It is the misfortune, not the fault, of the subordinate churches of a
cathedral city that they arouse but a languid interest in the already
surfeited sight-seer. Wells has one other church which merits more than
a passing attention. St Cuthbert's is a Perp. building of generous
dimensions. It possesses an exceedingly fine tower of the best Somerset
type--massive and graceful--belonging to the same class as the towers
of Wrington and Evercreech, but spoilt by a want of proportion between
the upper and lower stages. The interior of the church is spacious and
imposing, and contains a good panelled roof. The E.E. capitals of the
piers and some old roof marks suggest that it was originally an E.E.
cruciform fabric, altered by Perp. builders, and heightened by the
erection of a clerestory. There is documentary evidence that a "public
collection" was made in 1561 to repair the havoc caused by the collapse
of the central tower. The transeptal chapels were once brilliant with
statuary and colour, but the axes and hammers of the image breakers
have successfully purged them of their original glory. All that is left
for the admiration of the modern visitor are a few gaping recesses and
a pile of gathered fragments. Note (1) double transepts, (2) oak
pulpit, (3) Dec. window with Jesse altar-piece in S. transept, (3)
piscinas, in chancel and S. choir aisle, (5) mutilated figure of knight
in ruff and armour at E. end of N. aisle, (6) tomb with figure (1614)
under tower. The other antiquities of Wells are (1) Bishop Bubwith's
alms-houses in Chamberlain Street (near St Cuthbert's Church)--an
eccentric building, containing a number of separate cells, a chapel and
a small hall under one roof (note old alms chest in hall, now called
the Committee room), (2) some ancient timber-work in the courtyard of
the Crown Inn.
Amongst the more interesting walks in the neighbourhood are (1)
Arthur's Point, offering a good view of the Glastonbury plain; (2) Tor
and Dulcot hills on the Shepton road; (3) Ebbor rocks near Wookey Hole.
_Wembdon_, a parish 1 m. N.W. of Bridgwater, of which it is virtually a
suburb. The church has been restored (after a fire in 1868), and its
ancient features have been obliterated. On the S. of the building is an
old cross.
_Westbury_ (stat. Lodge Hill), a village on the road between Wells and
Axbridge, 4 m. N.W. from the former town. It has an interesting church
(ded. to St Lawrence), with a W. tower of the prevailing Perp. type,
but supported on a Norm. arch (the flanking columns do not reach the
ground). There is also a Norm. door on the N. side, now blocked. In the
S. porch note the doors which once led to the parvise or gallery above,
and the holy-water stoup. The E. window is Dec., with the interior arch
foliated. The S. aisle has a small chapel at the E. end, containing a
tomb of George Rodney (d. 1586).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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