I have written about my visits to Wells a couple times already as it's a place that I often bring visitors to. During all those visits I've never been inside the cathedral as the exterior is an extraordinary structure in itself.
During my visit last week, we decided to go inside, and boy, was I blown away!
Scissor Arch
As soon as I entered the cathedral, this magnificent scissor arch was starring right at me. It took me a while to take it all in as I had never seen anything like it. They look modern, but were in fact built between 1338 to 1348. There are three of these scissor arches inside Wells Cathedral and they were designed to support the central tower above from caving in when cracks were found after an earthquake. It is an ingenius piece of architecture, not only withstanding time via its practical purpose and design, but is also blends in beautifully with the vault ceiling. Again, I was in awe, as I always am, when I visit English cathedrals by the scale of the architect and structure from centuries ago in comparison to mankind.
I stood there admiring the scissors, looking upwards towards the Jesus statue and further upwards straining my neck 90 degrees towards the 20 meter high ceiling as if I was doing yoga stretches. My view stretched all the way back along the ceiling to as far as my neck would allow. I forgot how stiff my neck is but you don't notice this sort of thing when faced with such a magnificent view.
These are the three scissor arches, together they have supported the central tower, and Wells Cathedral for over 700 years.
Astronomical Clock
Tucked quietly on one side of the Cathedral is an astronomical clock that dates back to around 1390. It is one of the oldest working mechanical clock in the world and the oldest with a clock face. Source Back in those days, we believed the Earth is the centre of the universe and the sun evolves around it and this is reflected in the clock design. I can also confirm that the clock really does work as a little jousting knight above the clock face comes out and tells you every 15 minutes.
Chapter House
When I entered the Cathedral, one of the volunteers told me that I must visit the Chapter House. I'm so glad he did otherwise I would have totally missed it. Entrance is via an old stone staircase that has seen the test of times. A piece of modern sits on it, a sharp contrast between the new and old. The art was part of the Wells Art Contemporary exhibition in the Cathedral.
The 1306 Chapter House is another part of the Cathedral that will absolutely take your breath away. The central column fans out to eight other columns that forms part of the octagonal chapter house, and there are seats all around where visitors can sit and slowly take all this in. I could have sat here for the whole afternoon, especially since this was one of the heatwave days in UK and it was so cool in here!
You may have noticed the strings of butterflies in here. This is another part of the art exhibition and this piece is called Kaleidoscope and Mirrors by an artist called Anne Bennett. According to the program leaflet - Butterflies can symbolise new beginnings, a fresh start, being in the arms of an angel, rebirth, transformation, endurance, eternal life and departed souls. I'd like to take this opportunity to dedicate this to erikasue who has left us recently, and have set 10% of this post beneficiary to her sister @pinkchic.
Chained library
The last place I want to show everyone is the Chained library. This is another first for me.
Chained libraries were popular in the medieval period to prevent valuable books from being stolen. The one at Wells Cathedral was the largest medieval library in England when it opened in the 1450s. Source :
The books are chained to a rod on the bookshelf and the chain is long enough for the reader to place the book on the table to read, but not allow him/her to remove it from the library. Apparently, there are only four of such chained library that still exists in England now, but they also exist in Europe such as the Netherland and Italy. This part of the library is not accessible to visitors but you can prebook a tour with a guide. I might do that one day as now I have been inside Wells Cathedral, I really want to spend more time here again. It's such remarkable structure, highly recommended for anyone who is around the area.
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Did you deliberately plan how the two pictures of the 1306 chapter house completed each other? The first picture showed the details missing in the second, and the second the first. If it wasn’t deliberate, that was a very nice coincidence:)
Well observed!
Mmm so it was deliberate after all huh. You must be very keen on attention to detail:)
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Me encantaron los dos sitios. El turismo religioso me gusta y la biblioteca se ve genial.
Gracias por llevarme a ese lugar 😃🗺️🌐⛪.
Saludos desde Venezuela 🇻🇪.
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What a wonderful church, the scissor arch is just stunning. What an architectural treat 🤩😎
Just that alone… is breathtakingly amazing.
I like it to see those art works in the areas… it is such a contrast with the building, but cool at the same time. The butterflies are just cute 😊😎
The books with chains are rather interesting 🤔
Thanks for sharing @livinguktaiwan loved reading and seeing your beautiful captures 😎
Happy Thursday
This has become one of my favourite cathedrals so far I think.
Thanks for dropping by Jackie
I can imagine, it is stunning @livinguktaiwan 😊
You are welcome, anytime 👋🏻😎
Enjoy your Friday!
Damn that's so cool. I've never seen a scissor arch or a chained library before. I didn't even know that they existed. I've seen chained libraries in movies of course but I didn't know they were a real thing. Awesome!
You're one step ahead of me, I haven't seen chain libraries, even in movies!!
Haha the first Dr. Strange movie had one and Game of Throne season 7 or 8 showed one I think.
Cathedrals are some of the best architectural projects of humanity and hold so much history in each brick. Those arches are amazing. And the library is an interesting thing. I thought chains on books was a sort of fiction idea. It is interesting to see it was actually a thing.
I'm not religious, but I really like visiting cathedrals as I'm always fascinated by how our predecessors can build such magnificent buildings centuries ago without any technology. It's just mind boggling!!
Hey, neither am I. Architecture is an interesting milestone of human progress. We are always building things that last for centuries and astonishea the future generations. I can relate to that feeling. It's incredible!
This is really amazing! Although I wasn't there I was able to live a little of the experience thanks to your post😉
Hopefull you still enjoyed the virtual tour!
Wow, that is insane! I think it might be the most impressive cathedral I have ever seen. Very cool the way they put that all together. I can understand why you enjoy going back here. Awesome shots!
I'm hoping next time I go back, I can book a tour to see the chain library. It looks like I'm in there, but in reality I had to stick my phone on the other side of a gate that sectioned it off from the reading room where visitors were allowed in😄
That's some dedication right there! Sounds awesome!
Wow, stunning architecture you have captured it fantasically ( if there is such a word?), and I love the flutterbyes
did you make up the word flutterbyes as well? 😦
I don't know @livinguktaiwan 😂 it is something I have always called them
I did not know of the existence of this cathedral, its architecture is amazing. Thanks for sharing
I'm quite amazed with all these old churches and cathedrals around UK, and many that exists in little villages as well. I imagine it's the same in Italy?
Italy is very beautiful, but I don't think you can find similar architecture.
Wow - what a place. I know I've been to Wells and seen the cathedral, but dont have much recollection of being inside (it was atleast 11+ years). The inside looks stunning, and I definitely never saw the library, its quite incredible. Lovely pics - thanks for sharing !
!PIZZA
Of course! I remember you said you used to live in south west! If you ever head back down this part of the world, I'd definitely recommend another visit. Not that the cathedral would have changed from 11+ years ago, but perhaps you've changed since and the feel would be different for you this time round
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This is so amazing! Looking at it feels like I am watching Happy Potter.
Ha ha!!
OMG!! I'm absolutely impressed!! The columns and the roof were a crazy thing, but then the library also took my breath.
The butterflies are so cute, nice art exhibition in the middle of the Cathedral!!
There were many exhibitions dotted around the Cathedral, but this one was certainly the most impressive.
It is an amazing building.
Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome
You did a really great job dealing wih the enormous size of everything, all the crazy angles etc. inside the catherdral. I know too well how challenging it actually is, I was inside a giant medieval cathedral just a few weeks ago too (the St. Vitus Cathedral here in Prague, you might have seen the post...) So yeah, kudos to you for these amazing pictures (and kudos to the architects of this spectacular church too of course). Btw never heard of the "chained libraries". Very cool. Reminds me of the "chained outdoor gym" that I go to where all the dumbbells are chained so that people don´t steal them :D
omg!! The chained outdoor gym!! I wonder how far people can go if they steal the dumbells, that would truly be a lot of exercise!
The two cathedrals do look quite similar, don't they?! I guess in those days, the European influence extended a long way to over England.
Hahaha that´s right, running with stolen dumbbells would be a really tough workout :D But yeah, even at the outdoor gym that I used in Krakow, the dumbbells were chained :)
It does make sense though. Dumbbells are surprisingly expensive. A pair of decent 20kg dumbbells can easily cost as much as 200 dollars in a fitness store...
Thank you very much for loving my dearest sister Febe Erika @livinguktaiwan 😭🙏
I hope she is resting in peace now, and guarding you and your family from above. My condolences to you all ♥️
What very painful reality dear friend @livinguktaiwan about losing a loved one but gaining a guardian angel 😭🙏 Thank you very much for all the love and care for my dearest sister Febe Erika 😭🙏🙏🙏🙏
I can't even believe that this architectural creation was created by human hands. very nice especially i liked the watch. The arches are high as rocks, beautiful and even the atmosphere there is somehow unreal. @livinguktaiwan, well, that's what it looks like to me from the photo.