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Summary

St. Mary's holy well built into garden wall of Church Style Cottage. Well comprises a granite trough set in recess with granite jambs topped by a round red brick arch.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX87NW/203/1
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOLY WELL (Medieval - 1066 AD? (Between) to 1539 AD? (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Well/Trough ('W.T') marked on 1880s-1890s 25 inch Ordnance Survey map.

Department of Environment, 1986, Bovey Tracey, 32 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV297013.

Granite trough and recess in south wall of Church Style garden about 27m east of Trough Lane.
Large water trough, cut out of a single piece of granite. C19 or earlier. Small cement patch in front probably replaces a former outlet pipe. Occupies a recess with jambs formed of large squared granite blocks, the lower part of left-hand jamb moved outwards a little as if to insert an alternative outlet pipe. Round arch of red brick. In rear wall of recess a small granite shute, presumably designed to bring water into the trough. In front of trough a pavement of granite sets with a kerb of large pieces of granite.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2007, Bovey Tracey (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV339422.

Amendment to list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest.
Replacement entry for Granite trough and recess in south wall of Church Style garden about 27m south of Trough Lane.
St. Mary's holy well is built into the south facing garden wall of Church Style Cottage. The basin survives as a large water trough, roughly hewn out of a single piece of granite. A small cement patch in front probably replaces a former outlet pipe and another at a lower level leads ouf of the south western corner. A gulley cut into the upper part of the north western corner of the trough may represent an overflow or alternatively an inlet channel. The trough occupies a recess with jambs fomed of large squared granite blocks topped by a round red brick arch. The lower part of left hand jamb is moved outwards a little, perhaps to insert an alternative outlet pipe. In the rear wall of the recess is a small granite spout, presumably designed to bring water into the trough. In front of trough is a pavement of granite sets with a kerb of large pieces of granite.
Apart from a legend no definite historical information is known regarding this holy well. In common with many wells, the early history of St. Mary's Well, Bovey Tracey is based on speculation. Its position within the Anglo Saxon settlement known as Boffa suggests that it would have been utilised from this date, but the form of the original structure and whether the well had pre-Chirstian significance or was first established for domestic purposes only is not known. The nearby church is now dedicated to St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Thomas but was previously dedicated to St. Mary. The legend surrounding the well states that the priest of the parish church (St. Mary's as it was then) returned home to find a visitor. The pious priest and his wife shared their meagre supper with the visitor (St. Mary, ensuring she was cared for and sheltered. In return for his kindness, she bestowed good fortune on the priest and his family for generations to come and by way to remind them she turned the frogs in the spring golden coloured.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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