A Guide to Wells Cathedral
We were treated to a fascinating talk on Wells Cathedral by Sylvia Ingham, who worked there as a guide for many years. The first church was built on land given by King Ina in 703AD. A rebuild started in 1175 and took 50 years, though most of the present building is 14th – 15th century. It used to be brightly painted inside and out but the Reformation in the 16th century put paid to that and there was much renovation during the Victorian period, including the Great Scrape to get rid of paint and carbon deposits from candles.
Wells has the first completely gothic cathedral in the country. The unique scissor arches were added soon after the central tower was built in the 14th century, to spread the weight, as
the cathedral has no foundations!
The pulpit was mainly used for political proclamations, not preaching.
The font is the oldest item and came from the original church. The choir and lady chapel are the oldest parts of the building. The magnificent east window has Mary dressed in green rather than the usual blue, because blue glass was very expensive!
To provide some colour after the Scrape, cushions and tapestries were made. One shows King
Alfred signing the Treaty of Wedmore in 878 AD.
A very interesting feature is the misericords in the choir. These little folding half-seats were for the men to lean on during the long services, and are carved with all sorts of people and animals. The carpenters could really let themselves go with these!
The famous clock here and the one in Salisbury cathedral were made by the same man and it is believed that the Wells clock face is the oldest in the world. It is a 24-hour clock, shows minutes and moon phases, and has the charming carousel above it.
These are just some of the things Sylvia told us about. There is a huge amount to see there so do go and explore for yourself. Admission tickets cost £15 and include re-entry for 12 months from date of purchase.