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Bath

Bath - St. Thomas Parish

The Bath Fountain, located in the foothills of the John Crow mountains in St. Thomas are reputed to have healing qualities. The natural spring waters are believed to aid in the recovery of a wide range of ailments, including gout, rheumatism and skin conditions. There are two springs, one cold and one piping hot which flow through the rocks on bamboo pipes.

The active elements in the water are lime, sulphur and magnesium. The mineral concentrations are not as high as those found in the Milk River or Rockfort mineral baths but it is believed that the natural high temperature of the waters provide additional healing power.

History of Bath Fountain

According to legend the baths were discovered in the 17th century by a runaway slave suffering from ulcers on his leg. He stumbled across the spring and washed his wounded limb in the water. He noticed the next day that his leg began to rapidly heal.

News of the healing fountain spread and soon the spring (then named "The Bath of St Thomas the Apostle") attracted visitors from all over Jamaica. In 1699 Colonel Stanton (the owner of the land on which the spring stood) sold the 1,130 acre estate to the government. The Government developed the fountain and built a hospital on the site offering free treatment using the magical waters.

Guest houses sprang up nearby and many wealthy merchants built homes here, establishing Bath as a fashionable spa town.

Over the years the spa fell out of favour and has fallen in to a state of disrepair.

Read more about ways to visit the Bath Spa and the Bath Botanical Gardens:

Visiting the Bath Spa

Bath Botanical Gardens, St. Thomas Parish

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