Found­ed by the Romans as a ther­mal spa, Bath became an impor­tant cen­tre of the wool indus­try in the Mid­dle Ages. In the 18th cen­tu­ry, under George III, it devel­oped into an ele­gant town with neo­clas­si­cal Pal­la­di­an build­ings, which blend har­mo­nious­ly with the Roman baths.