WELLS is England's smallest city.  See the local paper (out on Thursdays) for details of events.  The main attraction is, of course, the Cathedral which dates from 1180 and the West Front has the largest collection of mediaeval statues in Europe.  It also houses a unique mediaeval clock.  Next door is the Bishops Palace, home of the current Bishop of Bath and Wells.  The palace is surrounded by a moat and here, boat races are held on August Bank Holiday Monday, when a number of homemade craft and crews in fancy dress, compete.  Also on the moat, the famous swans can be seen who, traditionally, ring a bell when they want feeding.  The wells, from which the city gets it's name, are located in the Palace gardens.  The Palace and the Gardens are open to the public from April-October.  Across the road from the Cathedral is Vicars Close (1342), the oldest inhabited street in Europe and still lived in today by choristers and the clergy.  The nearby Wells Museum - open every day - is worth taking a look at.  Situated just off the Moat Walk is the Recreational Ground (the Rec as it is known locally) in which can be found a childrens play area, a bandstand and is home to the Wells Bowls Club and the Bishops Tythe Barn.

 

The Town Hall is situated in the Market Place.  Markets are held here every Wednesday and Saturday.  Set in the pavement just below Penniless Porch, there is a plaque honouring Wells' athlete Mary Bignal Rand, who won Olympic Gold in the long jump.  St Cuthbert's Church is situated at the bottom end of the High Street and is the largest parish church in England.

 

Every year in November the Wells Carnival is held as part of the Somerset Carnival season.  This is a huge spectacular event.  Wells also has a Football and a Rugby club, a Leisure centre and Kudos nighclub (open weekends)  There are many places to eat including The Crown Hotel, The City Arms (a former jail) and The Globe Inn to name but a few.  There is also a selection of takeaways ranging from Indian, Chinese and Pizza to the traditional Fish and Chips.

 

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS:

 

CHEDDAR - approx 10 miles from Wells on the Weston-Super-Mare road.  Home of Cheddar Gorge.  Lying at the foot of the Mendips, here you will find Caves that are open to the public daily.  Also, Jacobs Ladder which is an exhausting climb but worth the effort! At the top you will find a Look-out Tower and can enjoy cliff walks along the top of the Gorge.  For those not so energetic, try an open-top bus tour!  Although the famous cheese takes it's name from Cheddar, it is no longer made here on a commercial basis.  There is however,  a visitors centre where you can learn about the process of making this cheese and can purchase goods from their shop.

 

PRIDDY - Approximately 4 miles from Cheddar.  Priddy Folk Festival is held on the village Green in July and Priddy Fair is held in August when sheep and horse sales take place.  Swildons Hole and the ancient lead mines at Charterhouse are nearby.

 

WOOKEY HOLE AND DEERLEAP - From the top of Deerleap, on a clear day, you can see for 30 miles or more in each direction.  Take a picnic!  Deerleap is so called because in a field off the narrow road leading down into Wookey Hole village, there are two large stones set apart from one another.  The story goes that deer were being chased by huntsmen and the distance between the two rocks is how far the deer lept to get away.  On the left hand side travelling down from Deerleap towards Wookey Hole, Ebbor Gorge can be explored.  Wookey Hole is  the home of Wookey Hole Caves and the famous Witch.

 

GLASTONBURY AND STREET - Approx. 6 miles from Wells, Glastonbury is another interesting tourist town and is well known for its Abbey, Tor and Challis Well.  The world famous Glastonbury Pop Festival is held at Worthy Farm in Pilton just a few miles away on the Shepton Mallet Road. Another 2 miles further on at Street, is the Clarks Village Outlet Shopping Centre which has many well known factory outlet shops selling items at discount prices.  

 

Other attractions within easy reach of Wells include:-  Shepton Mallet (Bath and West Showground), Masebury Ring, Mells (where the nursery rhyme Little Jack Horner originated), Kilmersdon (for the Jack and Jill rhyme), Burrington Coombe (where the hymn Rock of Ages was witten), Bradford-on-Avon, Bristol (SS Great Britain, Balloon Festival etc), Bath (Roman Baths), Longleat (Lions and House), Weston-Super-Mare, Yeovil (for Yeovilton Air Museum and Haynes Motor Museum), Burnham-on-Sea, Minehead, Bishops Lydiard (steam trains), 

 

Wells is situated in Central Somerset and is approximately 20 miles from every large town in each direction and so makes it an ideal base for touring the West Country.  The nearest railway station is at Castle Cary but is only about 45 minutes by car (although there is a good bus service) from the bigger Temple Meads Bristol station or Bath Spa station.  Wells is also served by a daily London coach to and from the Capital.