Strange things happen in and around the Somerset Levels. In this case they built a magnificent Gothic Wells cathedral. Fast forward to this week and I found myself enjoying the spiritual as well as the culinary delights on offer.

Of course this was always the case. The medieval period saw a proliferation of pilgrimage sites that attracted the faithful and were only too happy to relieve the religious of their cash. Today, the religious fervor has been dampened down. However, we still travel long distances and pay handsomely for the privilege. This allows us to experience, in part, what those tired travelers did all those years ago.

What cathedral isn’t complete without a bit of royal majesty? In Wells’ case it has the added bonus of mystery of the early Anglo Saxon period. Unfortunately Ina wasn’t the great martial king like his predecessor but rather a man of laws. He eventually abdicated and lived out his life in Rome. Exactly how he came to be buried in Wells is not clear. What is certain is that if he had been buried in the early Medieval church that the cathedral replaced, his resting place would be around 100 metres to the south. Let’s not quibble about details.

So if you find yourself in the Somerset area then you enjoy visiting this wonderful place whether you are religious or not.