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© Mr John H. Sparkes
IoE Number:
483263
Location:
THE WELL HOUSE ABOUT 35 METRES NORTH OF THE BISHOP'S PALACE, BISHOP'S PALACE
WELLS, MENDIP, SOMERSET
Photographer:
Mr John H. Sparkes
Date Photographed:
01 August 2007
Date listed:
12 November 1953
Date of last amendment:
31 May 2000
Grade
I
The Images of England website consists of images of listed buildings based on the statutory list as it was in 2001 and does not incorporate subsequent amendments to the list. For the statutory list and information on the current listed status of individual buildings please go to The National Heritage List for England.
WELLS
ST5445 BISHOP'S PALACE
662-1/7/8 The Well House, about 35 metres
12/11/53 north of the Bishop's Palace
(Formerly Listed as:
BISHOP'S PALACE
(including....Well-house in grounds))
GV I
Well house. 1451, for Bishop Bekynton. Doulting ashlar stone,
pyramidal Welsh slate roof with large stone crowning features
(possibly former outlet for chimney). Square on plan.
EXTERIOR: single-storey, single bay. Plinth, angled corner
buttresses, eaves moulding. One small 2-light transomd window
to east, south and west faces, having 2-centre arched lights
cinquefoil cusped, with incised spandrels, deep square labels
with plain stops. North face has a moulded 4-centre arched
doorway with label, plain boarded door.
INTERIOR: a plain plastered shallow domical vault ceiling,
stone flag floor with large square hole in centre, over well.
Small plain fireplace in north-west corner.
The well-house provided originally by Bekynton as a conduit
for the citizens, in the Market Place, later moved to its
present location N of the Palace. The supply of water from the
wells to the town has been an important privilege since the
early middle ages.
(Colchester LS: Wells Cathedral: a History: Shepton Mallet:
1982-: 238).