The Bishop's Palace's 'Quiet Garden' in Wells is to become a Silent Space for the last hour of each day from 10th October 2022.

A Silent Space is an area of a garden or a park, already enjoyed by the public, that is reserved for silent visiting.  It's an area of garden, or pathway through woodland, where visitors will feel safe but not claustrophobic and which gives visitors an opportunity to walk and to sit silently.

'Silent Space is a registered charity that encourages gardens open to the public to set aside an area for silent visiting – rather like the quiet carriage on a train. 

For a few hours each week, visitors to these quiet areas were invited to switch off from technology and to stop talking; to listen to the sounds of the garden and its surroundings.

Community Engagement Manager at The Bishop's Palace, Siobhan Goodwin, says: "We are proud to be joining Silent Space, a network of gardens that set aside a quiet place for people to enjoy the restorative benefits of connecting with nature. For the last hour of each day we are encouraging our visitors to turn off their phones, put down their cameras and enjoy the benefits of silence. Our Quiet Garden seemed the obvious location and this new initiative will start from 10 Oct – World Mental Health Day."