wells cathedral
A cathedral founded by springs
1 november 2023
Digby hall , hound street, sherborne at 3 pm and 7 pm
Wells Cathedral was anciently founded by springs that gave it its name. This talk explores its origins, its status ceded to Bath in a dual diocese and the rebirth of Wells as a cathedral church in the late 12th century. The limited industrialisation of Wells in later centuries has bequeathed a beautiful medieval setting that survives far beyond the confines of the church itself.
Jonathan Foyle
Dr Jonathan Foyle is not an ‘establishment’ academic, but uses the original research he has gained over a 25-year practical career in the world of historic buildings and applied arts to inform architectural conservation projects, broadcasts, books, articles, and talks for groups including the Arts Society. A former Curator at Hampton Court, and Chief Executive of World Monuments Fund Britain for eight years, he has authored seven volumes on great cathedrals and castles, and is best known for presenting series such as BBC2’s Broadcast Award-winning Climbing Great Buildings and contributing to series like Channel 4’s Time Team and currently Channel 5’s Secrets of the Palaces. His talks combine humour with personal insights to offer in-depth and fresh analyses of architecture, furnishings, sculpture, paintings and their all-important symbolism, through which we can better understand them.