Wells, a small cathedral city in Somerset, has been named the best small city to visit in the UK by readers of Which? magazine, who awarded it five stars for ease of getting around, attractiveness, attractions, cultural sights, accommodation, and value for money.
Why Wells Tops the Survey
According to Which?, "Wells, just below Bath in Somerset, got the highest customer score in our survey, at 87%. Although its population is only around 12,000, it’s officially a city thanks to its 850-year-old cathedral – the seat of the Bishops of Bath and Wells." The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens opposite are also open to visitors, and nearby Vicar’s Close is described as the only complete medieval street in England.
Technically, Wells is the second-smallest city in England, after the 1.12-square-mile City of London, although some argue it loses the top spot on a technicality. With its 12,000 residents, Wells is widely considered England's smallest true standalone city.
Historic Attractions and Film Fame
Built between 1175 and 1490, Wells Cathedral has been acclaimed as the most poetic of all English cathedrals. As the first English cathedral constructed in the Gothic style, it houses more than 300 sculptures, Britain's oldest working mechanical clock, and offers daily guided tours.
The city gained international fame as the filming location for the fictional village of Sandford in the film Hot Fuzz, starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and other celebrated British actors. Iconic locations include the Swan Hotel, the corner shop where characters buy Cornettos, and the marketplace where the climactic gunfight unfolds.
Wells is also home to Europe's oldest residential street, Vicars' Close, with its original 14th-century buildings still intact. Built under the direction of Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury, it has been continuously inhabited since the mid-1300s and still houses adult members of the Wells Cathedral Choir. Bishop Ralph built the houses to keep choir members from staying up late drinking in town.
Markets and Pubs
The street originally featured 42 identical, single-occupant cottages, each with one room downstairs and one upstairs, lacking kitchens since meals were communal. After the Reformation, many cottages were knocked together to accommodate families, leaving only 27 residences today.
The Wells Market, operating for over 800 years under a medieval charter, takes over the cobbled Market Place every Wednesday and Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Between 50 to 60 independent traders pitch their gazebos, offering knick-knacks and farmers' market fare.
For refreshment, the city's two dozen pubs include The Sheep & Penguin, known for craft beer and a hidden beer garden, and The Fountain Inn on St Thomas Street, considered the top gastronomic pub. A little out of the city, The Sheppey Inn on the Somerset Levels offers rustic stone walls, David Hockney prints, retro booths, and a waterside terrace over the river.
