Places of Interest Series - Wells (Local)

So, when I said I was going to look at Places of Interest , I was going to start with Stonehenge, I mean, it's iconic!

But Cat advised me to stay local, so I'm going to look at Bodmin instead.

History dates back to before the doomsday book (entry in 1086) when Bodmin was already a flourishing market town.

History can be traced back to the 6th Century AD, possibly earlier, and St Guron was said to reside in a hermitage on the site where the current church stands. In 518 AD, St Petroc moved inland from Padstow, allegedly following an Angel. He joined St Guron and moved his monastery to Bodmin, where he resided as prior of Bodmin until his death in 564.

Bodmanach - the abode of the monks. Believed to be where Bodmin town got it's name from.

There is a reliquary of St Petroc within the church that bears his name, that has been stolen and returned at least twice!

There are plenty of natural sites as well as manmade ones (think Bodmin Jail)

I read one site that said there were seven holy wells within the town bounds, but on looking at an OS map, it appears that only five are actually within the town boundaries itself, and there is an ancient cross,, just a few minute's walk from TS headquarters. This is a listed site, a medieval cross with added horse trough, possibly Victorian.

So, we went for a walk, and found some wells!

Below I will give you a few of the pics we took, and a little about each well, if it's history is known.

As an additional treat, we got to head into the town's church, and the baptismal font is amazing!

Can you sense the water theme running through this...? Well, that's going to cover the next few posts in different ways, so I thought that I'd start with this one.

Enjoy!

The Font

The baptismal font pictured above dates to the Norman period, and was rescued from the previous church that stood on the site of St Petroc's. It is said to be one of the five best in England! 

Very decorative, it shows a tree of life, has an angelic face om each of the four corners, and depicts monsters, beasts and evil figures on the West side, and Good figures on the East side.

Still in use today.

Scarlett's Well

One of the most well known of all of Bodmin's wells, it is now unfortunately dry. 

It has been out of use for a few years due to a housing development contaminating the water.

Arthur Quiller Couch (listed here) attested that the temperature was constant all through the year, and that it was similar to distilled water.

The well originally possibly belonged to the Priory of Bodiniel, and is probably named for the prominent Scarlett family who sent three members of parliament in the 1300s. 

Carew (listed here) wrote about the fame of this well and it's healing properties.

People flocked to this site in huge numbers, so much so, that the Justices of the town cordoned off the site and forbade it's use!

St Petroc's Well

Another well not in the best condition, but most definitely not dry.

It is also a listed building!

Said to have been Mediaeval, and made from granite and other materials saved from Bodmin Priory, which was dissolved in 1539 (Henry VIII??).

It is built directly into the bank in a park, and is fairly hard to find, we had to go out twice, as the first place we found was the wrong one!!

It has stone rubble interior walls, with a tablet set into the rear wall.

This was, unfortunately, unseen.

Healing properties unknown.

There is also hints that this well and the next one have swapped names!

St Guron's Well

The Well House in the grounds of St Petroc's Church, which is visible in the background. There is a relief on one of the panels above the grate, but it it very hard to make out.

Thought to date to around 1545, and built of granite throughout.

These lovely gargoyles are supposed to issue the water from the well, they also date to 1545. Although, water seems to flow freely around the side from a gate directly below the well house, while the gargoyles are seemingly dry.

The earliest reference to this well is in the 12th Century, and was the town's main water supply until fairly recently.

Arthur Quiller Couch (see above) was quoted as saying "Night and day, in the driest and hottest seasons, ever flowing, it serves the people with crystal water; a side trough refreshes the passing cattle; and it lays the dust of Bodmin streets" 1894

Healing properties unknown.

Eye Well

Eye well, located in a fairly busy pedestrian are of Bodmin, near a doctor's surgery and car park. 

Also called Bree Shute Well.

Said to help with healing the eyes, hence the name.

There is a stone tablet here bearing the date 1700, and was a source of water for local residents in the 'Hillside East' area of the town.

During the 19th Century, a fever would recur at frequent intervals, sometimes proving fatal (more on that in the next one). A Rivers Commission report made in 1872, and said that the well provide 'fairly good water', but analysis showed that the water was highly contaminated, and a possible source of the illness.

Cock's Well

I walked past this well for years without knowing it was here!!

And yes, I did snigger at the name, after all, if the previous well cured eyes.....

Dated to1849, water was supplied to local inhabitants, and the local blacksmith, who's forge was directly opposite this well. 

in 1881, Enteric Fever hit the town (similar to Typhoid), and was traced back to this well.

Between March and October in 1881, there were 60 cases of this fever reported, 13 of which were fatal, including two blacksmiths, who drank large amount of this water due to the heat and strenuous nature of their work.

It is thought that the name is a corruption of Couch, (pronounced cooch), as Couch's Lane ran from the point of the well up to Fore Street. 

This is where our friend Arthur Quiller Couch lived as a child.

I hope you enjoyed sharing in our walk, and if you have any information on any of these places, please do let us know!

We'd love to see wells near you, too.

Kerenza x

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