public domain
Sally Lunn was born in France, but moved to Bath, England in 1680 to escape religious persecution. She brought with her a special skill: baking delicious brioche-style bread. Developing her own unique recipe, she sold her buns in the streets of Bath, soon becoming famous for the “Sally Lunn Bun.”Fast-forward 350 years to the 1930s: a baker in Bath with a love of archaeology decided to excavate the ground beneath his own house. What he uncovered resurrected the story of Sally Lunn and revealed in microcosm the whole history of Britain! Come along on a tour of the oldest house in Bath and wander the streets of the historic town through our vivid soundscape.
Our guest is Simon Lloyd-Williams, general manager of the Sally Lunn’s House restaurant and museum, on the site of her original bakery in Bath, England.
You can find a modern recipe for a Sally Lunn bun here. If you’d like to dig deeper into the “did Sally Lunn really exist” debate, The Food Timeline is a great resource.
All photos courtesy of the Sally Lunn house unless otherwise credited.
from The London Sound Survey project
Simon Lloyd-Williams has been the General Manager of Sally Lunn’s House in Bath for about a year. He has lived near Bath for the past eight years and previously worked as a chef.
