In and Around Wells Cathedral, Somerset - Part 1

Entrance gatehouse to Cathedral Green 

There was a Norman Cathedral in Wells, but in 1180 Bishop Reginald de Bohun, decided to build a new one on a different site in what became architecturally known as 'Early English Gothic'. It now has the acolade of being the first Cathedral to be built completely from scratch in this style; a harmonious building filled with light and space with ribbed vaults, and pointed arches.

The West front is a 'tour de force' still displaying more than 300 medieval lifesize statues of kings, knights, saints and lay people - there are plenty of empty niches as originally there were more than 500 statues. The project was conceived by Jocelin Trotman who became the Bishop after Reginal left to become the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Christ sits in majesty at the centre top of the facade flanked on either side by winged seraphim; the twelve apostles stand immediately below - St. Andrew, the patron saint of the Cathedral, has pride of place in the center holding his cross. 

The facade was originally coloured in green, blue and red paint with gold gilding, the figures were unpainted apart from some golden highlights but were offset against a dark red background. Traces of the original paint were discovered during conservation cleaning in the 1970s/80s. 

To give an idea of how the West Front may have looked - I coloured this in on an internet site found via the BBC. It accords with the paint traces found - the white area is the undecorated stonework.

Sound was an important part of the religious display, and on festival days the unseen choristers would sing hymns to the people gathered outside from a specially constructed gallery inside the Cathedral. The sound was channelled outside thanks to a series of carefully hidden holes in the West Front - trumpets played through the larger holes which can be seen carved below the apostles feet. Can you imagine how overwhelming this spectacle must have seemed to the medieval peasants standing outside on the Cathedral Green?

By the time the Cathedral was completed, it was considered too small for the increasing grandness of the liturgy during that period, and in order to find more room for the large ritualistic processions, a spate of construction work began in the early 1300s. A much bigger tower was built adding considerably to the weight at the center of the Cathedral creating structural cracks. When we venture inside next time, it will be possible to see the ingenious and unique way that the medieval stonemasons managed to solve this problem thus averting a potential collapse. 

The exterior clock face on the north wall is driven by the astronomical clock inside the Cathedral which is over 600 years old. The two knights hammer the bells with an axe at each quarter. The mechanism is also linked to a bell in the Cathedral's main tower which strikes the hours and can be heard throughout the city

Through an archway with a covered passageway above from the Cathedral

and then this gate

leads to the oldest complete medieval street in Europe

known as Vicar's Close, the houses were designed and built before 1350 to provide communal accommodation for the Vicars Choral, who sang daily worship within the Cathedral. The current occupants still include all twelve men of the Vicars Choral, plus organists and vergers. The choir has always been at the heart of life in Wells Cathedral since the 1100s and is recognised as being one of the finest in the world.

The library

and the Dining Hall

A visit to the south side of the Cathedral and the splendours inside will be in Part 2

Coast to Coast

Following migrating Swallows down the country from Gloucestershire to Somerset and then on to Dorset

Porlock Weir with its tidal harbour 

where Exmoor meets the sea

and where we know a memorable meal awaits 

Across country down to Dorset's Jurassic coast

Staying beside a mysterious stretch of Dorset water called 'Fleet' deriving its name from the Saxon 'fleot' meaning shallow water. Fleet is keeper of many tales and secrets, and the haunt of long gone Smugglers; once part of the English Channel but separated over 6000 years ago when Chesil Beach was formed in the Holocene period

'Fleet' is connected to the sea via a narrow channel  and is one of the most important tidal lagoons in Europe, but it is also fed by fresh water from a number of small steams and the run-off from surrounding fields. Birds, particularly water birds are attracted by the unique rich habitat and its waters support substantial populations of fish

via

This area has held an attraction ever since reading Ian McEwan's book 'On Chesil Beach'. Not that Chesil Beach is of any great important to the story apart from creating a sense of drama and place.

As we relaxed in the hotel's garden at the end of the day we suddenly became aware of Swallows performing their familiar acrobatic twists and turns as they swooped across the lawns chasing insects; their departure to Africa must surely be imminent.

Take a look at Sarah's blog she lives in the area and knows the Jurassic Coast well - she takes beautiful photos.

Tarr Steps, Exmoor

Late January, and nodding snowdrops greet us in Dulverton, Somerset. We were fortunate, at this time of year the flowers could have been hidden under a layer of snow.  

Dulverton lies on the southern edge of Exmoor's National Park - Europe's first International Dark Skies Reserve. Tucked in at the entrance to a deeply wooded valley Dulverton is known for its close location to a pre-historic clapper bridge called Tarr Steps 

Many are the folk tales surrounding this ancient river crossing some of which talk of the Devil himself

Canoeing is allowed downstream of Tarr Steps only between mid October and the end of March when water levels are high. Upstream it is not allowed at any time to prevent disturbing developing fish eggs. Curiously, as can be observed from these photos, downstream of Tarr Steps the River Barle is rough and fast, whereas upstream it is shallow and calm. 

A sure-foot is required when crossing this ancient scheduled monument, understood to date back as far as 1000 BC

The water eddies around the supporting stones then gurgles merrily on its journey beneath the clapper bridge 

Close by the steps are burial mounds of Bronze Age men - did they use this same crossing point in the river?

The surrounding woodland is mainly Oak, Beech, Ash, Sycamore, and Hazel which was once coppiced to provide charcoal for the local iron smelting industry. It is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest abounding in wildlife - Red Deer, Dormice, the rare Barbastelle Bat along with Otters that feed along this unpolluted fast flowing river

Atlantic salmon that hatch in the River Barle, may journey as far away as Greenland before returning years later to spawn. For rivers to be suitable for salmon they need unpolluted, cool, well oxygenated water along with clean gravel on the riverbed for spawning, these are exactly the conditions that are found in this river.

The steeply banked very narrow country lanes in this area were all impressively maintained. The grassy banks were trimmed and the hedgerows atop were neatly cut ready to greet the forthcoming spring.

"Oh! I Do Like to be Besides the Seaside!"

What a happy chance encounter our 'deal' at "The Café Porlock Weir" turned out to be. Owned by a couple who had previously worked in various high end establishments across the country before opening a restaurant with rooms in this sleepy fisherman's creek. The seafood we ate was fabulous, worthy of any fine dining establishment, delicious flavours with a memorable presentation.
There is another, decidedly quirky establishment in Porlock Weir, Millers at the Anchor. We could have stayed there on a 'deal' too. The Anchor has been opened by Martin Miller who publishes The Miller's Companion to Antiques & Collectables. Miller and his daughter Tanya have created a hunting lodge by the sea! It is filled with Martin's own antiques, some of them decidedly idiosyncratic, help yourself bowls of fruit, and sweets, all of which can be washed down with Martin's own award winning Gin!

Sitting over the entrance door into Miller's!!!

The remains of a partially collapsed World War ll pillbox with five machine gun openings overlooks the bay. 

Watching Thatchers at work, it was surprising to see the quick progress that they made. They were about to commence on the roof ridge - being a Gamekeeper's cottage it might be 'topped' with a woven pheasant  

Does anyone recognise this flower growing wild and in profusion along the bottom of the walls and hedgerows? It looks very similar to Ransoms - wild garlic minus the smell, but that doesn't flower until April-May. The plants leaves have the appearance of clumps of Muscari, as per those around the telephone box below