A storied hotel at the very heart of Wells
The Swan Hotel is a splendid 15th-century coaching inn directly facing the medieval Wells Cathedral. The hotel exudes historic charm, with oak-paneled rooms and original four-poster beds. Dining here is a delight with the restaurant offering contemporary British cuisine, and the terrace provides unparalleled direct cathedral views. With 48 individually designed rooms and ample parking, The Swan seamlessly blends tradition with modern comfort, making it a perfect base for exploring England’s smallest city or organising your bespoke event in one of the many spaces.
Legendary in Wells
Perched directly opposite the magnificent Wells Cathedral, The Swan Hotel has offered sanctuary to travellers since 1422, when the infant King Henry VI claimed the throne and weary riders found respite within its walls .This legendary coaching inn captures centuries of English life, a meeting place for bishops, statesmen, and writers, its hearth a constant through a shifting world.
In the late 18th century, The Swan passed into the hands of the Tudway family, who leased and eventually owned it from 1769 to 1885, transforming it into a social touchstone for the city. Though the historical record is silent on every guest, it is thought that Queen Anne of Denmark may have feasted here as early as 1613, and that Alfred, Lord Tennyson stayed in 1854.
The inn’s significance hinges not merely on illustrious company but on its unbroken lineage as a destination where the road ends but life continues. Imagine the coach arriving with the jangle of harness, fresh footfall on worn flagstones, and a roaring fire ready, this was the life of The Swan, long before rail and motor altered the pace of travel.
The enduring charm of The Swan lies in its fidelity to tradition, six centuries of welcoming warmth. It is a building of quiet dignity, its stones steeped in stories, its corridors resonant with footsteps from every age of our history. Staying or dining here is not simply a moment of hospitality, it is a step into living history, poised beneath the cathedral’s spire and sustained by a singular devotion to welcome.
Wells and The Mendips
Beneath the Mendip Hills lies Wells, England’s smallest city, a treasure of medieval beauty, soaring cathedral towers, and market town charm, all set against a backdrop of rolling Somerset countryside.
