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Often referred to as the smallest city in the country, the city of Wells is located on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
After exploring the breathtaking sights of Wells, pop into one of our friendly Somerset restaurants for a classic British pub meal made with locally-sourced produce. Plus, you can top it all off with a pint of proper Butcombe beer, from our impressive selection behind the bar.
Offering delicious, locally-sourced meals and award-winning Butcombe beers and ales on tap, our range of restaurants near Wells are the ideal places for a bite to eat after a busy day exploring this picturesque part of Somerset.
We’re passionate about great food and drink at The Rising Sun – expect delicious seasonal dishes and hearty pub classics, with a focus on fresh ingredients and produce carefully sourced from our local suppliers. Behind the bar you’ll find a selection of award-winning beer from our own Butcombe Brewery, and you’ll notice that our menus and daily specials also feature our own ales where possible – like our Butcombe Gold beer-battered fish and chips. The Rising Sun offers a huge beer garden with children’s play area, and large carpark – the perfect place to stop after a day exploring Wells.
A haven for walkers, cyclists and locals alike, The Swan Inn is all about delicious, locally-sourced food – pub classics, flatbread pizza, and tasty bar snacks – with a cosy, welcoming vibe and an impressive selection of award-winning Butcombe beer on the taps. Stop by after exploring the city of Wells, while walking your dog, or after visiting other popular Somerset attractions like Glastonbury Tor, Wookey Hole Caves or England’s smallest city – Wells.
With beer-battered fish and chips, our delicious ‘Bower burger’ and our famous Sunday roast, you’ll find something you love at The Bower Inn. Enjoy your locally-sourced meal in the refurbished, historical 18th-century cottage and beautiful gardens, and pair your dish with an award-winning pint of craft beer from behind the bar – the perfect end to the day after navigating the streets of Wells.
If you’re in the mood for a classic British pub meal in an atmospheric, historic setting, you won’t find anywhere like The George Inn in Norton St. Philip. This Grade II-listed inn, a short drive from the city of Wells, dates back to 1397 and is one of Britain’s oldest taverns, serving locally-sourced, modern twists on classic pub food and an array of proper Butcombe beers behind the bar. From decadent baked camembert to classic beer-battered fish and chips, and indulgent roast dinners, you’ll find something you love at The George Inn.
Not far from the enchanting city of Wells, you’ll find The Lamb Inn – a charming, cosy, 15th century converted coaching inn, complete with traditional beams, open fireplaces, a beautiful beer garden for alfresco dining. For a characterful and historic place to enjoy a delicious, home-made, locally-sourced classic pub meal, paired with an award-winning pint of Butcombe beer, you can’t do much better than The Lamb Inn.
For a true taste of the West Country, you can’t do any better than The Langford Inn pub-restaurant. On the menu, you’ll find a mix of seasonal dishes with hearty pub classics, all made with local Somerset produce in a field-to-fork approach to sustainable dining. Bring your pup along after your day out taking in the sights of Wells – The Langford Inn is dog-friendly, so your pooch will feel right at home!
The Ring o’ Bells is a local legend in Compton Martin and throughout Somerset, boasting secret live music gigs from renowned pop artists like Kylie Minogue, Paul Weller and Coldplay, while retaining its traditional country gastropub vibe. It boasts a beautiful beer garden, kids’ play area, live sport, locally-sourced pub grub and cracking selection of award-winning Butcombe beers and real ales behind the bar. Book a table while you’re exploring the city of Wells and stop by after to enjoy modern twists on hearty pub classics, unlike anything you’ve had before.
The cathedral that stands today was built in the latter part of the 12th century, though an earlier church had been in situ since c.700.
Widely regarded as the first cathedral in the world to be created in the gothic style, it is one of the finest examples of medieval architecture in the United Kingdom.
Although it took nearly three centuries to complete, many believe it was worth the wait, with Wells Cathedral becoming known as one of the most eye-catching religious buildings in the country.
The Wells & Mendip Museum is located in the former chancellor’s house, next to Wells Cathedral.
It was founded in 1893 by Herbert E. Balch, used initially as a means of exhibiting his own collections. The museum is now in the care of Wells Natural History and Archaeological Society, who have added their own memorabilia since.
As the name suggests, the Wells & Mendip Museum is dedicated to showcasing the history of the local area, with many examples from the Stone Age and Iron Age on display.
Adjacent to Wells Cathedral is the Bishop’s Palace & Gardens. Construction began at the beginning of the 13th century, though further development took place in the following centuries. Restoration work took place in the 19th century, which reinstated the palace to the fine example that we see today.
The gardens extend to approximately 14 acres in size and include St Andrew’s Spring, which supplies St Andrew’s Well, one of three wells which gave this remarkable city its name.
Supposedly the oldest intact residential street in Europe, Vicar’s Close in Wells boasts multiple grade I listed buildings that were built between 1363 and 1412.
Of the 40+ properties that were built for the vicars, 27 of them are still standing to this day. The water supply for the houses was initially drawn from two of the three wells that this city is famous for, with one well positioned at each end of Vicar’s Close.
With no TV aerials or satellite dishes in sight, Vicar’s Close is without doubt one of the most well-preserved streets in the country.
Around 3 miles outside of the city lies Ebbor Gorge, a limestone gorge and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Around two-thirds of the area is owned by the National Trust, with the most prominent vantage points offering breathtaking views of the Somerset Levels and the surrounding areas.
The source of the River Axe, which rises at Wookey Hole Caves, is believed to be the watercourse which originally formed the gorge from the limestone.
Situated on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is Milton Lodge & Gardens.
Milton Lodge was built in 1790, but it wasn’t until the property passed into the hands of the Tudway family in the 19th century that plans were put in place for the gardens to be landscaped into the form that they retain today.
The views from Milton Lodge Gardens are unrivalled, boasting panoramic views of the city of Wells, the cathedral and the Vale of Avalon. The Tudway family still own the estate, ensuring its survival for the enjoyment of visitors.
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