Chalice Well & Gardens


Shaded by yew trees and criss-crossed by quiet paths, the Chalice Well & 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 Well House Lane.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. White Spring

0.03 MILES

One of Glastonbury's sacred wells, said to have healing powers.

2. Glastonbury Tor

0.34 MILES

Topped by the ruined medieval Chapel of St Michael, the iconic hump of Glastonbury Tor is visible for miles around, and provides Somerset with one of its…

3. Glastonbury Abbey

0.45 MILES

The scattered ruins of Glastonbury Abbey give little hint that this was once one of England's great seats of ecclesiastical power. It was torn down…

4. Lake Village Museum

0.54 MILES

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…

5. Bishop's Palace

5.28 MILES

Built for the bishop in the 13th century, this moat-ringed palace is purportedly the oldest inhabited building in England. Inside, the palace's state…

6. Cathedral Close

5.33 MILES

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…

7. Wells Museum

5.36 MILES

Exhibits include those on local life, cathedral architecture and archaeological finds from the nearby cave network of Wookey Hole, including the bones of…

8. Wells Cathedral

5.36 MILES

Wells' gargantuan Gothic cathedral sits plumb in the centre of the city, surrounded by one of the largest cathedral closes in England. It was built in…