Wells Cathedral

Water of Life
Wells owes both its name and its origins to the natural springs which rise up out of the ground here and form the pool within the grounds of the Bishop's Palace. It is because of these springs that the Cathedral and City of Wells were founded on this site.


A Holy Place
This place has been a site of religious worship for over 2000 years. Long before the birth of Christianity the wells which can be seen in the gardens of the Bishop's Palace attracted men and women to pray and be close to their gods.
Before the Romans came to Britain, the native British tribes worshipped nature spirits, dedicating shrines near rivers, streams and ponds. Pagan prietst often performed their rituals next to sacred springs or wells and finds of Stone Age flints provide evidence that ancient peoples visited this place.

(Source: Information Room in Wells Cathedral)