Wells Cathedral is delighted to share that they have been awarded a grant of £800,000 from The Julia Rausing Trust, to support the Vicars’ Close project.
Image: Julia Rausing was a British philanthropist who co-founded The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust in 2014.
The Julia Rausing Trust was established in memory of the late British philanthropist Julia Rausing, who died in 2024. The Julia Rausing Trust will see £100million donated to charities and organisations in its first year and annually thereafter, making it one of the largest charitable funds in the UK.
The generous award towards the Vicars’ Close Project halves the outstanding fundraising target, meaning that the Project, which will cost £7.1m to deliver, now has just under £800,000 left to raise.
Alongside vital conservation work, this project will make Vicars’ Close more accessible to the public than ever before:
- For the first time, four buildings, including Nos. 12, 22 and the Vicars’ Hall, will be open to visitors year-round.
- No. 27 will be transformed into a dedicated visitor centre, offering insights into the Close’s incredible history and significance.
A message from Toby Wright, Dean of Wells:
“We are immensely grateful for the generous support of the Julia Rausing Trust to enable us to undertake urgent repair work to the Vicars’ Close Project and open it up to the public. Vicars’ Close is the oldest intact medieval street in Europe (1348) still used for its original purpose: to house the Cathedral’s adult choir. It has been integral to the history and fine choral tradition of Wells Cathedral for centuries and its continuity of use is incredibly rare.
“As a group of buildings, it is possibly without parallel. This crucial project will create a legacy that will safeguard the future of this extraordinary heritage and enable an exciting, new, visitor experience and programme of events to uncover and celebrate this remarkable place, opening it up to the public for the first time.”
“The Chapter of Wells is delighted to be working with the Julia Rausing Trust to open this space up to many new visitors, and to work in conjunction with apprentices, young people, and a wide range of communities to ensure the survival of this world-renowned jewel. This support makes a huge difference.”
Thank you to the Julia Rausing Trust for helping us preserve and share this extraordinary heritage for future generations.
If you’d like to contribute to safeguarding this extraordinary medieval street for future generations, you can donate directly here.