St Nicholas Well

Situated at the bottom of an E-facing slope with a NW-SE road just to the NE. The well is only depicted on the 1912 edition of the OS 6-inch map where it is described in italic script as ‘St. Nicholas’ Well’. Cogan (1867, 2, 351) regarded it as a holy well ‘eight feet six inches in diameter (c. 2.5m)’, and it was then accessed by a stile from the road which was decorated with a cross and the name ‘St. Nicholas’s Well’. In the 1930s (IFC Schools Collection, vol. 689, 121) it was described as having flagstones around it inside a picket fence, and while there was no pattern it had a cure for headaches. Today there is a hollow (diam. of top 4m; diam. of base 2.5m; max. D 0.8m) occupied by a pump-house accessed directly from the road. (French 2012, 72-3) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 26 August 2019

St Nicholas Well is associated with St Nicholas of Myra, a widely venerated Christian saint often linked to miracles and the protection of children and seafarers. Holy wells dedicated to him were traditionally visited for healing, particularly for ailments of the eyes and respiratory system, and were often marked by local customs such as leaving coins or prayers at the site.