Wells

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For other uses, see Wells (disambiguation).

Template:Infobox England place with map Wells is a small city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset. It is England's second smallest city with a population of only 10,000, after the City of London, which has a resident population of only 8,000 (although the City of London only includes a tiny part of the built up area of the larger city and conurbation of London), and the United Kingdom's third smallest after St David's and the City of London.

Wells is a popular tourist destination, due in large part to having several historical sites and its proximity to Bath, Stonehenge and other popular sites. Parts of Wells Cathedral (widely considered one of the most beautiful in England) date back to the 10th century. The city derives its name from three wells in the grounds of the Bishop's Palace. Also located nearby is the Wookey Hole cave system. Image:Wells Cathedral 2.jpg William Penn is said to have passed through Wells shortly before leaving for America, spending a night at The Crown Inn.

During the Civil War, Parliamentarian troops used the Cathedral to stable their horses and damaged much of the ornate sculpture by using it for firing practice.

Elizabeth Goudge used Wells as a basis for the fictional Cathedral city of Torminster, in her book City of Bells.

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