Wells - cathedral city in Somerset, England
Wells is the smallest city in England, with a population of around 10,000. It is in Somerset in the south-west of the country. The city is dominated by the magnificent Gothic cathedral and is famous for its remarkably intact ecclesiastical quarter. This area contains the Bishop's Palace – the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells – and the Vicar's Close, a medieval street purported to be the oldest continuously-inhabited street in Europe. The city takes its name from the natural wells found in the Cathedral grounds, which feed the moat and ponds around the Bishop's Palace. The majority of the Edgar Wright comedy Hot Fuzz was filmed in and around Wells.
Understand
Get in
By plane
The nearest airport is Bristol Airport 📍 (IATA: BRS), around away. You can hire a car at the airport or catch the bus into Bristol itself in order to catch a bus to Wells. In common with many rural towns, Wells has no train station.
By car
If you are driving from Bristol, take the A37 south until you reach the A371, then head west into Wells. If you happen to be coming from Bath, take the A39 west into the A37, and then on to the A371 west into Wells. If coming from the South, exit the M5 at junction 23, then take the A39 "Bath Road" through Glastonbury and continue North to Wells.
By train
Wells used to have 2 railway stations (Wells Priory Rd. & Wells Tucker St.) but those no longer exist. Wells can be accessed from:
- Castle Cary station: bus, changing in Shepton Mallet;
- Weston Milton station: direct bus;
- Bristol Temple Meads: direct bus;
- Bath Spa station: direct bus.
By bus
There is an hourly bus service, number 376, from Bristol to Street. Get on at Bristol bus station or at Bristol Temple Meads rail station. This service is run by FirstGroup and up-to-date timetables can be found here (dead link: January 2023).
Bristol → Pensford → Wells → Glastonbury → Street
Get around
The city is so small that unless you have a medical condition you should have no trouble walking everywhere. If you would like there are taxis but these would only be useful making forays into the countryside (beautiful, by the way) or to nearby Cheddar, but these are accessible by bus, as well. Be warned that taxis in Somerset are expensive, even more so than in most large cities.
See
- Wells Cathedral (Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew), 51.2104°, -2.6437°, +44 1749 674483. Wells Cathedral is the only cathedral in England that still has a Vicars Close and Bishop's Palace intact (so they claim). This makes it a must-see and a will-see, as it rises above the town and is visible for miles! The most distinctive thing about this cathedral is the scissor arches in the transept. These modern-looking arches were built in the 1300s to stabilise the structure after a heightened tower was added, and they face north, south, and west.
- Bishop's Palace, 51.2093°, -2.64255°, +44 1749 988111. (from 27th March - 29th October): 10AM-6PM, (from 29th October - 26th March): 10AM-4PM. The Bishop of Bath's residence. The majestic grade I palace offers tours. Adult: £8.05, Concessions: £7.15, Child (5-18): £3.55, Family (1 adult, upto 3 children): £14.40, Family (2 adults, upto 3 children): £21.60 2018-02-03
- Wells Museum, 8 Cathedral Green, BA5 2UE (is opposite the cathedral), 51.2109°, -2.6445°, +44 1749 673477. M-Sa: 10AM-5PM, Su: Closed. It portrays the history of the city.
- Wookey Hole Caves, 51.228056°, -2.671389°. A series of limestone caverns that are open as a show cave and tourist attraction. 2017-03-25
- Yeo Valley Organic Gardens, Blagdon BS40 7SQ, 51.329°, -2.698°, +44 1761 461425. Th F 11:00-17:00. Delightful gardens overlooking Blagdon Lake. 2021-04-05
Do
- Hot Fuzz Tour. Wells was the main filming location for the fictional idyllic Gloucestershire village of Sandford in the 2007 Simon Pegg film Hot Fuzz. 2018-01-13
- Danny Butterman's house, 30 Balch Rd, BA5 2BZ, 51.207813°, -2.658806°. 2018-02-03
- Swan Hotel, Sadler St, BA5 2RX. Nicholas Angel's accommodation when he arrives in Sandford. 2018-02-03
- The Crown, 1 High St, BA5 2AA, 51.209222°, -2.645543°. Pub that Nicholas Angel and his colleagues frequent after work. 2018-02-03
- St Cuthbert's church (Sandford church), St Cuthbert's St, BA5 2AW, 51.2083°, -2.6503°. Scene of the village fête and the unfortunate "accident" that happened there. 2018-02-03
- Little Theatre (Sandford's theatre), Chamberlain St, BA5, 51.208459°, -2.652192°. Theatre that Nicholas Angel goes to, to watch arguably one of the worst productions of Romeo & Juliet. 2018-02-03
- City News, 2A High St, BA5 2SG, 51.209243°, -2.646027°. A small convenience store that Nicholas Angel visits to buy a vanilla Cornetto ice cream (notable as Hot Fuzz was the second film in the "Cornetto trilogy"). 2018-02-03
Events
Wells Carnival. Wells Carnival takes place every November and it's full of illuminated floats. Don't miss it. 2018-01-13
Priddy Folk Festival, Priddy, BA5 3BB, 51.25599°, -2.67981°. Three days of folk music on the Mendip plateau, north of Wells.
Buy
Every Wednesday and Saturday there is a market in the Market Place with all kinds of local art, jewellery and other goods.
Wells Farmers Market, Market Place, BA5 2RB (Opposite the Town Hall), 51.209277°, -2.644641°. 9AM-2:30PM. A farmers market from local providers. 17 stalls offering local fruit, vegetables, cheeses, jams and chutneys and many other goods. Every Wednesday. 2015-07-26
The city's main attractions offer gift shops, perfect for a souvenir to take home.
High Street and the Market Place are probably the best places to shop in Wells. You'll find W. H. Smith, Waterstones and many other shops including charity shops, pharmacies, clothes shops and a wide range of coffee shops. Several shops open on Sundays.
There are several large supermarkets south of the High Street, including Tesco and Lidl, however be careful as pedestrian access involves crossing busy roads (zebra and pelican crossings are installed).
Eat
- The Good Earth, 4–6 Priory Road Wells, BA5 1SY, 51.20721°, -2.648805°, +44 1749 678600, info@thegoodearthwells.co.uk. 9AM-4:30PM. A cafe and a health-food supermarket. Freshly cooked meals with a daily menu. Portions are very substantial. Whole food supermarket offers big choice of products. Not far from city centre and Wells Cathedral (5–10 minute walk). 2015-07-26
- The Sheppey, Lower Godney BA5 1SY, 51.1819°, -2.7504°, +44 1458 831594. Pleasant country pub, dog-friendly, with rooms and quality meals. B&B double £110 2023-03-27
Drink
There are several nice pubs in Wells. The Rose & Crown has some nice ales and a great beer garden, but it can get quite busy on weekends. The City Arms has some great food, but it's quite quiet in there and lacks the pub atmosphere. The Crown has a great atmosphere and it's a great pub.
The City Arms (The Olde City Jail), High St, BA5 2AG, 51.207979°, -2.648818°, +44 1749 677768. M-Sa: 10AM-1AM, Su: 10AM-noon. 2018-01-13
The Full Moon, 42 Southover, BA5 1UH, 51.20551°, -2.64833°, +44 1749 678 291. noon-11PM. 2023-03-26
The Quarter Jack, 18, Priory Road, BA5 1SY, 51.20611°, -2.65035°. 8AM-midnight. JD Wetherspoon 2023-03-26
The Rose & Crown, 7 St John St, BA5 1SW, 51.207139°, -2.648118°, +44 1749 677556. 11AM-midnight. The Rose and Crown has a pool table, so you can have a lovely game of pool whilst sampling some great local ales. 2018-01-13
Sleep
- Best Western Swan Hotel (BA5 2RX), 11 Sadler St, BA5 2RX, 51.209643°, -2.646275°, +44 1749 836300. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. 15th-century coaching inn with 50 bedrooms located opposite Wells Cathedral. £134
- Stoberry House, Stoberry Park BA5 3LD (off A39), 51.219°, -2.640°, +44 1749 672906. Luxurious B&B in a former coaching-house, 7 rooms. Children only allowed on block-bookings, no dogs. B&B double £140 2020-06-05
- The Litton, Litton, Radstock BA3 4PW, 51.289°, -2.583°, +44 1761 241554. Charming countryside pub-bistro with rooms. B&B double £100 2021-05-30
Go next
Other local attractions near Wells are:
- Bath
- Bristol
- Cheddar
- Glastonbury
- Street (with Clarks Village outlet mall)
- Shepton Mallet – a pleasant historic market town with a good range of listed buildings
- Wookey Hole Caves (full of adventure for little kids) These attractions are all accessible by bus (buses usually leave from the bus station near Tesco)