Holy Well (lost): OS Grid Reference – ST 766 743
Archaeology & History
In R.C. Skyring Walker’s (1928) fine survey of Gloucestershire’s holy wells, he lamented the passing of this site, telling how
“it is sad to relate that this well has totally disappeared and its precise site is unknown.”
Since those words, the situation regarding its whereabouts has not been resolved. First mentioned in Samuel Rudder’s (1779) work, the main clue we’ve got regarding its whereabouts is his description of the adjoining hamlets and village tithes:
“Westonton, formerly called Old Marshfield, or Little Marshfield. It has been a distinct parish, called St Pancras, according to Sir Robert Atkins, and a well in this hamlet still bears the name of that saint.”
Westonton is the old farmhouse of Westend Town less than a mile northwest of Marshfield where, on early Ordnance Survey maps, a Well is shown. To the north of this is Springs Farm. This latter name probably has no bearing on St Pancras’ Well; but the location cited by Rudder of the well being in Westend Town gives us a damn good indicator as to where local historians should dig for this forgotten sacred site.
The Well was described in T.D. Fosbroke’s (1807) work, but only in passing. St Pancras’s festival date is April 3. (the grid reference cited for this well is an approximation)
References:
- Fosbroke, Thomas D., Abstracts of Records and Manuscripts Respecting the County of Gloucester – volume 2, J. Harris: Cirencester 1807.
- Rudder, Samuel, A New History of Gloucestershire, S. Rudder: Cirencester 1779.
- Smith, A.H., The Place-Names of Gloucestershire – volume 3, Cambridge University Press 1964.
- Walters, R.C. S., The Ancient Wells, Springs and Holy Wells of Gloucestershire, St Stephens Press: Bristol 1928.
© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian