Bath House Restoration

(c) English Heritage

Friends of Kenwood has contributed to the restoration of Kenwood’s Bath House (also known as Cold Bath).

The Bath House likely dates from the early 18th Century, when cold bathing – thought to be good for health – was most fashionable. Hampstead was developing as a spa town at the time due to its mineral springs. The Bath is fed by a chalybeate stream containing iron salts and other minerals believed to have health-giving properties.

The Bath House was excavated and restored in the 1980s but the dark and damp conditions soon led to decay, with crumbling plaster and peeling paint. The marble had become stained green by algae and the pool had silted up due to the high iron content in the water.

Repairs have now been undertaken using plaster and surface coatings suitable for damp conditions. The electrical wiring and pump have been replaced, new lighting installed, and external repairs carried out.

Visitors can now once again view the Cold Bath and see this important part of Hampstead Heath history.