Description

GLOUCESTER

SO8318NW ST SWITHUN'S ROAD, Hempsted
844-1/3/454 (West side (off))
10/01/55 Our Lady's Well (within field approx
350m west of road)
(Formerly Listed as:
Our Lady's Well (off St Swithun's
Road Hempstead))

I

Well house and adjoining water trough. Well house built for
the Manor of Hempsted in late C14, held by the former
Augustinian Priory of Llanthony Secunda, Llanthony Road (qv),
the trough probably added in C18 or C19. Well house of ashlar
with gabled roof of dressed limestone slabs, trough defined by
dressed stone kerb walls. The well house a small, square
building above a natural spring with entry to chamber on the
east side, the rectangular water trough for stock at low level
on the east side extending to north.
EXTERIOR: original ground level now eroded exposing the well
house foundation of squared rubble in courses; above the
foundation a lower chamfered offset plinth of one course and
an upper chamfered offset plinth of two courses; in the east
gable-end wall slightly to right a small doorway, its
threshold lowered by the removal of part of the top course of
the upper plinth, and with a continuous hollow chamfer to the
jambs and the ogee arch cut in the lintel block, in the east
gable a small vent slit; the other walls plain; both gables
crowned by hipknobs carved with trefoils on the outer faces
and may have supported finials; roof slabs with interlocking
rebated edges; within a central recess cut into the west gable
a badly weathered relief of three figures reputed to represent
St Mary standing between St Anne and an angel.
INTERIOR: a small, square chamber with water inlet at low
level.
A substantially complete, rare and important surviving example
of a medieval well house. Gloucester has a number of other
important structures associated with medieval water supply
(qqv Reservoir Road and Cathedral Precincts), of which this is
most 'architectural' in its conception.
Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Listing NGR: SO8144917321

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Our Lady's Well at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17526033

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)