A Bird`s Eye view of Bath c. 1600, engraved from a drawing by physician Henry Savile. This is an amazing map as it shows a bird`s eye view on the area and has only come to light in recent years. The Abbey Gate is clearly seen, and the wall along side it still exists in Little Orchard Street. There was obviously an earlier building on the site of Minion House (no. 9 Abbey Green) and what appears to be a path to a passage under the building which lead to a knotted garden at the rear. the adjoining garden is now the site of the Crystal Palace public house. A water conduit can be seen on the corner of the garden, this feature was obviously taken into account when rebuilkding as it still justs out.Abbey Green was more extensive then as the houses against the eastern wall were not to be built until 1698. Another interesting feature is the ditch running alomg Abbey Lane. This was the outflow for the waters from the King`s Bath which went on down to the river Avon. Visitors came into the court through the great gate of the priory, which survived until 1733. John Wood described a 'middle aperture' and a 'northern postern'. Picture a large gateway vaulted high enough for heavily-laden carts and a smaller one for pedestrians, like the surviving one at Cleeve Abbey. It was served by a lay porter, who had a lodge beside it. He would have peered through a grille to check your identity before he let you in.

Harcourt Masters Map of Abbey Green 1795. This shows that Minion House has lost the passage way through it. It is shown passing through the neighbouring building (now the Crystal Palace).