A little piece of Bath’s theatrical history has come back into the light.
From the darkness of a Victorian vaulted cellar to the archaeologists’ table on a building site in the Saw Close.
It’s a piece of fabric with the word ‘Palace’ stitched across it and could be from the peaked cap of someone who worked in the Palace Theatre which occupied the site – just across the road from the Theatre Royal.
This theatre of music hall had opened in 1886 under the name ‘Pavilion Music Hall’ and had a name-changed to the Palace in 1903. It stayed in business through to 1956 when it became the Regency Ballroom.
The find was made by Sanctus Site Manager Jon Cossins-Price – along with two coloured sections of auditorium cornice with egg and dart moulding.
The site is being redeveloped withe the forthcoming construction of a casino, restaurants and an hotel.
Members of Cotswold Archaeology have been on site to record the uncovering of a clay pipe factory and several Roman, Medieval and Georgian buildings.
The piece of fabric will need conserving but Jon is hoping it will end up with Bath’s Museum of Bath at Work.
