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Summary

Chapel Down holy well: a narrow underground chamber approached by a flight of steps.

Protected Status

• Conservation Area: SANCREED CHURCHTOWN
• Listed Building (II) 69841: HOLY WELL OF ST CREDAN
• Scheduled Monument 31855: CHAPEL AND HOLY WELL ON CHAPEL DOWNS

Other References/Statuses

• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW42NW 9
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 28675.10
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW42NW 34

Monument Type(s):

• HOLY WELL (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

The well consists of a narrow underground chamber approached by a flight of steps. The walls are of very crude dry stone walling and the roof is corbelled. The chamber is orientated south-east to north-west, leading towards the south-west corner of the chapel, but stopping well short of it. The water level is very low now, but was once higher. A partly stone lined channel designed to conduct any overflow, leads off to the east. Near the top of the steps of the well are the remains of the bridge, one stone of which is probably the door jamb from the adjacent chapel (28675). On the stonework at the back of the chamber is a patch of luminous moss.
The monument was included in the Schedule on 2/1/1968 and the scheduling was affirmed on 25/11/1999.

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Site history:
1: 1960. STALLWOOD / OS
2: 1966. SAUNDERS / DOE
3: 1980. SHEPPARD / DOE
4: 1982. SHEPPARD / DOE
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Preston-Jones, A, 1998, Holy Well on Chapel Downs, Sancreed - Repairs to Boundary Works to the Holy Well (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1810.

<1> Russell, V, 1971, West Penwith Survey, 78 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4314.

<2> BLIGHT, JT, 1864, UNKNOWN TITLE, VOL I, 1, 40-41 (Unedited Source). SCO6175.

<3> UNKNOWN, 1885, UNKNOWN TITLE, 3/9/1885 (Unedited Source). SCO6428.

<4> Lane-Davies, A, 1970, Holy Wells of Cornwall, 94 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3814.

<5> Quiller-Couch, M & L, 1894, Ancient and Holy Wells of Cornwall, 210 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4202.

<6> Pevsner, N, 1951, The Buildings of England: Cornwall, 207 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4126.

<7> Meyrick, J, 1982, A Pilgrims Guide to the Holy Wells of Cornwall, NO 170, 132 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3936.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO693 - SM Management: Holy Well, Chapel Downs, Sancreed
• ECO6148 - Ancient Penwith Site Assessment Form
• ECO6165 - Ancient Penwith: an archaeological assessment of sites in West Penwith for the PLP (Ref: 2016R069)

Related records

Associated Images

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