Exploring one of the great Gothic Cathedrals of the world, wandering its palaces and precincts, and enjoying a drink in a 14th-century pub – these are some of the best things to do in Wells Somerset.
Wells is the smallest city in England, with a tiny population of 12,000. The reason most people visit is its outstanding Gothic Cathedral, and the surrounding buildings – the most complete medieval cathedral complex in Europe. It’s also close to two of the best caves in England, with the wonderful Mendip Hills and gentle Somerset countryside on its doorstep.
Wells is an easy day trip from Bristol, Bath, Exeter or Cardiff, and you could comfortably see it all in a single day. But it’s also an enticing base for seeing more of Somerset, starting with the town of Glastonbury a few miles away.
In this article I describe all the main things to see in Wells, suggest short trips nearby, and places to stay and eat within the tiny city. I hope you find it helpful.
Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is one of the most beautiful churches in Europe. Along with Salisbury and Lincoln Cathedrals it is one of the masterpieces of English Gothic architecture, and it was built in the three different Gothic styles that spanned the 13th to 16th centuries in England.
The first part of the Cathedral most visitors see is the sublime west front, facing the Cathedral Green. It’s adorned with around 100 carved stone statues and figures, and was the last part of the Cathedral to be built, in the early 15th century, in an early iteration of what is now known as the English Perpendicular style.
Inside, the nave and unusual central tower arches are from the Early English period in the 13th century, while the east end (chancel) of the church was added in the more ornate Decorated Gothic style. The scissor arches supporting the central crossing of the church are a rare feature, and were a necessity in order to shore up the weight pof the central tower. With the circles either side of the arches, the whole ensemble looks rather like a stern-faced bird of prey looking down on the congregation.
There are enough things to see in Wells Cathedral to warrant a long article about it, probably several thousand words in length. There’s a superb 14th-century astronomical clock in the north transept, the second oldest in the country after the one in Salisbury Cathedral. The Cathedral also has some of the most impressive 14th-century stained glass in the country in the east window and the stunning octagonal Lady Chapel.
Also don’t miss the staircase to and the vaulting inside the Chapter House, and the view of the south side of the Cathedral from the Cloister.
Tickets to the Cathedral cost £15 per adult.
Wells Cathedral Green
Never mind Wells Cathedral being one of the most beautiful Cathedrals in England – its Green is also perhaps the finest in the country.
The wide, immaculately kept lawn is a wonderful place to sit and admire the west front of the Cathedral. It has to be one of the most beautiful public spaces anywhere in Europe, with that incomparable view. Nearby Exeter Cathedral in Devon, also has a fine Cathedral Green, and Salisbury Cathedral Close, an hour’s drive east in Wiltshire, also shows off its stunning Gothic masterpiece wonderfully.
On a sunny summer afternoon, the Green in Wells is a popular place to sit and relax, with a picnic, drink or perhaps a book for an hour or so. Definitely one for your British bucket list.
Wells Bishop’s Palace
The fortified 13th-century Bishop’s Palace – home to the Bishop of Bath and Wells – is a moated Castle next door to the Cathedral. It’s well worth the walk from the Market Square to the moat of the Palace, from where you get a wonderful view of the Cathedral reflected in the moat. A few swans drift back and forth, and it’s such a relaxing spot for a picnic or takeaway cup of coffee.
You reach the Palace via a bridge over the moat, passing beneath a portcullis. The Palace Gardens are exceptional, and also have a play area for kids who might want a break from the wealth of ecclesiastical attractions. There are also some attractive ruins of part of the Palace, and you can also visit part of the Palace interior, the highlight of which is the Long Gallery, though it’s not as captivating as the gardens.
The Palace is open year-round, with longer hours April to October (9.30 am to 5.30 pm) than in winter (November to March 10.00 am to 4.00 pm).
Vicars Close
Vicars Close isn’t just one of the most beautiful streets in Europe, it’s probably the most intact medieval street in Europe. This residential street was built between the mid-14th and early 15th century, the houses serving as homes for clergy of the Cathedral.
There is a stone gateway at the Cathedral end of the Close, with a Vicars’ Chapel at the opposite end. There were originally 42 houses on the street, and this has been reduced to 27 over the centuries. The houses are stone cottages with tall chimneys, which may be replacements of the original.
It’s an incredibly picturesque street wherever you view it from. My favourite view is from the north end, close to the Vicars’ Chapel, looking down the street towards the Cathedral – a magnificent sight above the row of elegant chimneys. Like the rest of the Cathedral precincts, it’s a photographer’s paradise.
The street is open at all times.
St Cuthbert’s Church
It’s amazing that another church in such a small city as Wells could be mistaken for the Cathedral, but I’ve seen it happen a few times. St Cuthbert’s Church is the parish church of the City of Wells, and as impressive as – and bigger than – many a Cathedral across Britain and Europe.
St Cuthbert’s tower is one of the finest Perpendicular Somerset church towers, built in the 15th and 16th centuries when many in the county were wealthy from the wool trade. It’s the third highest in the county at 151 feet – the highest is the tower of St Mary Magdalene Church in Taunton.
Ornate wooden roofs are another feature of some churches in Somerset, and again, St Cuthbert’s has one of the most beautiful. Each beam of the nave roof has an elaborate carved wooden angel, and the panels are painted green with red and white edges. I’d go so far as to say that it’s one of the most beautiful of its kind in the UK.
The church is open to visitors daily between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm.
Wells Market Square and High Street
Away from the Cathedral, the place you’re most likely to explore in Wells is the Market Square and adjacent High Street. The Wells Market is held on the square, within sight of the Cathedral and two medieval gateways, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you’re looking out for local produce, aim for the Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays.
There are also a few medieval pubs along the High Street, including the Crown at Wells, the City Arms and the Kings Head. They all have atmospheric interiors with wooden beamed ceilings, and serve variants on British pub classics including steak and ale pie, fish and chips, various curries and pasta dishes.
Some readers may also recognize the High Street and a few other locations around Wells from the 2007 movie Hot Fuzz, much of which was filmed in the city.
Visit Glastonbury
Glastonbury is only six miles away from Wells, but straight away you’re immersed in a very different world. The small Somerset town is a convergence point of several ‘ley lines’ – invisible pathways of mystical force. It’s also linked to several legends. Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy follower of Jesus who buried him after the crucifixion, is said to have visited the area, and brought the Holy Grail, the wooden cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper.
The low-lying area is also known as the Isle of Avalon (Ynys Afallon in Welsh), believed to be the final resting place of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere.
Down in the town, the main sight is the ruined Glastonbury Abbey, an ancient foundation destroyed on the orders of Henry VIII, who also executed the last Abbot in 1539. A substantial part of the church remains, including part of the arches that supported the central tower crossing. The Glastonbury Thorn, a hawthorn tree in the Abbey grounds, is said to have sprouted when Joseph of Arimathea planted his staff in the ground there.
There are more sites of interest a short walk from the Abbey and town centre. Chalice Well is said to mark the spot where Joseph once placed the Holy Grail, but the Well is a natural phenomenon, the waters originating in a deep aquifer nearby.
A short walk beyond the Well (there’s also a shuttle bus) takes you to one of the most famous landmarks in England, Glastonbury Tor. The steep conical hill, crowned by the medieval tower of the ruined St Michael’s Church, is only 523 feet high, but it is far higher than the surrounding landscape, so is visible for many miles around. A climb up the Tor rewards you with outstanding views of Somerset, the Bristol Channel coast and the Welsh hills in the distance.
Glastonbury Tor is also an incredible photographic subject. The nearest place I’ve ever seen to it is the astonishing Trosky Castle, built on two volcanic plugs of rocks, which dominates the Bohemian Paradise region northeast of Prague. It’s a sight that has drawn photographers for generations, one to which I’m determined to devote a few sunrises and sunsets some day. The sight of it seemingly drifting above a morning autumn mist is unforgettable. And there’s a superb view of it looming in the distance beyond Wells Cathedral from the A39 road as it approaches Wells from Bath and Bristol.
Visit Cheddar Gorge
Cheddar Gorge, at the western edge of the Mendip Hills, is one of the best places to visit near Bath, Bristol and Wells. The deepest limestone gorge in England – its cliffs are around 450 feet high – is only a 10-mile drive or bus ride from Wells, and you could easily spend the best part of a day there.
A single ticket (£24.95 for adults, children £18.70) covers the whole complex of two caves and the gorge. Gough’s Cave is wondrous, believed to have formed around half a million years ago, inhabited during the Stone Age but only discovered in the 19th century. The smaller Cox’s Cave is now the setting for a multimedia sound and light show, the first of its kind in the UK.
I also heartily recommend hiking the 274 steps up Jacob’s Ladder, and the additional 50 or so to the top of the Lookout Tower. The Gorge Hike from there gives you stupendous views as you walk along the clifftops. You descend the Jacob’s Ladder side, cross the road and follow the uphill path up the other side.
When you leave Cheddar Gorge, I suggest taking the scenic route back, following the B3135 up through the Gorge and out onto the top of the Mendip Hills, continuing to Wells.
Wookey Hole Caves
If you have to take reluctant kids around the cathedral and precincts for hours, perhaps you might be able to bribe them into acquiescence with the promise of a few hours at Wookey Hole Caves, three miles from Wells. The same tactic has worked with my own son elsewhere!
Wookey Hole Caves have been a tourist attraction since 1927, and eight chambers are open to visit. After the underground tour, there are also options of adventure golf and a dinosaur park, with life-size roaring replicas to scare the kids.
Day tickets are £25 for adults and £20 for adults, with discounts applicable if you book online.
See Some of The Famous Somerset Church Towers
Somerset is renowned for its superb church towers which were built in the Perpendicular late Gothic style that only developed in Britain in the mid-15th to mid-16th century.
Wells is within a short drive of many of them. Apart from St Cuthbert’s Church in Wells (see above) the nearest is to the north on the A39, in the village of Chewton Mendip. St John’s Church in Glastonbury is another beautiful example.
There are two more fine church towers in Somerset’s county town Taunton – the churches of St Mary Magdalene (which also has a stunning wooden roof with angels) and St James.
There are around forty superb church towers around the county, too many to list here, but I also recommend St Andrew’s Church in Mells (near Frome), All Saints Church in Wrington, and St Mary’s Church in Huish Episcopi, near Langport.
Where Is Wells, Somerset
Wells is in the county of Somerset in southwest England, which is also sometimes called the West Country. It’s at the foot of the Mendip Hills, and close to the northern edge of the low-lying area around Glastonbury known as the Isle of Avalon.
Here are some sample distances from nearby major cities:
Bristol to Wells – 20 miles (32 km)
Bath to Wells – 19 miles (30 km)
Exeter to Wells – 60 miles (100 km)
London to Wells – 124 miles (200 miles)
Cardiff to Wells – 61 miles (98 km)
Birmingham to Wells – 109 miles (175 km)
How To Get To Wells
If you’re travelling to Wells, you need to drive or catch the bus.
If driving, the nearest junction on the M5 motorway is number 23, from where it’s a 20-mile (30-minute) drive to Wells.
Otherwise, regular buses run to Wells from Bristol, Bath and smaller towns nearby including Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet.
The 376 Mendip Explorer bus runs from Bristol Bus and Coach Station, and also calls close to Bristol Temple Meads train station. The journey takes 1 hour and 15 minutes from the bus station, ten minutes less from Temple Meads.
And the 173 bus from Bath takes a similar time to reach Wells.
Where To Stay In Wells
There are some wonderful hotels and inns in Wells, with a great range of late-medieval places for you to step back in time for a night or two.
**** – The Swan Hotel, Wells, Somerset – historic hotel that has hosted the likes of King Henry VII and Winston Churchill
**** – Burcott Mill Guesthouse – outstanding guesthouse in the village of Wookey, two miles from Wells
** – White Hart Inn – gorgeous 15th-century inn just a minute’s walk from the Cathedral Green
* – Ancient Gatehouse – small hotel with the best views in town – facing the Cathedral. There’s also a great in-house Italian restaurant, Rugantino’s.
Things To Do In Wells Somerset – Final Thoughts
I think Wells is one of the most underrated cities in Europe – and that’s possibly because many people don’t realise that such a small place is a city in the first place.
As is the case with so many parts of Britain, there are so many amazing places to visit near Wells. Take a look at these articles for further inspiration:
One Day In Bath – how to spend 24 hours in the stunning Georgian city
12 Most Beautiful Streets In Bath – a photo guide to the terraces and townscape of the World Heritage city
12 Most Famous Landmarks In Bath – the Abbey, Roman Baths and much more
12 Best Things To Do In Exeter – lovely small city with another stunning Cathedral
Things To Do In Hereford – one of the least-known cities in England, with a superb Cathedral
20 Best Places To Visit In The Welsh Borders – complete guide from the Bristol Channel to the Irish Sea
One Day In Cardiff – 24 hours in the capital of Wales
35 Best Castles In South Wales To Visit – from Cardiff and Caerphilly to the wild romantic ruin of Carreg Cennen – and many more