Sally Lunn's House in Bath

The oldest house in Bath is now know as Sally Lunn's House, a picturesque building built in 1482 and located near Bath Abbey. The shop's specialty for over 300 years has been the Sally Lunn Bun, a semi sweet bread made from brioche dough that tourists still purchase by the dozens to take home or eat on the spot in a small tea room setting.

Sally's history may be more lore than fact. Some say she was a young French woman who lived in the late 17th century and sold bread on the street for a baker. Eventually she found work in a kitchen and began making a bun with sweet or savory toppings that became famous. Others say that the bun was originally created in France, while still others claim that Sally was English and the daughter of a local pastry chef.

Whichever is the case, the shop, wildly popular during the Georgian Era and open for breakfast and tea, still attracts customers in droves. The orginal recipe of the Sally Lunn Bunn was discovered in the kitchen and was passed down along with the deed to the house.

Today's visitors can visit the cellar to see the Roman foundations (c. 200 AD) and medieval kitchen (c. 1150 AD). The building itself was erected in 1482, and the stone facade added in 1720.

The following comes from the Sally Lund's Museum in Bath, England:

"Legend has it that from her home in France, where the Protestant Huguenots were being cruelly persecuted, came young Sally Lunn to find employment with a baker who rented premises in Lilliput Alley. She sold his wares in the street, but when her skill at baking Brioche was discovered she no doubt spent for more time in the bakery itself. Sally Lunn's Buns were a tremendous success; others tried hard to copy them, but her skill with the rich, soft and delicate dough inspired customers specifically to request the Sally Lunn. "


Sally Lunn's

4 North Parade PassageBath BA1 1NXTelephone: 01225 461 634

An English Meal

Louis Simond, An American in Regency England, describes a meal with his host and hostess as thus:

"The master and mistress of the house sit at each end of the table--narrower and longer than the French tables--the mistress at the upper end--and the places near her are the places of honour. There are commonly two courses and a dessert. I shall venture to give a sketch of a moderate dinner for ten or twelve persons. Although contemporary readers may laugh, I flatter myself it may prove interesting in future ages."

First course (not in order)
Oyster Sauce, Fish, Fowls, Soup, Vegetables, Roasted or Boiled Beef, Spinage, Bacon, Vegetables

Second Course (not in order)
Creams, Ragout a la Francoise, Pastry, Cream, Cauliflowers, Game, Celery, Macaroni, Pastry.

Dessert (not in order)
Walnuts, Raisins and Almonds, Apples, Cakes, Pears, Raisins and Almonds, Oranges

"Soon after dinner the ladies retire, the mistress of the house rising first, while the men remain standing. left alone, they resume their seats, evidently more at ease, and the conversation takes a different turn--less reserved--and either graver, or more licentious."

Click on more links to food in the Regency Era:
Historic Food Links
The Food Timeline
Food and Drink in Regency England
The Art of Cookery
History of Tea in Britain

About the Art of Cookery: 'The Art of Cookery', written by Hannah Glasse, was published in 1747. It was a best seller for over a hundred years, and made Glasse one of the best-known cookery writers of the eighteenth century. As Glasse explains in the preface, the book was intended to be an instruction manual for servants - 'the lower sort' as she called them. During the 1700s there was a fashion for books of this kind, which were designed to save the lady of the house from the tedious duty of instructing her kitchen maids."

Beeton's Book of Household Management

The full title of this book is: The Book of Household Management: Comprising Information for the Mistress, Housekeeper, Cook, Kitchen-maid, Butler, Footman, Coachman, Valet, Upper and under house-maids, Lady’s-maid, Maid-of-all-work, Laundry-maid, Nurse and nurse-maid, Monthly, wet, and sick nurses, etc. etc. also, sanitary, medical, & legal memoranda;with a history of the origin, properties, and uses of all things connected with home life and comfort.

Yes, this original source, available for free online, was written during the Victorian era, but the gems of knowledge contained within its pages help to illuminate the daily tasks and duties of the British wife and hostess. Written by Mrs. Isabella Beeton and originally published by her husband, S. O. Beeton (in 24 monthly parts, 1859–1861) this book provides matchless insights, such as those contained in the following excerpt:

"AFTER-DINNER INVITATIONS MAY BE GIVEN; by which we wish to be understood, invitations for the evening. The time of the arrival of these visitors will vary according to their engagements, or sometimes will be varied in obedience to the caprices of fashion. Guests invited for the evening are, however, generally considered at liberty to arrive whenever it will best suit themselves,—usually between nine and twelve, unless earlier hours are specifically named. By this arrangement, many fashionable people and others, who have numerous engagements to fulfil, often contrive to make their appearance at two or three parties in the course of one evening."

Learn more about this book and Mrs. Beeton, who died at 30 after giving birth to her 4th child, in Wikipedia.