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One of a series of glazed
earthenware corbels around the walls of the cooling-room at the James
Street Turkish Baths in Carlisle. Also to be seen are a decorative wall
tile and parts of the stained glass panels at the top of one of the changing cubicles.
These baths were
not the first to be built on this site, Carlisle's Roman baths having
been opened on 31 July 1884. These were almost certainly Turkish
baths, though probably smaller and simpler in style. A first class bath
for a man or woman cost one shilling.1
These later baths are
still open and are
known as the Victorian Health Suite. The baths are clearly built
in the style of a Victorian Turkish bath and are therefore included in
the website, but they were not actually opened until 20 September 1909.2
Some areas have been reduced in
size, and the layout has been changed on a number of occasions, but those
parts which remain are of outstanding quality.
The baths were temporarily closed
by the local council in 1991,3
but were re-opened after public protests.
An article on these baths will
appear in due course.
Footnotes
1.
A
Barnes-Moss Post Office directory of Carlisle
Back
2.
'The Turkish Baths'
Carlisle Journal
(21 Sep 1909) Back
3.
'Turkish
Baths end'
Carlisle News
(22 Nov 1991) Back
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