Helen M.
Yelp
This is an 800 year old medieval palace, complete with walled gardens, moat and drawbridge access. I actually went there for an event, so sadly didn't get to see the chapel or try out the restaurant food, but what I did see was pretty amazing.
From the Gatehouse you walk down to the entrance round a great sweep of lawn. Inside we were greeted with live harp playing. Our group made use of the Undercroft: usually a restaurant, this has amazing vaulted ceiling held up by thin pillars every few metres. Though I don't think hard echoey surfaces were too good an idea with a large and noisy group like I came with. Upstairs was reached via a lovely solid wood staircase. We also used a fairly modern feeling meeting room, got to see the wide upstairs corridor/gallery with paintings, and through that another smaller room, which I remember as darker and wood-panelled. Another part of the atmosphere was the cat: then little more than a kitten, he came up and walked up and down between our feet during our session in the meeting room. He was pretending he wasn't interested in people, but I know an inspection when I see one. Later he was to be seen outside on the bank of the moat, eyeing up the pigeons and 'ignoring' the tourists just as he'd 'ignored' us.
I did get to see the gardens. To get to them you pass through the remaining wall of what was a great hall: an amazing and dramatic viewpoint. Basically like the wall of a cathedral, complete with soaring window slots, but with no glass and only gardens beyond. The gardens are lovely too, with trees and sculptures, and round the edges you can go up on the walls and overlook the moat and countryside beyond Wells. Bring a camera: it's a place to get some amazing shots.
I'm not sure how much of the inside sections are available to general visitors when there's not an event on. But the gardens alone are worth a visit.
Their website is: http://www.bishopspalacewells.co.uk/
