BATH-EASTON, a parish in the hundred of BATH-FORUM,
county of SOMERSET, 3 miles (N. E.) from Bath,
containing, with, a portion of the liberty of Easton-and-Amrill,
1330 inhabitants. The living is a discharged
vicarage, with the perpetual curacy of St. Catherine annexed,
in the archdeaconry of Bath, and diocese of Bath
and Wells, rated in the king's books at £9. 6. 5., and in
the patronage of the Dean and Canons of Christ Church,
Oxford. The church, which has a beautiful tower, is
dedicated to St. John the Baptist. There is a place of
worship for Wesleyan Methodists. The village, divided
into Upper and Lower Bath-Easton, is situated on the
London road, between the Lower Avon and Lansdown,
and at the base of a steep hill, on the summit of which
there are vestiges of an intrenchment, nearly circular,
supposed to have been constructed by the Saxons,
when they besieged Bath, in 577: some antiquaries are
of opinion that this hill was anciently crowned by a
temple, erected by Bladud, in honour of Apollo. The
parish is within the jurisdiction of the court of requests
held at Bath every Monday, for the recovery of
debts under £10. Here is a school for eight boys, with
an endowment of £5. 5. per annum, the bequest of John
Hellier, in 1712. The Roman Fosse-way passes through
the parish: a variety of fossil shells has been found in
the quarries on Lansdown. At a villa here resided Sir
John Miller, whose lady established a lilerary festival
for the recitation of prize poems, which were published,
under the title of " Poetical Amusements:" she died
in 1781, and was interred in the Abbey church at Bath.