The city of Wells and its surrounding area are full of interest for the visitor - this is the heart of Mendip country which has some of the earliest traces of human habitation in England. Go then to the Wells Museum on Cathedral Green and learn about this lovely part of the country - then go out and explore it for yourself. There is much more to the city of Wells than just the cathedral, and you should take time to wander through the streets, with their flowing streams (now carefully channelled at the side of the road).
After sampling the delights that Wells has to offer in terms of shopping, history, heritage and architecture, why not take time out to relax in the warm, friendly environs of The Fountain Inn with its famous Boxer Restaurant. If your requirement is for just a bar snack or a full a la carte meal you can be assured of the highest quality service and food, all at reasonable prices.
Wells Cathedral is one of the most beautiful in England and well worth a visit. Approach from the Market Place, through Penniless Porch or across Cathedral Green and you are confronted by the magnificent view of the 13th century West Front, twice as wide as it is high. The Front carries 293 pieces of mediaeval sculpture.
Notable features inside include the impressive scissor arches (1338) and mediaeval clock (1390). Do not miss the magnificent octagonal Chapter House at the top of the great river of stone that is the Chapter House steps. To experience the true splendour of the Cathedral attend choral Evensong, sung by the choir on weekdays at 5.15 pm and Sundays at 3 pm.
In addition to the architecture and the ecclesiastical history or the historical tombs of the Cathedral, Wells will be notable for two main things. Many people taken there as children will still remember Wells many years later as the place where swans ring bells and knights come out of a clock.
Go to the north transept (or ask one of the many helpful guides) and see the clock built in 1390. On every quarter hour knights ride round and round the clock in a mechanical tournament. One knight is knocked off his horse - unfortunately for him it is always the same one! Six hundred years of failure in jousting must induce some kind of inferiority complex even in a mechanical man.
Visit also the Cathedral shop where you can buy further literature about the cathedral and the city and also articles to remind you of your visit, and the Egon Ronay recommended Cloister Restaurant to supply your bodily needs!
Adjoining the Cathedral is The Bishop's Palace, the home of the Bishops of Bath and Wells. The oldest part of the building is open to the public The state rooms are mainly decorated in the Victorian "Italian Gothic "style approached by a fine Jacobean staircase.
The grounds are delightful and contain the wells which bubble up from the base of the tranquil pool famous for its reflection of the Cathedral. These also feed the moat, above which you will see a small window with a bell beside it. Swans ring this bell when they want to be fed - if they have not been overfed by visitors. If you do want to feed them, please offer brown or wholemeal bread, not white. There is a Rampart Walk along one side of the grounds from which wide views can be seen.
Wildlife abounds and we are sure you will thoroughly enjoy this oasis of peace in the heart of the bustling Cathedral city.