WELLS COMES TOGETHER

The city of Wells relies heavily on tourism to support its economy, but a strong community is rising to the challenge of coronavirus, as the Dean of Wells Cathedral tells CATHERINE COURTENAY

- CATHERINE COURTENAY

This year has seen a momentous event in the history of Wells – the cathedral closing its doors to the public. It is as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and it is only the third time this has happened since the cathedral was built, nearly 850 years ago. The cathedral normally welcomes around 300,000 visitors a year and Holy Week, the run-up to Easter, is the most important time in the Christian calendar. This year, within a fortnight, all plans for the week were turned on their head and cathedral staff had to reinvent centuries of tradition. Everything went online – from the services and music to pastoral care. The cathedral’s reach went far, across the city and the county - and even globally, when a group of choral scholars sang a piece by Gerald Finzi from the front garden of their shared home in Vicar’s Close. It was filmed by a neighbour, put on social media, and went viral.

It’s just days before Easter when I speak to the Very Revd Dr.John Davies, the Dean of Wells. I ask him about the closure of the cathedral.

“Initially some people were a bit shocked, but I think the huge majority have got the point that it is about safety. Coronavirus is a killer and we have to find a whole new way of living just for now, and the closure of the cathedral has to be part of that.

“We thought ‘Ok, so… how do we offer worship? How can we offer a pastoral link? How can we offer music? How can we offer things to reflect on? How can we show people what the cathedral is about when they are not coming to us’?... We go to them.”