From hillside springs to great spa towns, Britain's natural waters gave rise to an extraordinary world of places, practices and ideas. Medicine and mythology, architecture and landscape, ritual and pleasure. Centuries of invention, eccentricity and cultural life.

SPAS OF BRITAIN

New era for Britain's spas

Britain's springs and spa places represent an extraordinary inheritance of natural, scientific and cultural significance. From ancient wells and medicinal waters to great spa towns and therapeutic landscapes, they tell a story of health, nature and society that continues to evolve.

British Spa Network is being established to advance the recognition, stewardship and cultural expression of this inheritance, bringing together places, organisations, researchers and practitioners to exchange knowledge, support conservation and explore the future of spa culture.

Through research, publishing, advocacy and collaboration, we aim to restore Britain's spa heritage to national consciousness and help shape its next chapter.

DISCOVER

Bath

Hot Spring City

The father of British spa culture. Here the only naturally hot geothermal water in Britain rises and has done for over 2,000 years, creating the great Roman temple and baths of Aquae Sulis.

Explore

Harrogate

Britain's Living Spa

The Victorian heart of Britain’s spa tradition. Over 80 different mineral springs in a single town made Harrogate the most diverse and scientifically celebrated spa in the country.

Explore

Buxton

The Mountain Spa

The highest spa in Britain, where warm geothermal water rises at over 300 metres. Its grand Crescent and thermal baths made it the Peak District’s answer to continental spas.

Explore

Malvern

Pure Spring Capital

The exceptionally pure springs of the Malvern Hills became the centre of the Victorian hydropathy movement. Their famously pure water, bottled and supplied to royalty, made Malvern a national destination for health and wellness.

Explore

Britain's spa story

In pursuit of the Cure

An extraordinary story of water, nature and human imagination.

From mysterious springs rising deep within the earth to magnificent bathing palaces and experimental centres of medicine, Britain's springs have long occupied a peculiar place in our cultural imagination.

Explore