Wells Cathedral

Wells Cathedral is rightly celebrated as one of the UK's most beautiful churches.

The cathedral was built between 1175 and 1490 and is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who resides at the nearby Bishop's Palace. There is evidence that there has been a church at this site since the 8th century.



The magnificent West Front, which dates from around 1230, is one of the largest galleries of medieval sculpture in the world. From the bottom, biblical scenes are depicted rising to kings, bishops and angels until the twelve apostles and Christ at the very top.



The magnificent Chapter House (1306) has a series of worn steps up to this most sumptuous meeting room. The octagonal shaped room was used (and still is on occasion) to discuss cathedral business. Before the stairs to the entrance to the Chapter House is the Wells Cathedral clock which is said to be the second oldest clock in England after the clock in Salisbury Cathedral and was probably built by the same clock-makers as the two clocks are very similar in style.



The spectacular Scissor Arches were a medieval solution to sinking tower foundations and were inserted in the 14th century to stabilize the structure.



The Scissor Arches support the weight of the central tower.



The church holds assembly for the nearby Wells Cathedral School, which was founded in the 10th century to educate choristers.



The cathedral has a friendly shop and Chapter Two cafe and restaurant located on the first floor of the New Entry Cloister.

Wells Cathedral
Cathedral Offices
Chain Gate
Cathedral Green
Wells
Somerset
BA5 2UE
Tel: 01749 674483

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Wells Cathedral Wells

Lyme Regis To Seaton Undercliffs Walk

The 7-mile (11km) walk between Lyme Regis and Seaton is part of the much longer South West Coast Path through the Undercliffs National Nature Reserve and can easily be done in a day.



The path passes through beautiful and varied countryside including woodland, grassland and wheatfields. There are occasionally spectacular views of the sea in Lyme Bay as you walk. The frequent landslides and general inaccessibility of the area have created a fascinating natural habitat, full of interesting plants and animals. Look out for the wonderful ferns, ash and field maple.



The walk is described as moderate/strenuous but there are few, if any really steep climbs, and the whole journey was easily accomplished by my eight-year-old. Allow for around 4-5 hours if you have frequent stops and walk at a leisurely pace. Walking boots and a stick may come in handy as the path can be muddy. Bring food and drink for your journey.



The path is signposted from the car park near Lyme Regis Bowling Club and continues up the cliff to a flat grassland with views back into Lyme. The longer middle section leads through luxuriant woodland criss-crossed by streams. Towards Seaton, the path emerges onto the cliff top of Haven Cliff and leads out to Axe Cliff Golf Course and the Axe Bridge (Britain's oldest concrete bridge dating from 1877).



It was in the Haven Cliff area that Britain's largest recorded landslip occurred in 1839. The Bindon Landslip drew thousands of curious Victorian tourists as 15 acres of land slipped seaward creating a huge chasm and the outcrop known as Goat Island in the bay.

After refreshment in Seaton, walkers can continue 2 miles onto Beer or return by CoastlinX53 bus to Lyme Regis and marvel at how far you have just tramped.



South West Coast Path

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Lyme Regis Dorset

Heather Jansch

Born in the greater London area, sculptor Heather Jansch now makes her home in Devon and is famous for her figures of horses and now other animals done in driftwood from the Devon coast and fallen oakwood collected around her country home.



Heather's love of horses saw her first make a living painting equestrian commissions, then experimenting with horse sculptures from wire before moving on to the larger wooden forms, which have made her fame and fortune.



Heather's studio in Olchard north of Newton Abbot can be visited each year during the Devon Open Studios event, which was held this year from 5-20 September.



In 1999 Heather was part of the millennium exhibition "The Shape of the Century - One Hundred Year of British Sculpture" which brought her work to a wider, international audience.



Heather Jansch
Sedgewell Coach House
Olchard
Sandygate
Newton Abbot
Devon TQ12 3GU
Tel: 07775 840 513

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Devon Heather Jansch

Southgate Shopping Centre Bath

The first phase of the redeveloped Southgate Shopping Centre in Bath opened on November 4.



Designed in the same style as the Georgian palaces in the city centre, the Southgate Shopping Centre is being built in three phases. Phase two is slated to open in May 2010 and the final phase should be complete in the autumn of 2010 when the new Debenhams department store is ready.



The usual giants of the British High Street are here including Boots, Sainbury's Local as well as designer stores such as H&M, Calvin Klein and Azendi.

Southgate Shopping Centre
Tel: 01225 469061

The 850-car capacity car park in on St James Parade. Both the new bus station and Bath Spa train station are located next to the mall.

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Bath Somerset

Beer In Winter

Beer in November is pleasantly free of the summer crowds. On a recent visit we saw only a party of high school kids on a geography field trip inspecting the cliffs on the beach.



The spectacular bay was whipped by the wind and waves and is an amazing sight in winter.

To keep warm we huddled in front of the wood fire in the Anchor Inn to enjoy a lovely pint and an excellent 5 pound lunch.

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Devon Beer

St Stephen's Church Bristol

The Grade 1 listed building St. Stephen's Church is the parish church of Bristol and located in "The Centre" in the old City.

The building dates from 1470, though there has been a church on this site since the 11th century.

The great storm of 1703 greatly damaged the structure and was subsequently restored over the following years.



St. Stephen's spire is 152ft (46m) high and contains 12 historic bells. Noted tombs in the church are those of explorer Martin Pring (1580-1626) and the 14th century merchant Edmund Blanket.

St. Stephens Church
21 St. Stephens Street
Bristol
BS1 1EQ
Tel: 0117 927 7977

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Bristol

Pero's Bridge Bristol

Linking Queen Square and Millennium Square on Bristol's waterfront, Pero's Bridge is a pedestrian, bascule (moveable) bridge at St Augustine's Reach in Bristol Harbour.



The bridge, which was designed by Irish artist Eilis O'Connell and built by Ove Arup & Partners in 1999 is named after "Pero" the black slave of local merchant John Pinney (1740-1818).

Bristol's wealth as a port was built up on the back of the slave trade and the naming of the bridge after a former slave is recognition of this.

John Pinney's former 18th century residence is now a museum - The Georgian House - at 7, Great George Street, just off Park Street. Pinney's elegant, six-storey, townhouse was built between 1788 and 1791.

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Bristol Pero's Bridge