The Wells and Mendip Museum is a local history museum with artefacts dating from the Stone Age to the 20th century. It is noted for its displays about caving, with exhibits covering caving techniques, speleological exploration and prehistoric life in the caves of the Mendip Hills.
The museum was founded in 1893 by Herbert E Balch, an archaeologist and caver who pioneered many modern caving techniques and who is credited as the first person to explore the Wookey Hole Caves.
What to see at the Wells and Mendip Museum
The museum is inside the former chancellors’ house, which dates mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries, although parts of the building date back as far as the 15th century.
Its exhibits focus on local history and include artefacts found in the Mendip Hills including many artefacts dating from the Stone Age and Iron Age. There are also some displays from Roman times including Roman lead ingots, an exhibit about the First World War and a display about the nearby caves, including a skeleton found in the Wookey Hole Caves, which is believed to be the Witch of Wookey Hole.
Visiting the Wells and Mendip Museum
The Wells and Mendip Museum is located on Cathedral Green, right across the road from Wells Cathedral. From here it is only a two-minute walk from the centre of Wells.
Wells’ tourist information centre is inside the museum building and the museum also has a small gift shop.
Allow 1–2 hours for your visit to the museum.
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