A day out in Wells

The photo shows a pair of swans with seven small cygnets

Anyone who is following this blog knows that I earn some pocket money by mystery shopping.  Last week I was asked to go to Wells to buy some chocolate  ice cream. My husband came with me and we had a good lunch at the Quarter Jack and visited the first world war exhibition in the museum.  We both love Wells so I have written a few notes and taken some photos to encourage you to visit.

Wells is England’s smallest city with only 12,000 inhabitants. It is a very easy bus ride from Bristol or Bath across the Mendips hills. You can also combine a visit to Wells with a trip to Glastonbury, home of the music festival, Clark’s shopping village in Street or Cheddar caves.  The tourist office has a town trail map and this provides a  short walking tour of the main attractions.  Wells takes its name from a spring in the garden of the bishop’s palace and water from it is still made to flow through the gutters to clean the streets.  The Wells tourist website has more information about the city and its history.

The Cathedral

Wells_Cathedral_2008

Wells is probably best known for its enormous gothic cathedral built between the 12th and the 15th century.  It has one of the oldest clocks in England and a chained library.  (Think Harry Potter).  Admission is by donation and free guided tours are offered every day except Sunday.  The city has a famous choir school and choristers sing at many of the services. Also be sure to look out for the resident cathedral cat.  More information can be found here Wells cathedral website

The beautiful scissor arch with a crucifix in the bthe background #Wells Cathedral
Scissor arch Wells cathedral

The Scissor arch was designed to give more support to the cathedral walls as builders had not quite mastered gothic architecture.

The Bishop’s Palace

Men playing croquet in front of the bishop's palace Wells
A croquet match in progress on the lawn in front of the bishop’s palace

The Bishop’s Palace is next to the cathedral and is famous for having its own moat which is home to a family of Swans.  For centuries they have rung a bell when they need feeding.  Once a year the bishop holds a raft race on the moat.  Wells has even adopted the swan as its emblem.  The palace has been home to the bishop of Bath and Wells for 800 years.  It also has a beautiful 14 acre garden and a tea shop that I can personally recommend.

The photo shows a pair of swans with seven small cygnets
This was the Swan family on the moat taken a couple of years ago.

An annual pass for the garden costs £15.00 for adults and can be purchased from the website or the teashop. Children will love the dragon’s lair adventure playground.

This stone house covers a natural spring.
Well House Bishop palace garden
Wells cathedral from the Bishop palace garden
Wells Cathedral from the pool in the Bishop Palace garden

The cathedral close

This is a beautifully preserved street originally used to house officials from the church.  The houses date back to the 14th century and the street is still cobbled.

Terrace houses with high chimneys from the cathedral close in Wells
This shows part of the cathedral close in Wells

The last fighting Tommy

Outside the museum is a memorial to Harry Patch the last surviving soldier from world war 1.  He died in 2009 at the age of 111 and his funeral in Wells cathedral was televised by the BBC.  In later life, he became a very fervent pacifist.

The photo shows a soldier sitting in a trench
Wells museum has an exhibition to mark 100 years since the end of the first world war.  I took this photo of a Tommy sitting in a trench.

St. Cuthbert’s church

St. Cuthbert was a Northern monk who was much admired by King Alfred. The name of this beautiful church suggests a Saxon origin but the style is 14th century perpendicular gothic with a beautiful painted ceiling and well worth visiting. The guide said some people mistake it for the cathedral.

The painted ceiling of St. Cuthbert's church

Eating, drinking and shopping

Wells has a very busy high street with a variety of shops coffee bars and restaurants to suit all budgets. A farmers market is held twice a week where you can buy a wide variety of West country delicacies including cheddar cheese and Somerset cider. We normally eat in the Quarter Jack (named for the figures who strike the quarter hours on the cathedral clock) which I can recommend for a reasonably priced meal.

Walking

As well as the town trail described above there is a very pleasant rural walk starting from the Bishop’s Palace moat and crossing fields that once formed part of King John’s hunting lodge.

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9 responses to “A day out in Wells”

  1. Wow that gothic cathedral is amazing. Love hearing about towns like this. Snap with the mystery shopping – though I try and do the ones that just reimburse and not pay a fee.

  2. Wells is lovely. I visited for the first time last year. I went on a guided tour of the Cathedral, which I really enjoyed. The volunteer guide was very knowledgeable, and the tour lasted over an hour.

  3. The Cathedral is very impressive! I’ve never been to Wells but I’d like to take a look around (and get some choccy ice cream). Great write-up, Anne, and lovely photos! =]
    Caz xx