Wells on Saturday

We met at 9 am for breakfast. We had a choice to order several different plates including a full English even with blood sausage and eggs of choice. Unfortunately Kate and my poached eggs were hard as rocks.

In addition there was "Continental" laid out on the bar. See the sign over the bar? 

WH est. 1497

James is locking our room and off we go to investigate.

Today was market. Only twice a week. This guy sells nothing but shoe laces. If you can't find it here it doesn't exist. 

David had scouted it out and had already announced to James that there was a stand with hats since James had told him the story of his panama hat. 

And here it is ... the story: last year we were at the Royal Henley Regatta when in England for a family celebration. We met several of his friends at the regatta from his 1964 rowing crew. It was a posh event. James only had a cap but many were wearing panama hats. The gift shop of course sold them, James looked great with them but they cost a king's ransom. So he didn't buy. But last October we went to see the Panama Canal. How are the chances that there James could buy one on the first day much more reasonably priced. So, he remembered to take it on this trip because the (about 5 week) trip ends by going to the Royal Henley Regatta. Of course you can't put it into the suitcase so he had to wear it on the planes. It went all the way to Bucharest but when we left there and were taken to the airport he forgot it in the shuttle. We were standing at the ticket counter and I suddenly had to say "where is your hat?" Oh, the disappointed face. I did not have to say more.

Well, here is the replacement. Later in the day we had to back to this stand because I needed a hat for Henley too but I needed to take a photo of my dress in the hotel room for the colors.

The market was a lot of fun. Scotch eggs from all sorts of different recipes. 

Oh the pasties.

A modern town crier. I googled: a person employed to make public announcements in the streets or marketplace of a town

VIDEO!   (0:57)

It's all in the details. Here is a little sign on a bench. It's a "Happy to chat bench". If you sit down you have to be nice.

The Penniless Porch (one of the gates to the cathedral). Beggars would ask (the bishop) for alms here.

Map on the green in front of the cathedral of "English's Smallest City".

The Wells Cathedral is a 12th century building. The pamphlet says that it is a masterpiece. I think it is truly that. 

In the Nave the eye is drawn to the unique "scissor arches". The simple yet stunning design, often mistaken as modern, was a medieval solution (1338-48) to sinking tower foundations.

We enjoyed seeing the cathedral very much. So much to see. Incredible. Kate found the lace for me. And lots of ecclesiastical altar hangings. Those which were not on the altars where displayed in a long hall.

At one place which was used a bit like a museum we saw this (more about it tomorrow), a ruff (collar) the choir boys wear. 

Finally we went into the Cathedral Cafe. I had a fancy coffee. Look what happened when I let a brown sugar cube fall into it.

Kate remembered a way all around the Bishop's Palace. First you go through the Vicar's Close.

It was a very nice walk.

We heard that there are swans which ring a certain bell. Here is a lady swan sitting on her eggs.

When we had completed the loop we went back to the hotel through the market. Had not seen this earlier. Pet food? Postman's legs and spare body parts?

Just a quick stop at the hotel.

David wanted to take us to lunch at this pub he had been to on a previous visit. It certainly has a lot of character. But the pub was full.

We did find out though that we could walk around and there were picnic benches in the back. Lovely. The beers/shandies went down like extinguishing a fire.

The men went to get the food when we heard a call.

James' sausage roll. 

Back to the hotel. Parking the car again. David found another good spot. Lucky.

Kate had heard about the Almshouses and we all thought that it would be good to see. Of course in walking distance too. They had a kind of open house and we were very impressed. Several people who explained things. One lady had opened her place for us to see. Another place was empty and will be moved into in a fortnight. All very impressive. 

The City of Wells Almshouses traces its origin to 1424.

It also includes a guild or council house and a chapel in which we attended a brief lecture by a trustee of this.

We were told that this sedilia is unusual because it is outside and also has four seats. 

On the way back we passed The City Arms, decided that it looked good and David went in to make a reservation for dinner.

We went back to the hotel to refresh. When we arrived later at the restaurant they could not find the reservation but seated us anyway. David was astonished because he had seen her write it into the book and even was asked for the telephone number.

My lamb Chump with crushed new potatoes, seasonal vegetables and blackcurrent and mint sauce was excellent except ... we so had to laugh because nothing you order in this town comes as it says on the menu. The new potatoes were not crushed (whatever that would be) and there were no blackcurrants but when we asked we got some mint sauce. As I said though, the lamb was really good.

We splurged and got dessert. James got "Cheese & Biscuits - Stilton, Brie & Cheddar with apples & grapes" except there were celery sticks instead of apples. We laughed because James kept offering his "apples" to us.

My pudding was Treacle Tart with Custard.

Kate and Dave wanted to share the Blackcurrant & Prosecco cheese cake with Vanilla Ice cream but instead it was Raspberry & Gin cheese cake. Oh, well.

It was after 9 pm by then and we passed the Bishop's Palace. There was a lady guide with a small group talking about dragon. We never got the story but had saw some mosaics on yesterday's walk which school children had done. 

She also talked a bit about the swans. Again, we did not get the whole story. 

Never saw the swan but here is the bell ... in the above photo between Kate and David.

We probably had a look at the cathedral again, back to the hotel, night night.