| Summary : The Cathedral of St Andrew forms part of a complex of buildings within a close. It was consecrated in 1239, and has 19th century restorations. A minster was founded at Wells in 704, and in 909 Wells became a See. The old cathedral was entirely replaced by a new building between 1180 - 1240, which in turn was further developed between 1290-1340. Nave, west front (but not towers), north porch, transepts, and part of choir date from 1176-1239. central tower 1315-22. Lady Chapel begun 1323, completed circa 1326. Extension of choir and presbytery in 1330 to connect with the new Lady Chapel. Following signs of dangerous settlement and cracking under the new tower, the great arches and other work inserted to prevent collapse in 1337. South-west tower begun in 1385, completed circa 1395. North-west tower built 1410. Tracery added to nave windows in 1410. Central tower damaged by fire in 1439; repair and substantial design modification completed circa 1450. Stillington's chapel built 1477. The chapel was demolished in 1552. Restored in the 19th century. Excavations have revealed an 8th century cemetery and 9th-10th century mortuary chapel. |
More information : [ST 5515 4588] CATH. [TU] ST 5522 4576 BISHOP'S PALACE
[GT] (1)
The Cathedral Church of St. Andrew and Bishop's Palace at Wells together with their subsidiary buildings are mainly of 13th/15th cent. origin. [See map diagram for plan]
A secular college was founded at Wells c704, and it became the see of a bishop in 909. The present Cathedral was consecrated in 1239, and is the work of two periods i.e. c.1180-1240, and c. 1290-1340, with 19th cent restorations. A 15th cent. Lady Chapel formerly abutted on to the eastern side of the cloisters [see plan-source 7]. Spanning the road north of the Cathedral is the 15th cent. Chain Gate - which joins its chapter house to the 15th cent. Vicar's Hall which lies above the gatehouse for Vicar's Close - a terraced double range of early 14th cent. and later houses, closed on the north by an early 5th cent Chapel. North of Cathedral Green also is The Deanery of c.1480 and later, which includes an embattled gatehouse, precinct wall and domestic chapel.
The Bishop's Palace (ruined parts scheduled) is mainly 13th to 15th cent., with 19th cent. restorations [see plan-source 7]. It is surrounded by a moat, and 14th cent. curtain wall with a Gate House and a Draw Bridge. The wall contains five hollow bastions, with a sixth in the western angle containing a two-storied building, the lower of which was used as a prison for criminous clerks, and was subsequently known as the 'Cow-house'. The Great Hall now in ruins is late 13th cent., and has a contemporary Chapel (restored). In the grounds is a 15th cent. Well House, and nearly south-east of the cathedralan irregular pond fed by a spring is known as St. Andrew's Well, the waters of which flow into the palace moat.
A 15th cent. turreted gateway tower leading from the Market Place, and published on the OS 25" as Palace Gate is more generally known as Bishop's Eye Gatehouse, and is so referred to by authorities 2-6. Another 15th cent. gatehouse leading to the close is known as Penniless Porch, and a third called Bronn's Gate (scheduled) leads to the green.
On the north side of the Market Place are a row of houses built in the 15th cent. by Bishop Bekynton, they were refaced in the 18th cent., but still retain original features - called Bishop Bekynton's Nova Opera. (2-3)
With the exception of the much altered and rebuilt Bishop Beckington's Nova Opera all the buildings mentioned above are architecturally outstanding.
Earthworks revised. (4)
Additional references. (5)
Scheduled. (6-9)
Excavations by Rodwell at Wells Cathedral (c 1978?) revealed old foundations under and oblique to the Gothic Cathedral, which could be those of the A/S cathedral. (10)
Review in precise terms of some of the cathedral building dates. (11)
BISHOP'S PALACE
---------------
The Bishop's Palace
(including Gatehouse and
Walls, Chapel, ruins
of Great hall, Well-house
in grounds)
ST 5545 1/1 12.11.53.
I
2.
Residence of Bishops of Bath and Wells and probably the most perfect and complete surviving example of a medieval bishop's palace. C13 to C16, restored and altered in 1846 by Benjamin Ferrey. The palace is enclosed by a moat and a high C14 battlemented wall (licence to crenellate 1341) with semi-circular angle towers open to the inside. Entry to the grounds is from the North West by a C14 Gatehouse with polygonal angle towers on the outside. Moulded 4-centred entrance arches with ribbed vaulting. The centre block of the palace is mainly C13 but the porch and 3 gables were added by Ferrey. The ground floor is occupied by undercrofts with ribbed vaulting, a large C15 fireplace and rich Jacobean staircase. A gallery along the length of the 1st floor is lit by original C13 windows. The north wing was added to and remodelled in the C15 and C16. On its North side overlooking the moat are 2 picturesque oriel windows. At the South West end of the centre block is the battlemented C13 Chapel of 3 bays with a 3-light window to each and a fine East window of 6 lights. Adjoining on the West are the ruins of the Great Hall, dating from circa 1280 and showing excellent window tracery and other features of the period. In the grounds on the North side of the moat is a C15 stone well-house, square on plan, buttressed, pyramidal slate roof. 2-light stone mullioned window openings with cusped lights under dripmoulds, moulded stone door-frame with 4-centred head. AM.
1.
1794 CATHEDRAL GREEN
---------------
Cathedral Church of
St Andrew
(including Chain Gate
and Cloisters)
ST 5545 1/9 12.11.53.
A GV
2.
C13, C14, C15. Cruciform with C14 central tower. Magnificent west front of circa 1250 with screen of statuary. Above the screen, at the North and South angles are two western towers of late C14 and early C15 dates. Early C14 Chapter House. From the chapter house steps there is access to the Vicar's Hall (see VICAR'S CLOSE) by a C15 bridge and passageway known as the Chain Gate. This has a 4-centred carriage arch spanning the roadway and 2 pedestrian arches with blind tracery over. The passageway above has battlements and pinnacles and is lit by 3-light cusped windows under 4-centred heads. A range of Cloisters, rebuilt in the C15, encloses a quadrangle on the south of the cathedral nave. In a stone-walled enclosure to the west of the cloisters is the ruin of the C14 Querister's House which has a 2-light Perpendicular window under its north gable.
All listed buildings in Cathedral Green form an important
group, dominated by the east by the Cathedral itself and on the north by the Old Deanery and associated buildings. (12)
Parts of 2 lost chapels and underlying Anglo-Saxon remains were examined in an excavation in Wells cathedral close, 1978, by W.J. Rodwell for CRAAGS. (13-16)
Flints, a Neolithic pit, C4 domestic debris, a Saxon cemetery, a Saxon chapel or mausoleum and the Saxon cloister walls were amongst features located during excavations in 1979 SE of the cathedral to the N. of the area excavated in 1978. Summary report. (17)
1979 Excavations-additional references. (18-19)
Wells: The Cathedral and city. (20)
Additional reference. (21)
The remains of a Roman mausoleum from which the Saxon complex had clearly developed, was discovered during excavations in October-November 1980. (22) (24) (25)
Additional references. (23) (26)
A massive stone raft foundation in the N. quire aisle was investigated during excavations by W. Rodwell for the Dean and Chapter, 1982. The foundation may be part of the support for an early Lady Chapel or retroquire. (27)
Additional references. (28-45)
Three fragments of Saxon work have been found during excavations in the cathedral:
1. Part of a 10th century grave cover found in the 1979 excavations. It was reused as a building stone in the lowest level of the pitched foundations for the 12th century cloister.
2. Possible cross frament of 8th-9th century date discovered on the site of the former Lady Chapel nearthe cloister in 1894.
3. 9th-10th century fragment, probably part of a grave cover or decorative panel, found in the rubble foundation of the Late Saxon mortuary chapel in 1980. It was probably deposited there in the 10th century.
4. A minute study of the font by Warwick Rodwell suggests that there are two phases of remodelling preceding the 12th century, and these are dated to the 10th-11th centuries.
5. Late Roman or sub-Roman inscribed stone fragment found inside the nave of the Mediaeval Lady Chapel-by-the-Cloister in the 1979 excavations.
Full description and discussion of the fragments and font. (46) |