After a day of touring Stourhead and The Newt, it was back to our hotel in Wells - The Swan. This is an older hotel with a bewilderingly complex floor plan. Narrow hallways, multi-level staircases, and endless turns, it was like something out of the Winchester widow's house. I was unable to locate my room after checking in and had to seek assistance.
The previous night, I had dinner in the hotel restaurant, and had fish and chips with traditional mushy peas. It was delicious.
Before leaving for Stourhead that morning, I walked down the street filled with quaint shops. A street market was in the process of setting up -
Proceeding down the next few blocks leads you to Wells Cathedral and the surrounding area -
Down a side street to Vicar's Close, Europe's oldest street with original buildings intact. Dating back to the mid-fourteenth century, the 27 residences were built for Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury. The houses are mostly occupied by students. I thought it was a bit of a shame as most of the houses had drab landscaping (the ones in these photos being the exception). I can just imagine this filled with cottage gardens -
Comments
I find those early morning strolls down the 700 year old streets are as much fun as visiting the gardens.
Chavli