May 17, Travel from Bath to Wells, Somerset

An Afternoon Walk around Bath, May 16

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

She Said:

We reluctantly left the Henrietta House B+B in Bath and were driven to our next destination, the Stoberry House in Wells.  On the way, we got a good, running history commentary from our driver, Ian.  (Ian is married to Suzanne, who runs Footpath Holidays and organized this year's trip for us, and four others over the years).  Ian is a doctor (retired, I think) but minutiae History is his first love.

For example:
On many roads in England, you will find Pubs with names like The White Pole, or The Red Pole. That's because those Pubs are located along what was once a Roman road. The Romans would stake poles every 10 miles, usually (or hopefully) at sources of water.  One white, one red, alternating every 10 miles.  Since the usual day's marching distance for a Roman Legion was 20 miles a day, this was a way to count off their march.  
OR
Coal fields and mining in the Mendip Hills - when Ian was a kid, he spent time with his mother's mom in that area, and even attended primary school there.  (His father was a seaman, and would be away at sea for 2 years at a time.  During those years, his family would go live with his mother's mom).  It snowed often in those hills in those days, and Ian remembers the snow being black.  (Yuk.)
OR
While Glastonbury Abbey has a big reputation as a tourist attraction, he thinks it's not so hot as all that Henry VIII left was the foundation.

We arrived at Stoberry House, a private estate on ? acres, were greeted by Frances, our hostess, and promptly served tea and homemade cakes.  Not a bad start.

The weather looked threatening, so we opted to take Ian's advice re: Glastonbury.  Instead, we packed our rain gear and walked the half mile into the town of Wells (1/4 mile was Stoberry House's driveway!)

Wells Cathedral blew me away.  I've seen some churches in my day - York Minster, Winchester Cathedral - but Wells Cathedral takes the cake.  It is a perfectly preserved 12th century building with all the bells and whistles - the largest collection in Europe of intact medieval statues on the exterior of a church (Jesus, the Apostles, orders of Angels, bishops, Kings and biblical scenes - mind-boggling, really), a clock from the 13th century that still runs on the original clock works and on the hour, features jousting knights going round and round and actually knocking each other off their horses, "scissor arches" that look like a modern addition but were a 13c solution to the cathedral tower's sinking, stone effigies galore, embroidered tapestries from the beginning, and a library with an original beamed ceiling fitted with doweled joints.  Oh, and ornate tiled floors, remarkable painted ceilings, and a cloisters around three sides of the main church with gorgeous acoustics.  I could almost hear the beautiful chanting as monks and nuns from past centuries walked and sang their meditations.

There's more -
Across from the Cathedral is the Wells Cathedral School and they offered a free concert today at 1 pm.  We took a break from the Cathedral and listened to three students perform three quite different pieces on three decidedly different instruments.  And, they were all very talented.
Piano - Haydn
Flute - Green (contemporary)
Marimba (!) - Sejourne
I think it was pretty brilliant of whoever arranged the concert to choose such varied instruments.  There was no way to compare the performances, thus ensuring that each student received their equal due.
Such a great stroke of serendipity.

Then back to the Cathedral for lunch in the Cathedral Cafe (delicious), to hear that clock strike and see the jousters (a mechanical marvel), walk around the grounds (wet) and climb up a narrow set of spiral steps to the Library, where the volunteer docents were quite happy to see someone who had taken the time to climb the steps.  They spent plenty of time telling us all kinds of interesting facts, i.e., some of the original manuscripts were actually chained to the shelves to prevent those studying them from walking off with them.  Several chained books remain.

All in all, Wells Cathedral was a big hit.

And, there's a Waitrose in Wells, a bonus.  Waitrose is a very good grocery store, and since we have a fully equipped pantry at our disposal here at Stoberry House, we bought some prepared foods that just need a bit of nuking.  We'll eat well tonight in our own sitting room looking out at the gardens.

Rain tonight and tomorrow.
Perhaps the Bishops Palace tomorrow, or maybe a day in, reading and relaxing.

Total Miles:
3.91 miles (in and around d Wells)


He said:
A day of travel, seeing the Wells Cathedral, and having the internet flaky in an otherwise overly posh place.  We had tea, ate cake, had a chat, and then set out to explore Wells on a day that got more gray and more wet as the day went on.
It's always interesting to see old relics of the past, and with the weather, it's good to be inside.



Happy Birthday to the queen this month

Wells, in Somerset

Wells Cathedral

Chained books in the cathedral library

To see more photos from May 17, click here