Maharajah's Well
MAHARAJAH'S WELL
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1180547
- Date first listed:
- 14-May-1973
- List Entry Name:
- Maharajah's Well
- Statutory Address:
- MAHARAJAH'S WELL
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-10-27
- Reference:
- IOE01/05125/19
- Rights:
- © Mrs Patsy Perrin. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1180547
- Date first listed:
- 14-May-1973
- List Entry Name:
- Maharajah's Well
- Statutory Address 1:
- MAHARAJAH'S WELL
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- MAHARAJAH'S WELL
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Oxfordshire
- District:
- South Oxfordshire (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Stoke Row
- National Grid Reference:
- SU6795884077
Details
SU68SE
6/149
STOKE ROW
Maharajah's Well
(Formerly listed as under Ipsden C.P)
14/05/73
GV II
Well. Dated 1864 on shields to frieze. By Edward Anderdon Reade. Red brick base;
painted cast-iron columns and painted metal superstructure. Circular base with
columns forming an octagon. Indian style. 8 columns are linked by spear-head
railings. The columns have stylised leaf capitals and a pierced frieze with
shields to the centre. Above is an onion dome with a chujja to the base, above
which a painted inscription reads "Given by his Highness The Maharajah of
Benares 1864". Gilded spear finial to the apex of the done. The well machinery
provided by R.J. and H. Wilder of Wallingford, Berkshire has a gilded cast-iron
elephant to the top. E.A. Reade had worked for the Maharajah of Benares in India
and inspired him to give a well to Stoke Row by his tales of the difficulty the
residents had in obtaining water. Work was started on 10th March 1863 (the
wedding day of Edward, Prince of Wales) and the well was opened on 24th May 1864
(Queen Victoria's Birthday). The well shaft is approx. 120m. deep. The well and
superstructure cost 353 13s 7d., the machinery and elephant cost a further 39
10s 0d. The well was the first known established Charity in Great Britain of an
Indian nobleman.
(An Illustrated History of The Maharajah's Well, Stoke Row, Henley, Oxfordshire,
by Laureen D. Williamson, 1983).
Listing NGR: SU6795884077
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 247858
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Williamson, D, An Illustrated History of The Maharajahs Well Stoke Row Henley Oxfordshire, (1983)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 26-Jun-2026 at 16:58:28.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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