Monument Type(s):

• HOLY WELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• WELL HEAD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument and Listed Building: A holy well which was once within the medieval Augustinian Friary precinct, St Julian's also fed the White Conduit (for centuries a key part of Ludlow's water supply). The medieval well head survives (much repaired); the cistern holds waterlogged deposits which may contain well-preserved artefacts.

Related records: None recorded

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA4723 - 1994 Investigation of St Julian's Well by SCAS
• ESA6285 - 2003 archaeological and architectural analysis of St Julian's Conduit, Ludlow by Richard K Morriss
• ESA8727 - 2018 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA9067 - 2019 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England

Description

Well head, on island site. Probably C18 with medieval origins. Stone rubble with dressed quoins and coping. Approximately 3m x 2m. Much repaired and partly buried. <1>

On 3rd November 1994, SCC dug down the SW side of the well to check the soundness of the structure. The entrance was blocked by two stone slabs, the inner one pierced with a rectangular hole: these were tilted outwards, revealing an iron bar across the entrance. Steps led down into the interior, wher the floor was covered with at least 4 feet or organic refuse. <2>

Scheduled in 2002. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the standing structural and buried remains of St Julian's Well, a holy well, situated in the middle of Livesey Road, in the north eastern outskirts of Ludlow. The well was originally within the precincts of the Augustinian friary, which was established in the mid-13th century and is located to the east of the medieval town. St Julian's Well was used as a source of water for the White Conduit, which is thought to have served as the town's first public water supply. There are documentary references to the White Conduit during the reign of Edward IV (1461-83), and this is probably the water supply mentioned in a document of 1308. The well and the conduit's course are both shown on a map of 1862. The well house, constructed over the cistern, is built of rubble with dressed quoins and coping stones. The nature of its construction suggests that it has been extensively repaired in the post-medieval period. It is roughly rectangular in plan and of pediment shape. It measures approximately 2.6m by 3m and stands to a height of 1.07m. In 1994, as part of a programme to consolidate the well house, a limited investigation was undertaken. This revealed an entrance at the south western end, which had been blocked by two stone slabs. Inside, steps led down into the cistern, the sides of which were lined with ashlar. The cistern was found to contain a thick deposit of organic matter. This investigation has shown that the structure as a whole survives in good condition. The well is a Listed Building Grade II. The road surface and kerbs, the lamp standard and sign are all excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath all these features is included <3>

In 2003 an archaeological and architectural analysis of St Julian's conduit was undertaken. The superstructure of St Julian's conduit was surveyed and photographed to provide a record of the structure prior to any necessary repairs to it. The conduit seems to be of late 18th to early 19th century date, although it is on the site of a much earlier conduit. The roof is plain gabled and the apex is capped by fairly shallow but broad copers with a segmental profile. The copers have been re-laid at some point. Both roof slopes have also been radically rebuilt on more than one occasion. The original design may have been of a much greater quality than the present patched and repaired structure. There is a distinct dip in the apex of the roof, a degree of weathering has occurred with potential frost pockets and voids opening up within the structure, and the north gable has been pushed over slightly by a tree.->

-> On the south gable, immediately below the present ground floor is the entrance under a plain lintel made up of a single stone. In the 1980’s the internal structure was accessed and in contrast to the exterior, the interior seemed to have been well made and probably little altered. It was lined with well-worked and quite large blocks of sandstone, regularly coursed and apparently once lime washed. These appear to form the inner skin of the gable ends. The interior was topped by a plain brick vault springing from the tops of the stone side walls. The vaulted profile is segmental, though the apex is slightly flattened, and was made of handmade red bricks, fairly irregular in shape with repairs. There was no sign of the distinct dip in the apex of the roof noticeable on the outside. <4>

St Julian's Well, within the precincts of the Austin Friars <5a>
St Julian's Well in Livesey Rd with a crude stone cover of pediment shape <5b>

This was the source for feeding the White Conduit, Ludlow's first public water supply, forming part of the building of the Tolsey. First mentioned 1308 <6>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, High score as one of 10 Holy Wells. <8>

Outline specification for repair prepared by Michael King in 2003 in connection with an application for Scheduled Monument Consent. <9>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.