete. The public funding for this work, mostly from the Homes and Communities Agency, depended on a visitor centre being built to protect the heritage and objects of the area, educate the public and serve the community.

That centre opened on 19 July 2014 as the Ralph Allen CornerStone and was later renamed the Museum of Bath Stone. It is run by the Combe Down Stone Legacy Trust, a registered charity. Its displays cover the geology of the stone, the way the mines were worked, the stabilisation project and its memorials, and the lives of the Combe Down quarrymen.

Highlights

• The geology of Bath Stone, a Jurassic oolitic limestone
• How the Combe Down stone mines were operated
• The mine stabilisation project and its commemoration
• The quarrymen of Combe Down
• Sensory backpacks for families with special educational needs

Permanent exhibitions

• Geology of Bath Stone – Explains how the Combe Down limestone formed in a shallow Jurassic sea and how the different stone layers were used.
• Operating the mines – Shows how the underground stone mines at Combe Down were worked.
• Quarrymen of Combe Down – Tells the story of the men who worked the quarries and mines of Combe Down.

Founded

2014

Operated by

Combe Down Stone Legacy Trust (registered charity)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free during the Friday public opening hours according to the VisitBath tourist portal; the museum's own website does not state a price and asks for donations.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum states that it is accessible to wheelchair users and people with mobility aids. The toilet is wheelchair accessible, with a high seat, transfer bars and one-hand-operated fittings. Sensory backpacks are available for families of children with special educational needs. A courtesy accessible parking bay outside is not guaranteed to be free. A full Accessibility Guide can be downloaded from the website.

Kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Sensory backpacks are available for families with children who have special educational needs.

Getting there & parking

There is a bike rack outside the entrance. The King William pub is next door.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Gift shop and the Bath Stone Bookshop. The museum website points to nearby refreshments: the Darling Deli (Combe Down), the Hub Café (Mulberry Park) and the King William pub next door are nearby.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The museum is available for private hire; see the venue hire page on the website.

Plan your visit