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Cathedral History
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The first church to be built on the site
of the modern Cathedral in Wells was founded in 705 AD by Aldhelm, Bishop
of Sherbourne, under the patronage of King Ina of Wessex. In 909 the Diocese
of Wells was created and Aldhelm's Church became the first Cathedral Church
of St.Andrew, which it remained until 1088 when John of Tours moved the
cathedra (the bishop's throne from which cathedrals take their name) to
Bath, destroying the original church as he did so. The ruins that he left
stand in the gardens surrounding the modern cathedral. In 1180, as part
of a long running campaign to persuade the Pope to restore Cathedral status
to Wells, construction of a magnificent new church was begun. The main
building was completed in 1239 when the church was dedicated, although
work on details continued until around 1260. However, the new church,
the first to be built in the innovative English 'Gothic' style, still
lacked its sought after Cathedral status, an honour which was not to be
granted until 1245. The significance of this event to the people of Wells
is apparent even today in the multitude of streets and houses that bear
the name of Bishop Jocelyn (1206-1242), a native of Wells, whose efforts
were largely responsible for convincing the Pope to allow this spectacular
achievement of craftsmanship and faith the recognition it deserved. Wells
Cathedral has remained as a Cathedral ever since, growing in status and
in size over the years, most significantly with the addition of the South
Cloister in 1508. Today, work is mainly concentrated upon preserving and
restoring the treasures that are already in place, for which the Cathedral
has a dedicated team of stonemasons and builders. The most recent major
work was the renovation of the famous West Front in the 1980s when the
worst damaged of the statues were replaced with modern hand-carved reproductions.
Major Features West Front - the West Front of the Cathedral is the most
complete record of 12th and 13th Century sculpture known in the world,
comprising over 300 individual carvings. The statues are arranged in hierarchical
tiers, starting with Jesus Christ at the top, descending through the Apostles,
Saints, Bishops and Knights, down to ground level where there are no carvings,
the space being left for ordinary worshippers to fill. Close inspection
shows the West Front to be partially incomplete, particularly near ground
level, a result of Oliver Cromwell's men ritually removing and beheading
statues during the English Civil War. Traces of brightly coloured paint
on the statues suggest that it, like the rest of the Cathedral, would
originally have been painted, making it a striking and beautiful reminder
to the people of Wells of their place in the world. Scissor Arches - after
the central tower of the Cathedral was heightened in 1338, it began to
crack as the inadequate foundations sank into the somewhat marshy ground
with the extra load. The Master Mason of the Cathedral at that time, William
Joy, devised the Scissor arches as a way of stabilizing the tower. Built
between 1338 and 1348, these unique scissor arches are found on three
sides of the area beneath the tower, and together with extra hidden buttresses,
are a highly effective and beautiful solution to the problem. Clock -
the Cathedral Clock was installed in 1390, and the clock face has remained
in place ever since, making it the oldest original clock face in existence.
The inside face is a little unusual by modern standards, with different
dials for hours (divided into 24 as opposed to 12 on modern clocks), minutes,
days of the month, phases of the moon, and the position of the sun. On
the outer face, when the clock strikes on the quarter hour, two mediaeval
warriors smite bells with battle-axes. Inside, Jack Blandiver, the quarter-jack,
strikes the bells at his heels; on the hour, he strikes the bell in front
of him. Above the clock dials, four knights on horseback chase each other
round jousting, and one knight is knocked down on each revolution. The
original clock mechanism can be found, still working, in the Science Museum
in London, the current clock mechanism in the Cathedral having replaced
it in 1880. Quire - this is the heart of the Cathedral where the bishop's
throne is situated. It is the most ornate of the Cathedral's main areas
with colourful embroideries, intricate stained glass in the east window
(also known as the Golden Window for its glowing colours), and spectacular
carvings running right up to the ceiling. The wooden stalls were made
circa 1330-40 and have on their underside intricately carved wooden ledges
called misericords which were made for the Vicar's Choral to rest on during
long mediaeval services, whilst appearing to be standing. The name 'misericord'
comes from the Latin 'misericordia' meaning 'have pity', which, considering
their use, is quite appropriate. Chapter House - completed in 1306, the
Chapter House is where the business of the Chapter, the Dean and the Canons
who run the Cathedral, takes place, although today they only meet here
on special occasions. This large octagonal room was designed to be as
light and spacious as possible having a high 32-rib vaulted roof supported
on a single central pillar - a major feat of mediaeval engineering - and
huge stained glass windows depicting scenes of the Resurrection. Around
the walls are the Canons' stalls, each with their own nameplate. Leading
up to the Chapter House is a magnificent processional staircase which
contains stained glass dating from 1290, the oldest in the Cathedral.
The upper landing is said to be haunted by the ghost of invalids kept
here in isolation during the Black Death that scourged England in the
Middle Ages. Vicars' Hall - branching off from the same staircase as the
Chapter House, the Vicars' Hall is where the members of the Vicars' Choral,
the adult members of the Cathedral Choir, used to eat their meals and
conduct business. Today it is used only on special occasions and as a
venue for private functions. The building itself was completed in 1348
and its fine wooden panelling and furniture date from the 17th Century.
Cathedral Green - adjacent to the west front of the Cathedral this large
and peaceful lawn is mainly used as a picnic area, although during the
summer months charity fairs and country dancing festivals are held here.
Over the years it has fulfilled many functions including being used as
a burial ground, a fact which is apparent during dry summers when the
outlines of hundreds of graves can be seen in the grass. As well as being
a perfect spot to stop and relax whilst in Wells it provides access to
the Old Deanery and the Wells Museum from the town centre. Other features
- Cathedral Library, Lady Chapel, the Cloisters, Chain Gate and Chantries.
Services: Weekdays 7.30am Morning Prayer, 8.00am Holy Communion, 5.15pm
Evensong. Sundays 8.00am Holy Communion, 9.45am Sung Eucharist, 11.30am
Morning Prayer, 3.00pm Evensong.
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