Wells, mun. bor. and ancient city, Somerset, at foot of Mendip hills, 6 miles NE. of Glastonbury and 19 SW. of Bath by rail, 726 ac., pop. 4634; P.O., T.O., 2 Banks, 1 newspaper. Market-days, Wednesday and Saturday. Wells took its name from the numerous springs in the vicinity. It originated in a collegiate church founded in 704. The diocese of Bath and Wells comprehends all Somerset except Bedminster. The cathedral and the Episcopal palace are at Wells. The cathedral is a magnificent structure, in the Early English style. The Episcopal palace is a castellated building of ancient date, surrounded by a wall and moat. Wells has breweries, flour and paper mills, and brush manufactories, but its trade is principally agricultural. It was first chartered by King John, and was made a mun. bor. by Queen Elizabeth; it returned 2 members to Parliament from the time of Edward I. until 1867-1868.

(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))