Sights in Somerset
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Wells Cathedral
Wells' gargantuan Gothic cathedral (officially known as the Cathedral Church of St Andrew) sits plum in the centre of the city, surrounded by one of the largest cathedral closes anywhere in England. It was built in several stages between 1180 and 1508, and consequently showcases a range of different Gothic styles.
Dominated by its squat towers, the cathedral's most famous asset is its west front, an immense sculpture gallery decorated with more than 300 figures, built in the 13th century and restored in 1986. The facade would once have been painted in vivid colours, but has long since reverted to its original sandy hue. Apart from the figure of Christ, installed in 1985…
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Glastonbury Tor
The iconic hump of Glastonbury Tor looms up from flat fields to the northwest of town. This 160m-high grassy mound provides glorious views over the surrounding countryside, and a focal point for a bewildering array of myths. According to some it's the home of a faery king, while an old Celtic legend identifies it as the stronghold of Gwyn ap Nudd (ruler of Annwyn, the Underworld) – but the most famous legend identifies the tor as the mythic Isle of Avalon, where King Arthur was taken after being mortally wounded in battle by his nephew Mordred, and where Britain's 'once and future king' sleeps until his country calls again.
Whatever the truth of the legends, the tor has…
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Glastonbury Abbey
The scattered ruins of Glastonbury Abbey give little hint that this was once one of England's great seats of ecclesiastical power. Legend has it that the first abbey here was founded by Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus' great uncle, although the present-day ruins largely date from the 12th century.
The abbey was torn down following Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, when the last abbot, Richard Whiting, was hung, drawn and quartered on the tor. Precious little remains of the original building, except for the nave walls, the ruined St Mary's chapel, and the remains of the crossing arches, which may have been scissor-shaped like those in Wells Cathedral. The…
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Chalice Well & Gardens
People have been dunking, drinking and paddling at the Chalice Well & Gardens, a natural spring just below Glastonbury Tor, for at least 2000 years. The rust-red waters from this ancient well are rumoured to have healing properties, good for everything from eczema to smelly feet. Their distinctive crimson colour supposedly stems from the burial of the Holy Grail nearby, although it's actually a result of iron deposits in the soil.
The well is surrounded by lovely gardens dotted with babbling pools and gnarled yew trees, and you can fill up your flasks with the sacred water from a lion's-head spout.
The Chalice Well is also known as the 'Red Spring' or 'Blood Spring'; its…
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Bishop's Palace
Built for Bishop in the 13th century, this moat-ringed palace is purportedly the oldest inhabited building in England. Inside, the palace's state rooms and ruined great hall are worth a look, but it's the shady gardens that are the real draw. The natural springs after which Wells is named bubble up in the palace's grounds. The swans in the moat have been trained to ring a bell outside one of the windows when they want to be fed.
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Lake Village Museum
Upstairs from Glastonbury's tourist office, the Lake Village Museum displays finds from a prehistoric bog village discovered in nearby Godney. The houses were clustered in about six groups and built from reeds, hazel and willow. It's thought they were occupied by summer traders who lived the rest of the year around Glastonbury Tor.
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Wells Museum
Surrounding Wells Cathedral is a cluster of ecclesiastical buildings that form the medieval Cathedral Close. The Vicars' Close is a cobbled alley of 14th-century houses, thought to be the oldest medieval street in Europe; nearby is the 15th-century Old Deanery and the Wells Museum, with exhibits on local life, cathedral architecture and the archaeological finds of Wookey Hole.
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Shoe Museum
A couple of miles south of Glastonbury is Street, once the site of Britain's largest shoe factory, Clark's. The footwear factory's long since hiked overseas, but the town's shoe connections continue at the huge Clark's factory-outlet shop and a rather odd Shoe Museum, which explores the history of shoemaking from Roman sandals to high-heeled stilettos.
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Vicars' Close
Surrounding Wells Cathedral is a cluster of ecclesiastical buildings that form the medieval Cathedral Close. The Vicars' Close is a cobbled alley of 14th-century houses, thought to be the oldest medieval street in Europe.
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Rural Life Museum
This modest museum explores Somerset's agricultural heritage, with a restored farmhouse detailing the life of local farmer John Hodges, and a wonderful barn containing vintage tools relating to local industries such as willow growing, peat digging, cider making and cheese making. Try to time your visit with one of the regular craft displays.
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Wells & Mendip Museum
Surrounding Wells Cathedral is a cluster of ecclesiastical buildings that form the medieval Cathedral Close. The Vicars' Close is a cobbled alley of 14th-century houses, thought to be the oldest medieval street in Europe; nearby is the 15th-century Old Deanery and the Wells Museum, with exhibits on local life, cathedral architecture and the archaeological finds of Wookey Hole.
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Forde Abbey
This former Cistercian monastery was built in the 12th century, updated in the 17th century, and has been a private home since 1649. The building boasts magnificent plasterwork ceilings and fine tapestries but it's the gardens that are the main attraction: 12 hectares of lawns, ponds, shrubberies and flower beds packed with bamboo, rhododendron and asters - topped off by a 160ft fountain.
It's 10 miles north of Lyme Regis; public transport is a nonstarter.
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Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company
Along with its caves, Cheddar is also famous as the home of the nation's favourite cheese, which has been produced here since the 12th century (Henry II considered it 'the best cheese in Britain', and the king's accounts from 1170 record that he purchased 10,240lb of the stuff). You can take a guided tour of this traditional cheesemaker's factory and purchase top-quality cheddars and other cheesy goods at its excellent on-site shop.
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Wookey Hole
Two miles from Wells on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, the River Axe has carved out a series of deep limestone caverns collectively known as Wookey Hole. They're famous for their ornate stalagmites and stalactites, one of which is supposedly the legendary Witch of Wookey Hole, who was turned to stone by a local priest. There are also many subterranean lakes and rivers, some of which are astonishingly deep – Britain's deepest cave dive was made here in September 2004, when divers descended more than 45m.
Admission to the caves is by guided tour. The rest of the complex is disappointingly tacky, with attractions including a mirror maze, an Edwardian penny arcade, a…
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Cheddar Gorge
Only marginally less touristy than their Wookey cousins, the massive cliffs of Cheddar Gorge are nonetheless a dramatic sight. This is England's deepest natural canyon, and in places the limestone cliffs tower 138m above the twisting road.
The gorge is famous for its bewildering network of subterranean caves, a few of which are open to the public. Cox's Cave and Gough's Cave, both lined with stalactites and stalagmites, are subtly illuminated to bring out the spectrum of colours in the rock. To explore the more remote caverns, you'll need to organise a caving trip with X-Treme; be prepared to get cold, wet and very muddy. Rock-climbing sessions are also available.
The…
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Chalice Well & Gardens
Shaded by yew trees and criss-crossed by quiet paths, the Chalice Well and Gardens have been sites of pilgrimage since the days of the Celts. The iron-red waters from the 800-year-old well are rumoured to have healing properties, good for everything from eczema to smelly feet; some legends also identify the well as the hiding place of the Holy Grail. In fact, the reddish waters are caused by iron deposits in the soil. You can drink the water from a lion's-head spout, or rest your feet in basins surrounded by flowers.
The Chalice Well is also known as the 'Red Spring' or 'Blood Spring'; its sister, White Spring, surfaces across Wellhouse Lane.
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Cathedral Close
Wells Cathedral forms the centrepiece of a cluster of ecclesiastical buildings dating back to the Middle Ages. Facing the west front, on the left are the 15th-century Old Deanery and the Wells & Mendip Museum, with exhibits on local life, cathedral architecture and the infamous Witch of Wookey Hole.
Further along, Vicars' Close is a stunning 14th-century cobbled street, with a chapel at the end; members of the cathedral choir still live here. It is thought to be the oldest complete medieval street in Europe.
Penniless Porch, a corner gate leading onto Market Sq, is so-called because beggars asked for alms here.
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