Editing Wells, Somerset (section)

==Religious sites==
[[File:Stcuthbertwells.jpg|alt=Decorated and buttressed yellow stone tower.|thumb|upright|St.Cuthbert Parish Church, Wells]]

A walled precinct, the [[Wells St Andrew|Liberty of St Andrew]], encloses the twelfth century [[Wells Cathedral|Cathedral]], the [[Bishop's Palace, Wells|Bishop's Palace]], Vicar's Close and the residences of the clergy who serve the cathedral. Entrances include the [[Penniless Porch, Wells|Penniless Porch]],<ref>{{NHLE |num=1383024 |desc=Penniless Porch Gateway to Cathedral Green, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref> [[The Bishop's Eye, Wells|The Bishop's Eye]]<ref>{{NHLE |num=1383026 |desc=The Bishop's Eye, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref> and [[Brown's Gatehouse, Wells|Brown's Gatehouse]]<ref>{{NHLE |num=1383101 |desc=Brown's Gatehouse, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref> which were all built around 1450.

The [[Church of St Cuthbert, Wells|Church of St Cuthbert]] has a Somerset stone tower and a carved roof. Originally an Early English building (13th century), it was much altered in the [[Perpendicular Gothic|Perpendicular period]].<ref name="curio" /> The nave's coloured ceiling was repainted in 1963 at the instigation of the then Vicar's wife, Mrs Barnett.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1383111 |desc=Church of St Cuthbert |access-date=24 August 2006}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1383199 |desc=Nos.14–27 Vicars Close |access-date=24 August 2006}}</ref> Until 1561 the church had a central tower which either collapsed or was removed, and has been replaced with the current tower over the west door.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.stcuthbertswells.co.uk/our_church.html |title=Our Church |work=St Cuthbert, Wells |access-date=5 March 2008 |archive-date=23 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080223151612/http://www.stcuthbertswells.co.uk/our_church.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Bells were cast for the tower by Roger Purdy.<ref>{{Cite journal |year=1857 |title=Bells in St Cuthberts Tower, Wells, Somerset |journal=Notes & Queries |volume=s2-IV(93) |pages=284–285 |doi=10.1093/nq/s2-IV.93.284b |last1=Ina |issue=93}}</ref>

The [[polychromatic]] stone [[Church of St Thomas, Wells|Church of St Thomas]] was built during 1856 and 1857 and extended by [[Samuel Sanders Teulon]] in 1864, commemorating the work of [[Richard Jenkyns]] the [[Dean of Wells]] who had cared for the poor in the east of the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stthomaswells.co.uk/about_history.html |title=History of St Thomas Church |publisher=St Thomas, Wells |access-date=29 December 2017 |archive-date=30 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230060306/http://www.stthomaswells.co.uk/about_history.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE|desc=Church of St Thomas|num=1383153 |access-date=29 December 2017}}</ref>

Wells Vineyard Church is an Evangelical Church formed in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wellsvineyard.com/ |title=Home |website=www.wellsvineyard.com |language=en-gb |access-date=2018-09-28 |archive-date=29 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929000525/http://www.wellsvineyard.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Inverted arch Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England arp.jpg|thumb|left|Interior of Wells Cathedral, showing inverted arches inserted in 1338 to strengthen the building]]

===Wells Cathedral===
{{Main|Wells Cathedral}}The cathedral is the [[Cathedra|seat]] of the [[Church of England]] [[Diocese of Bath and Wells]]. Wells has been an ecclesiastical city of importance since at least the early 8th century. Parts of the building date back to the tenth century, and it is a grade I listed building.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1382901 |desc=Cathedral Church of St Andrew, Chapter House and Cloisters |access-date=24 August 2006}}</ref> It is known for its fine fan vaulted ceilings, Lady Chapel and windows, and the scissor arches which support the central tower. The west front is said to be the finest collection of statuary in Europe,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.britannia.com/travel/magical/magic6.html |title=Stop 5: Wells, Somerset |work=Britannia's Magical History Tour |publisher=Britania Travels |access-date=4 February 2010 |archive-date=14 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114000446/http://britannia.com/travel/magical/magic6.html |url-status=live}}</ref> retaining almost 300 of its original medieval statues,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/history/architecture/westfront.shtml |title=The West Front |publisher=Wells Cathedral |access-date=4 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100120184410/http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/history/architecture/westfront.shtml |archive-date=20 January 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> carved from the cathedral's warm, yellow [[Doulting]] stone.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ashurst |first1=John |first2=Francis G. |last2=Dimes |title=Conservation of building and decorative stone |publisher=Butterworth-Heinemann |year=1998 |edition=2 |pages=102 |isbn=978-0-7506-3898-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yh4xMVb7uOQC&q=Wells%20Cathedral%20Doulting%20stone&pg=PA102 |access-date=5 December 2020 |archive-date=10 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110230605/https://books.google.com/books?id=Yh4xMVb7uOQC&q=Wells+Cathedral+Doulting+stone&pg=PA102 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Chapter House, at the top of a flight of stone stairs, leading out from the north transept is an octagonal building with a fan-vaulted ceiling.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1382900 |desc=Chapter House to Cathedral Church of St Andrew |access-date=24 August 2006}}</ref> It is here that the business of running the cathedral is still conducted by the members of the Chapter, the cathedral's ruling body. [[Wells Cathedral clock]] is famous for its 24-hour astronomical dial and set of jousting knights that perform every quarter-hour. The cathedral has the heaviest ring of ten bells in the world. The tenor bell weighs just over 56&nbsp;cwt (6,272&nbsp;lb, 2,844&nbsp;kg).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/worship/bells.shtml |title=Bells |publisher=Wells Cathedral |access-date=4 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080729004249/http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/worship/bells.shtml |archive-date=29 July 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Vicars' Close, Wells|Vicars' Close]] is the oldest residential street in Europe.<ref name="curio" /> The Close is tapered by {{cvt|10|ft|m|1}} to make it look longer when viewed from the bottom. When viewed from the top, however, it looks shorter.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1383197 |desc=Nos.1–13 Vicars Close, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1383199 |desc=Nos.14–27 Vicars Close, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1383198 |desc=Boundary walls to Nos.1–13 Vicars Close, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1383200 |desc=Boundary walls to Nos.14–27 Vicars Close, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1383201 |desc=The Vicars' Chapel Vicars Close, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1383202 |desc=The Vicars' Hall Vicars Close, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref> [[The Old Deanery, Wells|The Old Deanery]] dates from the 12th century,<ref>{{NHLE |num=1382908 |desc=Gatehouse and south boundary wall to the Old Deanery, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1382907 |desc=Old Deanery Court, with link wall along east side The Old Deanery, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1382906 |desc=The Old Deanery, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref> and [[St John's Priory, Wells|St John's Priory]] from the 14th.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1383115 |desc=No.2 St John's Priory, with front boundary wall and railings, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref> The street is owned by Wells Cathedral.

===The Bishop's Palace===
{{Main|Bishop's Palace, Wells}}The Bishop's Palace has been the home of the bishops of the [[Diocese of Bath and Wells]] for 800 years. The hall and chapel date from the 14th century.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1382873 |desc=The Bishop's Palace and Bishop's House |access-date=24 August 2006}}</ref> There are {{cvt|14|acre|ha|1}} of gardens including the springs from which the city takes its name. Visitors can also see the Bishop's private chapel, ruined great hall and the gatehouse with portcullis and drawbridge beside which [[Mute Swan|mute swans]] ring a bell for food.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/5359808.stm |title=Bishop receives Royal swan gift |access-date=10 November 2007 |date=19 September 2006 |work=BBC News |archive-date=10 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110230657/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/5359808.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[The Bishop's Barn, Wells|Bishop's Barn]] was built in the 15th century.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1383158 |desc=The Bishop's Barn, Wells |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref>