Wells, so named because of the wells that rise up in the gardens of the Bishop’s Palace, is England’s smallest city. Near Taunton and The Castle, Wells boasts a magnificent cathedral, the first to be designed and built in England in the Gothic style of architecture. The historic centre of Wells is, by and large, relatively unspoilt with the cathedral and the famous Bishop’s Palace providing a breathtaking area in the heart of the city that’s a joy to behold.
Wells Cathedral dates back to 1180 and the West Front, overlooking the Cathedral Green, is nothing short of spectacular, and the Astronomical Clock is 600 years old!
The Bishop's Palace has been home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for over 800 years and could well be the most perfectly preserved example of a medieval bishop's palace in Europe. The palace was heavily fortified with high defensive walls, a moat, a gatehouse and a drawbridge. When the swans in the moat are hungry, they ring a bell for food!
Just along from the cathedral is Vicar’s Close, said to be the oldest medieval street in Europe that’s been inhabited since it was built in 1348. This is where the men of the cathedral choir once lived.
A traditional open air market is still held twice a week in the historic Market Square and over 50 stalls sell an impressive array of foods and goods, most of which is produced locally.
Surrounded by Somerset’s outstanding rural beauty, Wells sits at the foot of the Mendip Hills and provides an excellent excuse for taking a drive from The Castle at Taunton across the Somerset Levels, perhaps taking in Glastonbury on the way.
Other beautiful features of Somerset worth visiting include: Glastonbury, Dunster, Exmoor, the Blackdown Hills and the Brendon Hills, the Lorna Doone Secret Valley, Forde Abbey, the Mendip Hills, Porlock and Porlock Weir, the Quantock Hills and the Somerset Levels. |
