Wells — England
Wells is a small city and a civil parish in Somerset in close proximity to Wookey Hole, and is situated in the southernmost region of the Mendip Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AON); and despite its diminutive size, received status as a city in 1205 by Queen Elizabeth II, after Wells Cathedral was established.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, the city is listed as Welle, derived from the Old English wiells, indicating that Wells was not listed as a town, but rather listed as part of the manors in the area at that time. The settlement of Wells had an ancient beginning, as the area is rich in resources; attracting various people through the ages from prehistoric settlers to the Romans; however, Wells only achieved importance as a centre of activity during the Saxon reign when it is believed that King Ine of Wessex founded The Church of St Andrews, a minster, or monastery church circa 704 AD. Prior to these times, and during the Middle Ages, the natural spring wells which today can be found within the Bishop's Palace and cathedral were believed to hold curative powers. Eventually the original church was replaced by the Cathedral, which was started in 1180, taking several centuries to complete; with The Chapter House, Vicar's Hall, the cloisters and the street known as the Vicar's Close added between the 13th to 15th centuries. Vicar's Close, is an unusually tapered street, and is one of Europe's oldest residential streets still in existence. It is also interesting to note that the independent Wells Cathedral School started circa 909 AD, is still functioning today and presently has a prestigious music school for children.
As can be imagined, the Wells Cathedral has dominated this small, lovely city for the past eight centuries; however, Wells continued to develop as a market town, with four fairs being held during each year. At present Wells hold two weekly markets which is still a center of much activity. This is the market place where William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania in the United States, preached his Quaker beliefs, being arrested on one such occasion. The city is also home to St. Cuthbert's Church, a very large parish church, which causes confusion for tourists who sometimes assume that it is Wells Cathedral. St. Cuthbert's was built during the 13th century, with a stone tower and a carved roof, with alterations made during the 15th century during the Perpendicular period; and is another of the many listed buildings of historical interest in this ancient city.
This small but fascinating city is full of historic buildings and events, with numerous buildings and gardens, each a treasure in its own right. Each building has a complex history, whether bearing the finest collection of statuary, as the west front of Wells Cathedral, or learning the origin of the beautiful scissored arch design in the east end of the nave. It is impossible not to delight in the intricacy of the Wells Cathedral clock, famous for its 24 hour astronomical dial and the performing jousting knights, and to hear the chimes of the heaviest set of bells in the world. Of great interest to the historian is the manner in which the Parliamentarian troops used these splendid buildings and Cathedral during the English Civil War; and the damage inflicted by the invading army during the various incursions during that period of time.
The city of Wells has seen its fair share of war, but as a point of interest for the modern historian, during World War II there was a Prisoner of War camp located in the city at Stoberry Park, which housed Italian prisoners from the Desert Campaign; and the German prisoners, who were captured after the Battle of Normandy, were held at a working camp called Penleigh Camp on Wookey Hole Road.
Wells is popular with tourists not only for its historical sites, but also due to its proximity to Bath, Stonehenge, and Glastonbury with its famous church tower on Glastonbury Tor. A visit to the Wells Museum holds exhibits of the past and the present life of Wells, as well as of the Mendip region, including some artifacts from the caves at Wookey Hole. Wells is also in close proximity to the coast, and being located in the Mendip Hills the city revels in the pristine beauty of the surrounding countryside. The Mendip Way and Monarch's Way footpaths pass through the city, as well as a National Cycle Route. There is also the "Strawberry" line which goes through the rolling Mendip hills on an historic steam train; or the Castle Line which travels over thirty miles to some of the finest castles and palaces in the country. All of these attributes added to the historical buildings and gardens in this beautiful city are a few more reasons to visit Wells.
Where is Wells?Wells is located 25 miles south of Bristol where the A39 and A371 roads intersect. The nearest populated areas include Glastonbury to the south and Shepton Mallet to the east.
Have you ever visited Wells?Is Wells your favourite place to stay during the holidays? Should Wells be on everyone's list of must-see travel destinations? Tell us why, we're interested. Let us know what you think about Wells — your comments may be published on this website.
