Wells Cathedral has been among our favorite English cathedrals since we first saw it, in 2009. This was our sixth visit, at least. Others include:
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2009/11/wells-cathedral.htmlhttps://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2009/11/wells-cathedral-ii.html
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2013/06/wells-cathedral-2013.html
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2016/05/wells-cathedral.html
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2016/05/charity-shops.html
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2021/07/wells-cathedral-2021.html
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2022/05/wells-cathedral-2022.html
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2022/05/wells-st-cuthbert-parish-church.html.
For a comprehensive look at Wells Cathedral, and the reasons for our liking it so much, look at the posts above. For the present post, we'll do just a few basics, plus some new items or angles. Alas, we did not do the cathedral tour this time, assuming we knew the building pretty well. The tours are always wonderful, the docents extremely knowledgeable, and it is always a mistake not to do the tour. Next time.
The local parish church, St. Cuthbert's, is worth a look too, as it is of nearly the same age as the cathedral and is sometimes mistaken for it. It is referenced above. The older city center is charming, rife with British humor and culture, also referenced above.
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| St. Cuthbert's |
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| West facade of Well's cathedral, said to be the best of English cathedrals; scores of sculptures, some sufficiently high up to have escaped Civil War damage |
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| One of the Cloister halls, hosting an art exhibit |
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| Now seated in the nave, taking in a bit of music; and wondering about the unusual (to us) chairs...is the compartment beneath the seat to store a hymnal? the Book of Common Prayer? reading material you have brought with you to the service? Plus, we have read than any place you put your bottom is automatically profane (think: misericords); surely you would not place the Book there, where it might be further profaned by, um, emissions? |
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| Anyhow, moving right along, the nave view, and Wells' most interesting and distinctive feature: the Scissors Arch, which looks modern, or at least Victorian, but was built in 1338-1348 to save the central tower from collapsing; we like our cathedrals to have character; "to make fine wine, the vine must suffer..." |
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| Nave elevation |
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| Ceiling |
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| Some of the glass...this is England, and not much glass survived the Reformation and the Civil War |
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| Crossing and organ |
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| Quire (choir) |
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| Well-worn stairs to the chapter house, where the bishop met with his subordinates |
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| Anticipation of fan vaulting |
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| Still in the chapter house...reminding the bishop, perhaps, of his humanity |
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| Anticipation of Van Gogh |
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| The Lady Hall...in the 13th century, almost all British churches added a "lady hall" for worship of the Queen of Heaven... |
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| In previous Wells posts we have shown the Wells Cope Chest, the oldest such chest for storage of priestly (bishoprical) vestments still in use in the UK; this visit, it was open and the lad above was carefully folding and placing the garments back in the chest |
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| Quite knowledgeable he was, too |
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| More glass |
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| Ever popular Jesse "Tree" |
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| In the south transept, where the more interesting capitals are, the famous toothache |
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| The infamous thorn |
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| If you think a clock should have a face and keep minutes... then this is the world's oldest; it also does moon phases, other astronomical bits; and every 15 minutes, the knights joust, one getting unhorsed...every day for 600+ years now |
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| And Jack Blandiver rings the bell |
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| In the chained library...one of only a few surviving |
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| 14th century pandemic face mask? |
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| Reminded us of home in Florida |
