Details
The monument, known as St Leonard's Well, includes a medieval holy well and a 16th century well house, located on the south side of Conduit Lane about 600m north west of Dunster. The monument is situated on a north and east facing slope of Grabbist Hill which gradually slopes down towards Dunster, and it is set into the bank of Conduit Lane, a track which follows the course of a medieval road westwards in the direction of Alcombe. The well house is constructed from local irregular rubble stone, and is rectangular in plan with a stone gable roof. It is 2.45m wide, 2.6m in height, and 3.8m in length and is set into a field bank which forms the edge of the track. The doorway, which opens onto the track, is of chamfered freestone with a segmental head 1.1m in height and positioned 0.65m above the ground level. The wooden door is a modern addition, although the original 16th century iron door fittings are still in place. The interior of the building is lined with regularly coursed blocks which form an arch shape above the rectangular stone-lined well which occupies most of the floor space. The rear wall of the well house is of irregular course rubble stone. The well house is a Listed Building Grade II. The well is believed to have supplied water to a Benedictine priory which was located a few hundred metres downslope to the east. The priory, which is first mentioned in 1177 was dissolved in 1539 although the church survives as the parish church. It also supplied two public water troughs, one is still visible in St George's churchyard wall and the other was located at the south end of the High Street. The earliest documentary source for the well comes from a deed dating from the reign of Edward III (1327-1377) in which it is referred to as `fontern Sancti Leonardi'. It is again mentioned during the reign of Henry IV (1399-1413). All fencing and fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.
Selected Sources
Book Reference - Title: National Monuments Record - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: SS 94 SE 12
Book Reference - Author: Horne, E - Title: Somerset Holy Wells - Date: 1923 - Page References: 51 - Type: DESC TEXT