Vicars’ Close

Vicars’ Close in Wells, Somerset, England, is claimed to be the oldest purely residential street with original buildings surviving intact in Europe. 

Direct Access was appointed to improve the site’s accessibility measures for disabled people while safeguarding the site’s historic significance and grandeur.

From identifying areas to increase step-free access to offering new accessible media options which allow visitors partially sighted visitors to experience its beauty, our team aimed to ensure that Vicars Close could be enjoyed by visitors of any age, creed, or ability. 

Direct Access delivered a report detailing adjustments that would ensure disabled visitors and tourists of all abilities and backgrounds could be welcomed to the site and their access requirements readily considered.

Our accessibility appraisal tied in with the wider heritage and conservation project “Vicars’ Close: A Medieval Street Singing Through the Centuries”. Our team ensured that each element of this will be as accessible as possible to all disabled people in accordance with best-practice access standards.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save this internationally significant historic site, Direct Access worked directly alongside Wells Cathedral to create a legacy that not only safeguards the future of Vicars’ Close but also an exciting new visitor experience and program of events to uncover and celebrate the local heritage of this beautiful cobble-street site.