VICTORIAN TURKISH BATHS: Turkish baths still open in the British Isles |

Turkish baths still open to the public,
or to members of clubs

PLEASE NOTE …

that this list includes only Victorian style Turkish baths (as defined in the Introduction to the website). Such baths circulate heated dry air through one or more hot rooms. The list does not include sauna, banya or Russian (steam or vapour) baths.

Some Turkish bath establishments do include such facilities in addition to the Turkish bath, but they are not part of the process of taking a Turkish bath.

This page was last revised on 22 September 2008 when nineteen Victorian style Turkish baths were listed, five of which were built during Queen Victoria's reign.

Opening times and the designati0n of sessions

(as being for men, women, couples, mixed, or naturist)

change frequently so this guide gives addresses and phone numbers only.

You should also note that even though establishments may not

have closed down permanently, they may close from time to time

for repairs or 'refurbishment'.

Do contact the baths first before paying a visit

and check when they are currently open.

ENGLAND

SCOTLAND

BIRMINGHAM
Erdington Baths
Mason Road
B24 9EJ

(01214) 640 520

Caldarium and laconicum at Birmingham
The two hottest rooms

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

Naturist sessions are organised on the third Saturday of the month by the independent SWANS Club who can be contacted at swimswans@hotmail.com and every Thursday by the independent TESS club who should first be contacted at 0775 127 6755

CARLISLE
Victorian Health Suite
James Street
CA2 5AZ

(01228) 625 777

Looking towards the hot rooms

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

Full details of times, prices, and much else on their website

DONCASTER
St James Pool & Health Club
72 Waterdale
DN1 3BU

(01302) 323 000

One of the hot-rooms, photographed in the 1930s

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

Full details of times and prices on their website.

HARROGATE
Turkish & Sauna Suite
Crescent Road
HG1 2RR

(01423) 556 746

Victorian

The cooling-room

Sessions: men, women, mixed, and mixed pairs

Their excellent website has further information, and a new section on the history of the spa

Naturist sessions are organised by the independent Coast & Country Naturists who can be contacted, between 8.00 am and 8.00 pm on (01723) 503 456

LONDON: Islington
Ironmonger Row Baths
Ironmonger Row
EC1V 3QN

0207 253 4011

Painting: Suzie Balazs, for Islington Council

Sessions: men and women

Full details of times, prices, and much else on their website

LONDON: Tower Hamlets
spa LONDON
York Hall Leisure Centre
Old Ford Road
E2 9PJ

0208 709 5845

spa LONDON
One of the refurbished hot rooms

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

Full details of times, prices, and much else on their website which includes the Turkish baths on the page headed Thermal Spa

LONDON: Westminster
The Porchester Centre
Queensway
W2 5HS

0207 792 2919

The (very) cold plunge pool

Sessions: men, women, and mixed couples

Website includes Turkish baths in entry for the Spa

LONDON CLUB
Royal Automobile Club
89-91 Pall Mall
SW1Y 5HS

The Turkish bath, and all other club facilities, are only available to Members of the Royal Automobile Club.

The facilities are NOT available to subscribers to RAC motoring services which are now operated by a company entirely separate from the Club.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE
City Pool Turkish Bath
Northumberland Road
NE1 8SE

0191 232 1981

Resting in the cooling-room

Sessions: men and women

Website with Turkish bath times

Naturist sessions are organised by the independent
Friday Club: 0191 416 4168 or 07778 385221

NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME
Jubilee Pool
Nelson Place
Newcastle-under-Lyme
ST5 1HG

(01782) 616 606

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

Full details of times, prices, and much else on their website

Naturist sessions are organised by the independent
Potteries Swim Club: (01782) 281 189 or email:
info@potteries-swim.org.uk

NORTHAMPTON
Mounts Baths
Leisure Centre Health Suite
Upper Mounts
Northampton
NN1 3DN

(01604) 636 003
(01604) 635 221

Sessions: men, women, mixed, over 50s, families

Full details of times and prices on their website.

Naturist sessions are organised by the independent
Northampton Sun Club: (07855) 162 947

NOTTINGHAM
Victoria Leisure Centre
Bath Street
NG1 1DB

0115 915 5600

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

Full details of times, prices, and much else on their website

ROCHDALE
Central Leisure Centre
Entwistle Road
OL16 2HZ

(01706) 639 194

Photo: Courtesy of Rochdale Council

Sessions: men and women

SWINDON
Health Hydro
Milton Road
SN1 5JA

(01793) 465 630

Victorian

Window in original women's bath

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

Full details of times and prices on their website.

Details of naturist sessions: 07989 190938 or
(01242) 233 852

WORCESTER
Park's Hydro
Sansome Walk
WR1 1NU

(0190) 520 241

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

Website (which doesn't specifically mention the Turkish baths): http://www.worcesterleisure.co.uk/index.htm

SCOTLAND

ENGLAND

DUNFERMLINE
Carnegie Leisure Centre
Pilmuir Street
KY12 0QE

(01383) 314 200

Foundation stone laid the year after Queen Victoria's death.

The first hot room

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

The Turkish bath to close from December 2008

EDINBURGH
Portobello Swim Centre
57 Promenade
EH15 2BS

0131 669 6888

Victorian

The relaxation area

Sessions: men, women, and mixed

Website: Turkish baths page

GLASGOW CLUB
Arlington Baths Club
61 Arlington Street
G3 6DT

0141 332 6021

Victorian

The cooling-room

The club is for members only, members being required to pay an annual subscription.

Full details of membership, and much else, on their website

GLASGOW CLUB
Western Baths Club
12 Cranworth Street
Hillhead
G12 8BZ

0141 339 1127

Victorian

One of the hot rooms

The club is for members only, on payment of an annual subscription. As at October 2004, there is up to a 3 month waiting list for membership.
Full details of the club's subscriptions, facilities, history, and much else on their website.

Naturist sessions are organised by the independent Scottish Outdoor Club. Details: (0141) 777 8857

Thanks to:
Tony Garratt, who suggested identifying the Victorian Turkish baths above;
Dave Hewitt, for finding two baths which had eluded me for over nine years

This page is part of an educational website, covering the history of the Victorian Turkish Bath. It can be found at:

http://www.victorianturkishbath.org/

The Victorian Turkish Baths website is a completely non-commercial not-for-profit site, and permission to use illustrations has often been granted to us on that basis.

It is not permitted to incorporate complete pages from the Victorian Turkish Baths website into any other website. Any such pages which appear in conjunction with any form of advertising material are being used without the permission of the author of the site.

If the contents of the site are deemed to be useful, the most appropriate procedure would be to make a link directly to the original site, or ask for a URL to a specific page or pages.

Provided that there is no specific copyright limitation (eg, on some of the illustrations), then permission is freely given for any individual items of data on the website to be used in appropriate non-commercial websites. It would be appreciated if you would let us know what information you wish to use. Any such information should be credited to:

Malcolm Shifrin's Victorian Turkish Bath Project

and a link made to the site at

http://www.victorianturkishbath.org

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Victorian Turkish Baths: their origin, development, and gradual decline
Comments and queries are most welcome and can be sent to: malcolm@victorianturkishbath.org
The right of Malcolm Shifrin to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988