Perhaps most famous as being the filming spot for the Hot Fuzz film, Wells is a not a very big city and is in fact England’s smallest city.
The city is very walkable, with a number of tourist attractions- most notably the Cathedral, but also the Bishop’s Palace and gardens- and the wells that bubble up here are what the city owes both its name and origins to. There are also various shops, cafes and restaurants to explore, and a cute market square.
Vicars Close
The fountain in the market square in Wells
The cathedral ceiling
Wells Cathedral
The Cathedral is a grade I listed building, and the earliest evidence of worship here is a Romano-British mausoleum. Then, around the start of the 8th Century, a church was built on the site, and the surrounding area was built out into a small town. The church became a cathedral, and was built from stone. Over the coming centuries, the cathedral was expanded to hold the growing liturgy- the Lady Chapel was added, accommodation was built in Vicar’s Close for choir members, and the west front was completed in the middle of the 14th Century. The cathedral then faced a turbulent period during the Civil War- with pictures, stained glass windows, the organ and crucifixes all smashed, and the cathedral was ransacked for anything saleable. It was only much later that restoration began in the middle of the 17th Century, and the Victorian era saw more restorations and intensive cleaning throughout. You can read more about the history of the cathedral here.
We were able to visit during the cathedral without having to book in advance- the cathedral is open daily, but best to check times here. There is no specific entry fee- but the cathedral relies on entry donations for renovations and maintenance.
During our visit, there was a one way route in operation (we visited during Covid-19), but this lets you see all the various parts of the cathedral- from the Quire to the Cloisters and the Camery garden. You can explore these and other parts of the cathedral online here. Our visit of the cathedral was incredibly peaceful and it was actually not busy at all (although we were there on a weekday so at weekends/school holidays it would inevitably be busier!). We spent around an hour walking around and taking in the stunning vaulted ceiling, the incredible stained glass and the sculpted figures.
The stained glass windows
The cloisters
The Bishop’s Palace
As well as visiting the cathedral, we managed to visit the Bishop’s Palace (and gardens)- and were very impressed. This has been the home for the Bishops of the Diocese of Bath and Wells for 800 years, and similarly to the Cathedral, is also a Grade I listed building.
The medieval palace dates back to the 13th century, and over next decades, the palace was expanded to include a chapel and great hall, and a moat and walls. Originally there was a deer park here, whilst this is no longer here, you can walk around the lawn, the wells, allotments and the arboretum. You can see a map here of the site and the various areas you can visit.
The Bishop’s palace, chapel and remains of the Great Hall
First, we visited the palace- from the various rooms for dining, eating and entertainment to the chapel. The rooms are all well decorated, with impressive paintings and furniture throughout and with intricate ceilings and fireplaces.
What would have been the Great Hall can also be seen- and this looks like it certainly would have been an impressive room. You can read more here on the history and details of the Palace and gardens.
This place makes for a perfect place to escape the everyday and just enjoy the tranquil surroundings. You can also grab some tea and cakes at a cafe located by the ticket offices, or bring along a picnic.
The tickets are around £15 for adults, and £7.50 for children- however this allows you 12 months of entry to the palace- definitely useful if you live nearby or are likely to have a return visit.
Remains of the Great Hall
The vaulted Undercroft
The rooms inside the palace
The Beckynton Range: Offices and living quarters of the Bishop of Wells
As well as visiting the palace, you can walk around the lawn and see the moat, the wells themselves, and then explore the beautiful gardens, the allotments, and the arboretum. The gardens were stunning- it was evident a lot of attention had thought and care had gone in throughout. The gardens are split into the South, East, Wells, Quiet and Community gardens- see here for more details on each of these.
The Wells garden
Overall we found Wells to be a quaint and pleasant city, definitely worth visiting if you are in the area!
To find out more about what else we would recommend in Dorset, check out our main blog post here.
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