Compared to other cities l think it fair to say Bath doesn’t have much in the way of figurative public sculpture. While, what is does have isn’t exactly in the public realm.
If you are a visitor, you have to pay to go see the likes of Prince Bladud and his pig in Parade Gardens or a diminutive Mozart – while the former Empress of India, Queen Victoria, has been placed half way up the exterior wall of the Victoria Art Gallery.
Her Majesty actually visited Bath – as eleven year old Princess Victoria – to open Royal Victoria Park!
Not before time, moves are afoot to honour another Bath celebrity. No – it’s not a life-size figure of Beau Nash or Jane Austen. While l know Chaucer’s Wife of Bath should get a plinth to stand on – it’s not her either.
I am talking Adelard of Bath – a medieval scholar and England’s first scientist – who is the subject of a conference this coming week-end (Saturday, September 30th from 2 until 5pm) at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution in Queen Square.
You can buy tickets through Bath Box Office – and l think there might also be some left to buy at the door.
This 12th century English natural philosopher – and his connections to Bath- may not be too familiar to most Bathonians – indeed no one knows what he looked like – so Bath Newseum talked to the man in charge of this week-end’s symposium – Michael Davis.
Find out more about Adelard on the BRSLI website – www.brsli.org
