| Summary: | The monument includes an immersion bath associated with the Leechwell holy well in Totnes. The bath lies adjacent to a walled historic lane known locally as Lepers Walk. The immersion bath survives as a triangular pond denoted by coursed stone rubble walls and a slate slab-lined bottom. The western corner of the pond has a flat face which may represent blocking of the original culvert serving the bath. The immersion bath is now fed by a terracotta pipe with water from the nearby Leechwell holy well. The interior of the bath measures 4.5m long by up to 3.5m wide and it varies in depth between 0.15m and 0.6m. Two small stone steps lead into the bath at its southern corner.
The earliest known reference to the Leechwell dates from the early 12th century, but the immersion bath may belong to the 13th century when the nearby leper hospital dedicated to St Mary Magdalene was established. The bath would have been used to treat leprosy and other skin diseases, as well as forming the focus for religious activities.
The modern safety fence surrounding the bath is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath is included.
Despite consolidation work, the immersion bath associated with Leechwell holy well, 40m north east of Leechwell Cottage survives well and forms part of the leper hospital and holy well. Considerable documentation survives to augment our understanding and appreciation of this rare survival. The nearby holy well forms a focus for visitor and religious activities and, if it was accessible there is no doubt that the bath would also attract considerable attention. |
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