Building record 600/3/9 - Norwell (aka Mink's Well), Well-House c.250m North of Church of St. Mary

16th century stone-built well-house known as the Norwell. It is associated with two underground reservoirs which were located by part excavation in the 19th century. The two wells are believed to have originated in the medieval period and two courses of pipe, one which runs through the churchyard to the site of the monastery and post-Dissolution house while the other, leads westwards to Canons Ashby House. The well-house was also altered in the 18th century. In addition to being a scheduled monument, the well-house is listed Grade II.

{1} As early as 1253 there is reference to the conduit which was apparently constructed to bring water from a source north-west of the village, still recognised as Conduit Close. Presumably served by the conduit was Norwell which Bridges identified with the surviving post medieval well house in the close to the north of the priory; probably the Well House Close let to William Cherry in the mid C15th. The priory was supplied from this by lead pipes and later used by the Cope House, whilst similar pipes were also laid to serve the Dryden Mansion.

{2} In the same area is the 'Monks Well' which consists of an 18th or 19th century stone structure above a spring; in the 19th century numerous lengths of lead and wooden pipe were discovered which may have been part of the monastic water supply.

{3} Medieval well house at SP57855070.

{4} Photo of monastic covered well.

{5} Well-house. Probably C16. Coursed squared ironstone. Small square structure. Plank door in small chamfered doorway with round arch head. Steep pitched stone roof. Barrel-vaulted inside. This well supplied water to Canons Ashby House (q.v.) by means of hollow oak pipes. Known as the Norwell and said to have supplied the priory and to have been originally built in 1253.

{7} (SP 57855070) In December 1992, RCHME's Cambridge office carried out an analytical earthwork survey of The Orchard (SP 55 SE/25), following a request from the National Trust. The well-house over the spring known as the Norwell is one of two wells located in the Orchard, which can be equated with Well House Close as mentioned in the 15th century records of the Priory (SP 55 SE/13).

The Norwell is a small square structure of coursed ironstone, with a steeply pitched roof, barrel vaulted internally. A plank-built door allows access through a small, chamfered doorway featuring a round arch head. {11} The well-house is probably 16th century with alterations in the 18th century and repairs recorded in 1864 and since 1980. Below ground are two reservoirs with vaulated roofs, and a smaller square structure. These were entered by manholes made by Henry Dryden in 1864, the holes being covered over in 1921.

In 1864 Dryden made extensive repairs to the well, draining the reservoirs to do so. In the south wall of the reservoir under the well-house he discovered a lead pipe, which he located at various points as it ran southwards under the Orchard and the churchyard. Dryden assumed it had served the medieval priory (see SP 55 SE/13) but it may equally have served the house on the site built by John Cope in the 16th century. A license to enclose the well was issued in 1253 suggesting that Dryden could have been right {9}.

Latterly the Norwell supplied Canons Ashby House through a hollow oak pipe leading to the water-house or pump room in the east wing. A trench leading south-west across the Orchard from the well towards the house carried this water pipe (see SP 55 SE/25). For further details, see RCHME Level 3 client report, held in archive.

{8} Several linear anomalies of low resistivity are possibly service trenches and/or pipes serving the well.

{11} Well house north-east of the church and east of the house, in an orchard. Small, with a pitched roof and an arched entrance. Tunnel-vaulted inside.

{12} There are however, a stone medieval well house and a walled garden locally believed to have been the vineyard.

{13} Undated photo;

<1> FOARD G.R., 1982, Canons Ashby, Northamptonshire: An Archaeological Report, 1982, p.5 (checked) (Typescript Report). SNN45382.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.36 site 2 (checked) (Series). SNN77381.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP55SE1 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<4> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/54/61 (Archive). SNN115.

<5> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 19/40 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<6> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F05 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN44900.

<7> RCHME, 1992, Canons Ashby, Northamptonshire: An archaeological survey by the RCHME, December 1992, p.1 (checked) (Report). SNN71599.

<8> Hibbitt D.; Allen M., 2010, Archaeological Evaluation Report: Geophysical Surveys at Canons Ashby, Northamptonshire, p.7 (checked) (Report). SNN107714.

<9> JACKSON-STOPS G., 1984, Canons Ashby (Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Guide). SNN70500.

<10> Giggins B., 1991, Canons Ashby Survey, (unchecked) (Report). SNN108748.

<11> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.134 (checked) (Series). SNN1320.

<12> Steane J., 1974, The Northamptonshire Landscape, p.121 (checked0 (Book). SNN5137.

<13> Photographs of buildings in Canons Ashby (Photographs). SNN111842.

<14> Historic England, Undated, RCHME: Canon's Ashby, Northamptonshire, AF0832813 (Archive). SNN115632.

Record last edited

Aug 27 2024 4:24PM