SOMERSET - WELLS Wells Cathedral Wells Cathedral - or, more properly, The Cathedral Church of St Andrew, is a Cathedral of the Old Foundation meaning that at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries it was presided over by a Dean and Secular Canons, that is, priests who did not follow a monastic rule. The see was founded in 909, moved to Bath in 1090 and to Bath and Wells in 1218. There is no entrance fee but voluntary contributions are welcome;  there is a charge for photography. There is limited time street parking but better to park in a pay and display car park near the cathedral; cost is relatively high
North-East Transept  South-East Transept  South-East Transept  South Chancel Aisle  North Chancel Aisle  North Transept  South Transept  Cloisters Somerset Pages: <Somerset 1>  <Somerset 2>  <Somerset 3>  <Somerset 4>  <Somerset 5> <Somerset 6>
North-East Transept - Corpus Christi Chapel Above: Bishop Creyghton (1672)  Alabaster Right Top: Dean Godelee (1333) Right Bottom: John Milton (1337)
South-East Transept St Katherine's Chapel  St John the Baptist's Chapel Top Row: Bishop Drokensford (1309-1329) Bottom Row, Left to Right: Dean John Gunthorpe (1498)The arms to the left are of the Cathedral; Humphrey Willin (1618) Brass plate fixed to W Wall. By Robert Hadock Leaning figure with inscriptions Bishop Bitton (1264) or Canon John Martel (1343)
South Chancel Aisle
The  Saxon Bishops of Wells shown below (East to West) were all made retrospectively 1220-30. They differ in detail rather than style. The Easternmost (left) is said to be a little later. One is not named and those without dates are not listed in The Handbook of British Chronology. There is also a fine incised slab to Bishop Bitton II (1274) but as this is under glass I have not been able to photograph it at all satisfactorily. This is said to be the earliest incised slab in England. Bishop Dudico (1033-1060) Unnamed Saxon Bishop Bishop Eilwinus (997-999) Bishop Burwoldus Bishop Lord Arthur Hervey (1894) He rests his feet on a snow leopard: the crest from his arms. Signed by Tho Brock RA Sculp London 1897 Above & Left Top: Bishop Bekynton (1443 - 1465)  15th century original iron railings protect this effigy/cadaver type tomb, which was built 15 years before his death. Original colour. Left Bottom: Bishop John Harewell (1386) Alabaster. Carved are two hares and ribbons of water - a rebus on his name.
North Chancel Aisle
More Anglo-Saxon bishops in the retrospective series (East to West) The easternmost one (left) is one of the later (c 1250), the other two part of the earlier series. Note the later ones have low mitres and rest their heads on pillows with no canopy Giso of Lorraine (1061-1088)   Levericus Sigar (975-996) Bishop Berkeley (1581) Tomb chest with shields - no effigy or brass indent. Inscription Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury (1363) He established the College of Vicars. Alabaster
North Transept
East Aisle	Nave
Bishop Cornish (1513) Brass inscription. Matrix of  brass figure on back Bishop John Still (1543- 1607) Alabaster. He was the unlikely  author of a drinking song! Bishop Kidder (1703) The figure is that of his daughterr	Bishop Nicholas Bubwith (1407-1424) Treasurer Hugh Sugar (1489) Chantry Chapels without tomb chests ot effigies
South Transept South-East or St Martin's Chapel and North-East or St Calixtus's Chapel Left and Above Top William Byconyll (1448) Inscription  (South-East Chapel) Right and Above Bottom:Dean Hussee (1302-5) or Precentor Thomas Boleyn (1470) Alabaster c. 1400. Stone canopy.  Very fine sculpture on the tc: on the east, the Annunciation; on the west The Trinity (North-East Chapel) Above: Countess de Lisle (1406) brass plate afixed to the chantry altar to record her burial here. Right and Far Right: Bishop William de Marchia (1302)  To the right is a separate chantry altar
The Cloisters
There are many ledger stones and brass matrices (and a few later brasses) but very few wall monuments in the main parts of the Cathedral. These latter are all now sited in the cloisters: the west arm of which is now a shop and restaurant (not entirely respectful, perhaps), the south arm inaccessible when I visited but the east arm is accessible though the garth. Below are a few examples:
Abigail Guilford (1726), daughter Rebecca (1716) & brother Charles (1707)  John Berkeley Burland (1804) By John Bacon Jn John Philips (1834) By Chantry, 1837   George Hooper (1727) By Samuel Tuffnel of Westminster
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