Bard of Bath


The Bard of Bath is the winner of an annual competition to find Bath's best poet, singer or storyteller. The Bard uses the title to develop artistic projects in the area and leads evening bardic walks around the city.
The title resurrects an Iron-Age Celtic Druid tradition where Druids were the law-makers, judges and ceremonial leaders, Ovates were mediums, healers and prophets and Bards were poets, musicians and history-keepers. All of them held high status and a place in mystical/religious circles.
Each Chaired Bard becomes a member of the Gorsedd and retains their title. The current Bard of Bath, as of February 2020, is Tick Rowley.

Winners

1. Tim Sebastian, 1996–97
2. Richard Carder, 1997-8
3. Kevan Manwaring, 1998-9
4. Olivia Hicks, 1999–2000
5. Julian Landau, 2000-1
6. Brendan Georgeson, 2001-2
7. Mark Lindsey Earley, 2002-3
8. Helen Moore, 2003-4
9. Jordan Ashley Hill 2004-5
10. Mo the People's Nun, 2005-6
11. Ash Mandrake, 2006–2007
12. Thommie Gillow, 2007–2008
13. Master Duncan, 2008–2009
14. Jack Dean, 2009–2010
15. Jennifer Walter 2010-2012
2012-2013 No Chair awarded
16. Mark Westmore 2013-2014 http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/New-Bard-Bath-chosen/story-19284587-detail/story.html
17. Sheila Broun 2014-2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150923192435/http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/New-Bard-Bath-announced/story-21269678-detail/story.html
21. Conor Whelan, 2019–20
22. Tick Rowley, 2020-2021