Wells Cathedral has begun conservation work inside one of the historic homes on Vicars' Close, with early preparation revealing traces of medieval decoration.

Teams working at No. 12 Vicars' Close in Wells have spent the past two weeks carefully stripping out the building in preparation for new interpretation installations as part of the Vicars' Close Project. During the work, a medieval paint sample was discovered near a fireplace inside the property.

Vicars' Close was built more than 650 years ago to house the Vicars Choral of Wells Cathedral. The residential street, located close to Wells Cathedral in Somerset, is widely regarded as the most complete surviving medieval Close in the UK and continues to be lived in today.

The work at No. 12 forms part of a four-year conservation programme aimed at protecting the historic buildings while improving public access and interpretation of the site's history.

The wider Vicars' Close Project will sensitively conserve the buildings, open key historic spaces to visitors and create new opportunities for learning, volunteering and heritage skills development.

The medieval paint discovery offers a glimpse into the building's earlier appearance. Further analysis or dating of the paint sample has not been confirmed.

The project is expected to run over the next four years as conservation and interpretation work continues across the site.

Readers can find out more about the Vicars' Close Project and ways to support the work through the Wells Cathedral website.

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