|Listed in category:
Have one to sell?

Secret History of English Spas, Hardcover by King, Melanie, Brand New, Free s...

Great Book Prices Store
(336343)
Registered as a business seller
US $36.84
Approximately£27.06
Condition:
New
5 available
Breathe easy. Returns accepted.
Postage:
Free USPS Media MailTM.
Located in: Jessup, Maryland, United States
Delivery:
Estimated between Sat, 28 Jun and Tue, 8 Jul to 94104
Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab reflect seller's dispatch time, origin postcode, destination postcode and time of order receipt, and will depend on the delivery service selected and receipt of cleared paymentcleared payment - opens in a new window or tab. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods, and are an estimate only.
Returns:
14 days return. Buyer pays for return postage. If you use an eBay delivery label, it will be deducted from your refund amount.
Payments:
    Diners Club

Shop with confidence

eBay Money Back Guarantee
Get the item you ordered or your money back. Learn moreeBay Money Back Guarantee - opens new window or tab
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:388291754521
Last updated on 11 Jun, 2025 15:20:23 BSTView all revisionsView all revisions

Item specifics

Condition
New: A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. See the ...
Book Title
Secret History of English Spas
ISBN
9781851244539

About this product

Product Identifiers

Publisher
Bodleian Library
ISBN-10
1851244530
ISBN-13
9781851244539
eBay Product ID (ePID)
9050414005

Product Key Features

Number of Pages
224 Pages
Publication Name
Secret History of English Spas
Language
English
Subject
Public Health, Food, Lodging & Transportation / Resorts & Spas
Publication Year
2021
Type
Textbook
Subject Area
Travel, Medical
Author
Melanie King
Format
Hardcover

Dimensions

Item Height
1.2 in
Item Weight
28 Oz
Item Length
9.2 in
Item Width
6.2 in

Additional Product Features

Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
2020-479911
Dewey Edition
23
TitleLeading
The
Illustrated
Yes
Dewey Decimal
613/.1220942
Table Of Content
Contents Map Chapter 1: Salus per Aquam: The Origins of English Spas Chapter 2: Taking the Plunge: The Development of Spaws in England Chapter 3: Bladud's Realm: Beau Nash in Bath Chapter 4: Sense of Humours: Bathing and Drinking the Waters Chapter 5: 'All the Amusements': A Season at Bath Chapter 6: The Wells of Scandal: Men (and Women) Behaving Badly Chapter 7: I Do like to be Beside the Seaside: a Dose of Vitamin Sea Chapter 8: The Water Cure: The Victorian Mania for Hydrotherapy Chapter 9: A Lot of Hot Air: Vapour Pumps and Turkish Baths Chapter 10: Leisure and Luxury: The Modern Spa Appendix 1: Definition of Mineral Waters Notes Bibliography Picture Credits Index
Synopsis
English spas have a long and steamy history, from the thermal baths of Aquae Sulis in Bath to the stews of Southwark, the elegant pump rooms of Cheltenham and Buxton to the Victorian mania for hydrotherapy and Turkish hammams. The Secret History of English Spas is an informative but light-hearted social and cultural history of our obsession with drinking and bathing in spa waters. It tells the stories of the rich, the famous, the poor and the sick, all of whom visited spas in hopes of curing everything from infertility to leprosy and gonorrhoea. It depicts the entrepreneurs who promoted these resorts - often on the basis of the most dubious scientific evidence - and the riotous and salacious social life enjoyed in spa towns, where moral health might suffer even as bodies were cleansed and purged. And yet English spas also offered an ideal of civility and politeness, providing a place where social classes and sexes could mingle and enjoy refined entertainments such as music and dance - all part of the fashionable pastime referred to as 'taking the waters'., English spas have a long and steamy history, from the thermal baths of Aquae Sulis in Bath to the stews of Southwark, the elegant pump rooms of Cheltenham and Buxton to the Victorian mania for hydrotherapy and Turkish hammams. 'The Secret History of English Spas' is an informative but light-hearted social and cultural history of our obsession with drinking and bathing in spa waters. It tells the stories of the rich, the famous, the poor and the sick, all of whom visited spas in hopes of curing everything from infertility to leprosy and gonorrhoea. It depicts the entrepreneurs who promoted these resorts - often on the basis of the most dubious scientific evidence - and the riotous and salacious social life enjoyed in spa towns, where moral health might suffer even as bodies were cleansed and purged. And yet English spas also offered an ideal of civility and politeness, providing a place where social classes and sexes could mingle and enjoy refined entertainments such as music and dance - all part of the fashionable pastime referred to as 'taking the waters'., Informative but light-hearted social and cultural history of our obsession with drinking and bathing in spa waters. Beautifully illustrated with paintings, engravings, maps, caricatures, posters, advertisements, ephemera and modern photos from 1597 to present day, this book presents everything you need to know about 'taking the waters'., An informative social and cultural history of the English craze for drinking and bathing in spa waters. English spas have a long and steamy history, from the thermal baths of Aquae Sulis in Bath to the stews of Southwark and the elegant pump rooms of Cheltenham and Buxton. The Secret History of English Spas offers an informative but light-hearted history of this obsession with "taking the waters." This volume tells the stories of the rich and famous, the poor and the sick, all of whom visited spas in hopes of curing their ailments, which included everything from infertility to leprosy to gonorrhea. The Secret History of English Spas also depicts the entrepreneurs who promoted these resorts, often based on the most dubious scientific evidence. Finally, author Melanie King turns to the often riotous and salacious social life enjoyed in spa towns, where moral health might suffer even as bodies were cleansed and purged. And yet, English spa towns also offered an ideal of civility and politeness, providing a place where social classes and sexes could mingle and enjoy refined entertainments such as music and dance. The Secret History of English Spas is beautifully illustrated with paintings, engravings, maps, caricatures, posters, advertisements, ephemera, and modern photos from 1597 to the present day.
LC Classification Number
RA849.5

Item description from the seller

Seller business information

I certify that all my selling activities will comply with all EU laws and regulations.
About this seller

Great Book Prices Store

96.6% positive Feedback1.3M items sold

Joined Feb 2017
Usually responds within 24 hours
Registered as a business seller

Detailed seller ratings

Average for the last 12 months
Accurate description
4.9
Reasonable postage cost
5.0
Delivery time
4.9
Communication
4.8

Seller Feedback (381,194)

All ratings
Positive
Neutral
Negative
  • n***b (467)- Feedback left by buyer.
    Past month
    Verified purchase
    Awesome book and a phenomenal seller! It arrived exactly as described, shipped extremely fast, and was a great value. It was packed securely and made it to me without any damage. The seller also had excellent communication. Thank you for a pleasant transaction!
  • l***1 (1465)- Feedback left by buyer.
    Past 6 months
    Verified purchase
    Great seller; book exactly as described in mint condition sold at a reasonable price; seller shipped item FAST, FREE and with tracking information, a must nowadays; seller shipped in tight, cardboard mailing envelope, which tightly fit over the book, preventing damage in shipment; good communication too; rate seller 10+++++
  • r***k (215)- Feedback left by buyer.
    Past 6 months
    Verified purchase
    100% as described and pictured. Book was well-packed and shipped out in a reasonable time. Arrived in perfect condition. Good communication with seller. I recommend seller Great Book Prices Store and will not hesitate to purchase from them again in the future. Smooth transaction. 5 stars. Thanks.