Sally Lunn's, the oldest house in Bath: Home to centuries of history, delicious buns, trenchers and maybe even Jane Austen. But was there really a Sally Lunn?

Sally Lunn's, The Oldest House in Bath. Was there really a Sally Lunn?

For many of us, Bath, England, brings to mind the Romans, Jane Austen, and, most recently, Bridgerton - but what of Sally Lunn's?  It's not only the oldest house in Bath, but home to delicious buns and trenchers.  Although we had many places on our checklist of must-see places to visit during our stay last October in this city of epic Georgian architecture, Sally Lunn's had been lost in the shuffle of Austen landmarks and Bridgerton filming sites.  But, fortunately, we "found" Sally Lunn's during one of our walks around town and stopped in for dinner. Its story is as incredible as a rakish Duke marrying a naive Daphne Bridgerton or Mr. Darcy confessing his love and admiration to a disenchanted Elizabeth Bennet.

Sally Lunn's is housed in a building from 1482

The current Sally Lunn building dates back to 1482, but from what has been recently discovered in the 20th century, there are ties to Roman times. The old home's proximity to the Roman Baths and the artifacts unearthed below it, point to it being a place where Roman travelers ate and rested - which means that Sally Lunn's locale has impressive roots in the hospitality business, dating back 1,800 years. 

In all those years, the Sally Lunn site went through several incarnations until the 15th century, when it was rebuilt to its current state in the then popular Tudor style. Today, it is one of the few remaining Tudor buildings in a town dominated by Georgian design. 

All this history and Sally Lunn hasn't even arrived. . . yet!

A few centuries after the Tudor home was constructed, Sally Lunn came to Bath - although perhaps more in fiction than in fact. Per the Sally Lunn restaurant's website (and the main source for most references to her), Solange  Luyon, a Huguenot seeking refuge, journeyed to England from France in the latter part of the 17th century.  Legend has it that she came to Bath and started working in a bakery selling their products from a basket she carried around town. But, soon, changes were in store for Solange, starting with her name. Not terribly familiar with French-pronunciation, her English colleagues referred to her as "Sally Lunn" and it stuck. But the anglicized moniker wasn't the only adjustment for the newly minted Miss Lunn.

Inside Sally Lunn's dining room which offers history, charm and comfort food.

It turns out, Sally Lunn, had some mad baking skills of her own and began preparing "buns" using a recipe she learned in her home country.  The bun was a light brioche-type roll which caught on quickly in Bath. To this day, it is still served in the Sally Lunn restaurant, although, the recipe, like the Colonel's eleven herbs and spices, is a treasured secret and not shared with the public. 

But, according to many sources, beyond the Sally Lunn's website, the tale of Solange Luyon is pure fiction. British food historian, Laura Mason (Smithsonian Magazine, February, 2012) believes the Bath bun baker from France narrative to be a complete fabrication. Per Mason, there is no record of Sally Lunn before the 20th century. Another source cited in the article believes the story began in 1937 by a recent purchaser of the at-the-time rundown property to drum up business. 

Whether or not there really was a Sally Lunn, her eponymous dining establishment is real and so is its delicious fare. Sadly during our visit, we did not sample the renowned Sally Lunn buns, but, we are fans of an English novelist who allegedly had a fondness for them. Again referring to Sally Lunn's website, those scrumptious doughy delights may have been a favored treat for Jane Austen. A grand claim? Perhaps. But what is undeniable is that Sally Lunn's offers afternoon tea in their Jane Austen tearoom, a nod to, if not to her substantiated patronage of the signature buns, at least to the fact the author of "Pride and Prejudice" called Bath her home for a portion of her adult life.

A unexpected turn lead us to Sally Lunn's.

Trenchers on the menu - a first for us!

Adding to the list of factual data, what my husband, Chris, and I did partake in was something we had never had, or even heard of,  before:  a "trencher". This very British savory predates even the oldest home in Bath in which it continues to be served. 

Trenchers originally were meal and plate all in one.

Trencher, we learned, is a type of bread that was used before the in invention of plates (that came about around 1500). The bread is topped with meat, vegetables and gravy and eaten with its contents. Efficient and delicious. 

Hallway leading to Austen tearoom

Tea and teaware at Sally Lunn's

Trenchers remained popular during Georgian England, so, I guess, one could also speculate that the Austens may have enjoyed a Trencher or two in their time in Bath (although that is merely my inference and not from the Sally Lunn's website). 

I had the mushroom toast trencher and it was excellent. The ultimate comfort food and, adapted to modern times, even if redundant, it was served on a plate.

Sally Lunn's, scrumptious fare and a bit of spin.

Was there really a Sally Lunn? Did Jane Austen actually crave their specialty buns? Did Mrs. Austen ask Mr. Austen to pick up a few trenchers on his way home from town? With so much history, charm and scrumptious fare, a little bit of spin and an extra heaping of lore only adds to the experience.