Explore Wells and the Surrounding Area
Wells and the surrounding local area has an abundance of historic, cultural and family-friendly sights and activities to visit and explore.
Explore Wells
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A visit to the magnificent Wells Cathedral is a must when staying in Wells.
The Gothic cathedral sits as the centre piece of the city. Built in the 13th century, it was one of the first Gothic cathedrals to be built in England and took 300 years.
Visit their website for further information on opening times, services, concerts and tours.
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The striking medieval Bishop’s Palace and Gardens have been home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for over 800 years, and are open for visitors to enjoy and explore.
Visitors can walk along the surrounding moat, quite often seeing the resident swans, and walk across the flagstone drawbridge through to the palace and cafe. You may even be lucky enough to witness the swans ringing the bell for food, a tradition thought to go back to the 1850s!
A ticket is required to enter further to see the historic palace, stunning gardens, cwebsite herehildren’s play area and beautiful well pools, from which the city takes its name, so there’s plenty to make it worth while.
Visit their website to find information on tickets, opening times and events.
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A walk down the quaint cobbled Vicars’ Close is an absolute must when visiting Wells.
Built over 650 years ago, it uniquely physically connects to the cathedral and its width is tapered by 3m to make it look longer when viewed from the cathedral end. It’s purpose was to house the Vicars’ Choral and in fact continues to, making it the oldest medieval street in Europe to still be used for its original purpose.
Read more about the history on the Wells Tourist Information website.
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Located on the Cathedral Green, the Wells and Mendip Museum has permanent exhibits of local history and archaeological finds, alongside a variety of exhibitions, workshops and events.
Wells and Mendip Museum, 8 Cathedral Green, Wells, BA5 2UE
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Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright’s classic comedy Hot Fuzz was filmed here in Wells, aka Sandford.
Join a 1.5 hour walking tour to see the main film locations, hear insider details of the filming, and why not finish with a cranberry juice at the Crown pub in the Market Place.
Tours are typically on Saturdays at 2pm, please see details and booking information on Wells Walking Tours website.
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Wells Market Place has long been at the heart of the city and still comes alive with a twice weekly market every Wednesday and Saturday selling local goods and produce.
When browsing, take a moment to take in the two medieval gateways, Penniless Porch and the Bishop’s Eye, a commemorative plaque to world record holder Mary Rand, and and listen out for the captivating Town Crier.
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You can’t miss St Cuthbert’s Church when staying at Rock House, with a number of the rooms having direct views to the stunning 13th century church.
For further information on services, opening times and events, please see the below website.
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There are a number of art galleries in Wells to visit, with changing exhibitions, events and workshops. To see more specific information please see the below links:
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Complied by Wells Walking Tours, these self-guided walks in Wells and the surrounding countryside were inspired by the Swans of Wells public art display in 2012.
Follow this link to download maps and directions. Please read more details on the website and note there may have been some changes in recent years.
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If you are visiting Wells with accessibility requirements you may be interested to visit AccessibleWells.org.uk. It’s a valuable resource for disabled visitors and residents, their carers, families and friends.
Leisure and Children’s Activities in Wells
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Located on Wells Recreation Ground, close to the city centre and the Bishops Palace, this large children’s playground is worth a visit.
There is a wide variety of equipment for pre-school through to junior school aged children, including a large wooden fort to explore.
The Recreation Ground also has an outdoor gym equipment area, and playing field for ball games.
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Wells Sport & Fitness, operated by Fusion Lifestyle, offers a variety of facilities to enjoy with all the family.
As well as the swimming pool, there is a gym, sports hall, indoor cycling studio, sauna and café.
Charter Way, Wells, BA5 2FB
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This children’s soft play offers numerous play areas for all ages. Alongside the main play area there is a padded cabin, projector room and building blocks section.
20 Priory Road, Wells, BA5 1SY
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A family-friendly independent café, with a small indoor play area for young children.
38 Market Street, Wells, BA5 2DS
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Explore the Local Area
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Located a short drive from Wells is Wookey Hole Caves, a fun and interactive destination for all ages.
Walk through the caves, exploring the history and beauty of 8 chambers. Then continue through an array of indoor and outdoor sights including a vintage penny arcade, a mirror maze, museum, adventure golf, dinosaur grove and 4D cinema.
“In the heart of Somerset lies Wookey Hole, a magical place of caves, legends, and adventure for the young and young at heart.”
Wookey Hole Caves, The Mill, Wookey Hole, BA5 1BA
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Cheddar Gorge, nestled in the Mendip Hills, is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Adventure through the caves seeing the striking stalactites and stalagmites, climb Jacobs Ladder to the look out point, and take a cliff-top walk.
Cheddar Gorge and Caves, The Cliff, Cheddar, BS27 3QF
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Take the opportunity to visit the small town of Glastonbury, known for its medieval sites, eclectic shops and mythical history.
There is an array of sites to see including climbing Glastonbury Tor, a tower-topped hill linked to the Legend of King Arthur, and visiting Glastonbury Abby, a ruined monastery dating back to the 7th Century. As well as the Glastonbury Goddess Temple, local shops, gardens and churches.
Glastonbury is famous worldwide for its association with the Glastonbury Festival, although the festival is actually held in the nearby village of Pilton, approximately 7 miles away!
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Fenny Castle is an award winning vineyard, just a short drive away, in the village of Worth.
Book on to one of their popular tours to hear more about the vineyard, their story and taste the delectable wines.
Available between April and October, at 4pm on Saturdays, the tour lasts two hours, and you have an opportunity at the end to purchase from the shop.
Fenny Castle Vineyard, Panniers Farm, Castle Lane, Worth, Wells, BA5 1NL
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Clarks Village is an outlet shopping village in the town of Street, an 18 minute drive from Wells. It was established in 1993 on the site of old C&J Clark factory building.
There are over 90 designer and high street brands, with up to 60% off RRP.
Clarks Village, Farm Road, Street, BA16 0BB
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Kilver Court is a historic house and gardens in Shepton Mallet. There are a handful of outlet shops within the grounds including Mulberry.
Kilver Court, Kilver Street, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5NF
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Farrington Farm and Café is located a short drive from Wells in Farrington Gurney.
It’s an ideal location for young families to visit, with a soft play ‘Playbarn’, outdoor ‘Farm Park’ play area and farm animals to see. There are various seasonal events to keep an eye on, such as flower and pumpkin picking, and Christmas experiences.
The farm shop, deli and butchers sells a wide variety of organic, fresh and homemade food. There are also a mix of independent local shops and salons.
Farrington’s, Farrington Gurney, BS39 6UB
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Wells and the Mendip Hills are idyllic for country walks and bikes rides to explore the local area.
There are a selection of relevant books at Rock House, and more information can be found on the Wells Tourist Information Centre website.
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There are a number of golf clubs in the Mendip area including Wells Golf Club, located on the outskirts of the city.
Founded in 1893, the beautiful and challenging 18-hole course is open to visitors and members alike.
Wells Golf Club, Blackheath Lane, Wells, BA5 3DS
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Somerset has a vast number of beautiful locations to visit if your interest lies in bird watching.
The population of Bitterns in Somerset are particularly thriving and it’s one of the top places to see the bird in the country.
The Somerset Ornithological Society website has some helpful information and maps, including ideal locations depending on the time of year you visit.
Explore Further Afield
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Located in Bruton, Hauser & Wirth Somerset has an interesting program of art exhibitions and events, which connect with the local community.
Visitors are welcome to explore the gallery and beautiful gardens, followed by enjoying the relaxed setting of the Roth Bar & Grill.
Hauser & Wirth, Durslade Farm Dropping Lane, Bruton, BA10 0NL
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Longleat is an ideal day trip out for all ages, whether you explore the stunning historic house, drive through the safari park or try the largest maze in Britain, alongside many other attractions.
Longleat, Wiltshire, BA12 7NW
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Visit the historic city of Bath to see the stunning Georgian architecture, independent shops and cafes, the modern Thermae Bath Spa and the ancient Roman Baths.
Bath was founded by the Romans as a thermal spa, and developed into a centre of the wool industry in the Middle Ages. It subsequently became an elegant town embracing it’s Roman history from the 18th Century under King George III.
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Take a day trip to one of the towns on the Somerset coastline to breath in the sea air and discover local attractions.
Whether it’s Weston-super-Mare, Portishead or Clevedon, experience traditional pastimes and take in beautiful views across the Bristol Channel.
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Part of the National Trust, Stourhead has world-famous picturesque gardens and historic buildings to explore and discover.
Highlights include the Palladian House, landscaped gardens, garden temples inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, Alfred’s Tower offering panoramic views across three counties and a farm shop.
Stourhead, near Mere, Wiltshire, BA12 6QD
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The Fleet Air Arm Museum is Europe's largest naval aviation museum, with four exhibition halls, over ninety aircraft, more than 2 million records, and 30 thousand artefacts.
www.nmrn.org.uk/visit-us/fleet-air-arm-museum
RNAS Yeovilton, Ilchester, BA22 8HT
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Visit the Hayes Motor Museum in Yeovil to see a collection of over 400 cars and motorcycles alongside other automobilia. Explore over 15 exhibition spaces, as well as a motor-inspired outdoor children's play area.
Haynes Motor Museum, Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 7LH
Upcoming Events
Whether you’re interested in music, art, food or comedy, there are many events in Wells throughout the year.
These include the Comedy Festival in May, the Wells Festival of Literature and Food Festival in October, and the spectacular Carnival in November.
Other events can be found directly:
Wells Little Theatre: wellslittletheatre.com
Cedar’s Hall, Wells Cathedral School: cedarshallwells.co.uk
Wells Cathedral: wellscathedral.org.uk
Bishop’s Palace: bishopspalace.org.uk