A BRIEF GUIDE TO WELLS & MENDIP MUSEUM
“SEARCH & LEARN” was our founder Herbert Balch’s motto. We hope that your visit will
inspire you to explore the natural world and heritage of the City of Wells and the
Mendip Hills around us.
Wells Museum opened in 1932, after the house, formerly the home of chancellors of the
Cathedral, had been bought for the Wells Natural History & Archaeology Society by the
Somerset philanthropist Sir William Wyndham. Herbert Balch became the first Curator
and served in that role until 1958. He was so respected locally that he was made a
Freeman of the City of Wells.
Three key themes are introduced in the Foyer – Roman lead mining by the glistening
lump of Galena ore, Geology by the huge fossil ichthyosaur and the medieval masons
of Wells Cathedral by the statuary, including the large sculpture of King Athelstan. This
is a replica made of plaster for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Crystal Palace.
First visit the Balch Room on the right at the front. This displays the major discoveries by
Herbert Balch, particularly the prehistoric, Iron Age and Roman occupations of Mendip
and its caves, mostly excavated over 100 years ago. It includes the skeleton of the
legendary “Witch of Wookey Hole” and bones from nearby Hyena Den which date
from 35,000 years ago, when mammoth and woolly rhinocerous roamed Mendip.
Look out through the windows where, on the front lawn, stands a prehistoric standing
stone which Balch rescued in 1949 from Tor Hill, where it had been used as a gatepost.
Towards the left stands a stone memorial to the late Harry Patch, the “Last Tommy”
(1898-2009).
Return to the rear room where you will see the four Roman pigs of lead, which were
‘lost’ on Mendip, probably on their way to Rome. Each is stamped with the name of
the Emperor Vespasian (AD 69-79). About a score of such pigs have been found in
Britain; one of ours has the highest silver content of any found in Britain. The others have
all had their silver removed, probably for coinage to pay the Roman armies. The room
also contains the beautiful Halliday’s replica Antique Shop, made by wood carver and
carpenter Arthur Wheeler, and a display about the Cathedral masons showing the
working tools of Arthur’s brother and Master Mason Bert Wheeler.
Return to the foyer and explore the narrow passage gallery, just to the right of the stairs
with its collection of 19-20th century Friendly Society brass spears, an array of often
strange agricultural implements, and a fine cabinet of butterflies and moths, donated
by the Misses Adams in 1966. Please ask Reception for a key if you would like to explore
its contents.
Now head up the broad elegant stairs, added when the house was remodelled c.1828
for Joseph Lovell Lovell. Beside the stairs are three delicate medieval angels from the
Cathedral that were considered too fragile to be returned to the West Front after it was
cleaned and restored in the 1970s-1980s. Ahead of you is a changing display – “Object
of the Month” selected by the volunteers, staff or the Honorary Curator. As you reach it
turn left into the fine temporary Exhibition Gallery, which used to be Herbert Balch’s
dining room and looks out over Cathedral Green.
Return to the top of the stairs, where on the landing you will see displays about the
restoration of the West Front of the Cathedral, particularly illustrations of the painted
medieval statuary. The landing windows also provide a fine view of the Museum
garden and the new buildings opened by Mick Aston of Time Team in 2002, following a
Heritage Lottery Grant. In the distance is the main Strong Room which now also houses
the Wells City Archive. Along the left-hand side stands the popular Lecture Room,
which is used regularly by many Wells societies and groups. You can also see the 18th
century cobbled path discovered in the excavations that took place at the time.
Ascend the short stair at the far end and take a look at the rare Elizabethan map of
Mendip hidden under the curtain, which is there to protect it from direct light. Hanging
beside it is a 1913 copy which makes it much clearer and shows at its centre the four
lead mineries on Mendip.
Turn right into the Social History Room which reveals the wealth of medieval and later
pottery found in the garden when the previous Curator, Christopher Hawkes,
excavated before the new buildings were constructed. Some of the early examples
are of high status glazed ware that would have been imported from the Continent. In
addition, in one case there is a group of very fine 17-19th century English drinking
glasses, recently left to the Museum in the will of the late Astrid Klemz MA BSc. They
illustrate the wealthy lifestyle of earlier occupants of the house.
The next room Caving & the Mendips covers three themes – early cave exploration of
Mendip, geology and mining. Cave exploration techniques were pioneered on
Mendip and the equipment used by cave divers from the 1930s was entirely home
made! Displays in the wall cases illustrate how many of the rocks typical of the Mendip
landscape came to be created, using photographs of similar locations still visible today.
The Old Red Sandstone rocks were, for example laid down when Wells lay on the
Equator! The movement of the tectonic plates over millions of years has created the
environment we have today.
Descend several steps, passed the stuffed albatross, into the main Geology Room,
where there are displays of local minerals and their uses, and fine specimens of the
rocks and fossils from the Silurian of about 425 million years ago to the cave stalagmites
of the last 10,000 years.
In the far left corner are several more steps down into the Eveleen Perkins Sampler
Room, where the light levels are again low, to prevent deterioration of the delicate
colours and fabrics. Do give your eyes time to adjust or ask Reception for a torch if you
need one. In the 1950s the Museum purchased this special collection of 18th-early 20th
century samplers made mostly by young children, that had been assembled by
Eveleen Perkins of East Court, Wookey. Look closely at the stitches and read the
‘improving’ poems and quotations!
Opposite the Sampler Room is the entrance to the Library, which holds a large
collection of books that is available for browsing or local research.
We hope you have enjoyed your visit. You may now return to the ground floor Shop to
purchase books or mementoes of your visit, or become a Friend to support our work.
The Museum is an educational charity largely run by volunteers so donations are also
very much welcomed. Thank you.