Last weekend Mark and I took ourselves off to Wells - 'England's smallest city'.
We stayed at 'Beryl', an early-Victorian 'Gentleman's Residence' on the edge of the Mendip Hills and about a mile from the city centre.
The style of the B+B is best described as 'Tyntesfield' meets 'Wealthy Maiden Aunt'..
This was our bedroom.. (with the addition of my bear, Helen)
..and this was the view from our sizable bathroom, through the dressing room area, and back to the door of our attic suite.
This is a detail of the wall paper (VERY National Trust darlings!)
..and here's the front of the house from the lawns.
I wish that I'd taken more photos of the interiors.
There were three sitting rooms for guests (the bar, the drawing room and the snug)
Tea and home-made cake was served in the snug every afternoon.
The banana cake on Saturday afternoon was delicious!!
We explored the Bishop's Palace..
...it's beautiful gardens with gorgeous views of the cathedral..
We stared at the spectacular West Front of the cathedral..
and took endless photos of the clean dramatic lines of the Nave..
This 14th Century 'scissor arch' looks modern -
especially with the modern altar front and 20th Century furniture..
...but everything around the cathedral is 'seriously old'.
The chimneys in this picture were added to the houses in the 1470s!!!
For cat lovers like us, Wells is full of furry feline friends...
This is Maisie, the 'Bishops Palace Cat', surveying her domain from
the entrance to the Bishops Chapel.
This is Louis, the 'Cathedral Cat'.
He has had a book written about him and he's obviously had lots of adventures -
but he's an old cat now and spends most of his days in a nice warm shopping basket in a corner of the cathedral shop...
Back to school this week... for the last seven week stint.
I've received a pretty manic e-mail yesterday from one of the Assistant Heads who thinks it's a good idea to go for the 'Platinum' Arts Award.
More work.... more collection of data and evidence and yet another format...Grrrrr...!
Sadly "the end is not quite nigh enough"!!!
Never mind, I have lovely weekend memories to sustain me..
Jx
Ooh, I've wanted to visit Wells for ages! It looks stunning and your photos are lovely. Get a load of that B+B too, those doorways are just fab!
ReplyDeleteWells is a delight, isn't it? We've not been for a very long time, but I think we must go again this year. I've seen Beryl in magazines and I often wondered what it might be like to stay there.
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
I'd love to visit Wells one day and so glad you had a nice break. Keep your spirits up and look forward to your coming retirement. Love the cats! Take care.
ReplyDeleteI had to smile at the note on the cathedral cat's basket. He looks so relaxed one wouldn't want to disturb him. Lovely photos in and around the cathedral and the B and B looks fab. I know your counting the days....so hope you're coping with what is required of you as you start this last term. Take care Jan.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I SAY!!!! Isn't that place you stayed wonderful!! How opulent!!! Wells cathedral looks really beautiful and I love the cats esp Maisie who is very gangly! And yes, please do get involved with TARDIS Tuesday, that'd be really cool!!!x
ReplyDeleteOMGosh--this is magnificient!! I need to make a Grand Tour before life ends!
ReplyDeleteI scrolled again and again looking at your pictures. Please , please, someone recommend me and DH for jobs in the UK and we will pack up and move tomorrow. Scenery and architecture like this on a get away weekend is too fantastic. On the other front, they are really going to make sure every last minute of your work is to their benenfit. Keep these pics on your phone nice and close and visualize whole weeks of time exploring places like Well's.
ReplyDeleteI love visiting cathedrals and as soon as you said Wells I thought of the scissors arch - lovely photographs - thank-you very much. Only 7 weeks to go - roll on summer term with its winding down and absence of exam classes! Judy.
ReplyDeleteTeeth clenched; remember you can always say no, what are they going to do? Fire you?
ReplyDeleteAnd Wells looks lovely. Do you have an escape planned for July?
What a wonderful trip you had and lovely photos. I love where you stayed, it looks very swanky. Just what you needed before your return to school for the final stint.
ReplyDeleteHello, fascinating photos of the Cathedral both inside and outside. I was stunned to see the cat sitting inside the Cathedral.
ReplyDeleteSurely you had an exciting time.
Best wishes
Lucky you! What a beautiful place and the architecture is absolutely wonderful Its now on my list of places I want to visit. I'm glad you had a lovely week off despite the phone call.
ReplyDeleteYou are definitely on count down now Jan. I bet you can't wait and I'm trying very hard not to be too envious.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lovely book called The English Cat at Home by Matthew Sturgis, published in 1988 but with some delightful cats and their owners, including the then 10 Downing Street cat and the cat of Westminster Abbey among them.
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
Oh this reminds me of our holiday back in ... 2008 - camping in Cheddar. We spent a day in Wells and visited the cathedral!
ReplyDeleteI just came by to answer the question on my books post - no, I don't use a kindle - I like real books!
We stayed in Beryl more than 10 years ago - it was before we left the UK. It was nowhere near as opulent then...more like a rundown gentleman's club. Obviously it's been done up & improved since then! It looks lovely.
ReplyDelete