Vicar’s Close Wells Photo by Nikonic (Lantro Photography) is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The Vicars’ Close in Wells is one of the most famous residential streets in the UK and is arguably the best preserved group of medieval houses in Europe. Victorian architects recognised this and the street inspired architects such as AWN Pugin and William Burges.
The Victorian Society welcomes the announcement of £4.4 million funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the restoration of these buildings, and a project that will see some of these extraordinary buildings open to the public. During consultation the Society emphasised the importance of retaining and giving context to the contributions made by major Gothic Revival architects to these buildings’ history and making.
Vicar’s Close at Wells from The Builder, 1887, p338, The Getty Research Institute
Our response focussed on three main areas: the Vicar’s Hall and its redecoration by William Burges, the chapel and work by Heywood Sumner, and numbers 22, 26, and 27 in particular, restored by J H Parker with decoration by Burges; as well as the works to the Chapel by significant architects and designers, J D Sedding, Heywood Sumner and Henry Wilson.
Vicars Close Wells No 22 Photo by Enrique Íñiguez Rodríguez (CC-BY-SA)
Our response highlighted the importance of J H Parker’s 19th century restoration of the close and the input of William Burges, who decorated some of the houses and the Vicar’s Hall; as well as works to the Chapel by such significant figures as J D Sedding, Heywood Sumner and Henry Wilson.
Vicars Close Chapel Photo by Ellen B https://happywonderer.com/
Whilst the Society recognises the aim to restore and open no.22 to the public as laudable, we emphasised that any conservation should not adversely affect later but significant layers of the buildings’ history, especially those designed and completed by such an important Nineteenth-century architect as Burges. The Society believes that a similar approach should be extended to the Chapel and Vicars’ Hall.
Vicars Close was designed to lodge the cathedral choirmen, and was finished by 1363. The houses continue to be inhabited by their successors today.
