St Mary's Well
ST MARY'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:
- 1392219
- Date first listed:
- 24-Aug-2007
- List Entry Name:
- St Mary's Well
- Statutory Address:
- ST MARY'S WELL
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1392219
- Date first listed:
- 24-Aug-2007
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 30-Apr-2008
- List Entry Name:
- St Mary's Well
- Statutory Address 1:
- ST MARY'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:
- ST MARY'S WELL
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- South Hams (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Ringmore
- National Grid Reference:
- SX 65458 47177
Details
RINGMORE
1307/0/10010 ST MARY'S WELL 30-APR-08
II RINGMORE
1307/0/10008 St Mary's Well 24-AUG-07
II Holy Well, 1860's, by Rev F.C. Hingeston-Randolph on site of earlier well.
MATERIALS: Random rubble with ornamental fragment and dressed granite coping.
PLAN: 1.6m wide rectangular building with low door facing west.
EXTERIOR: Well house built directly onto the bedrock and inserted into a substantial west facing scarp denoting one side of a roadway. The well house survives as a small 1.7m high rectangular rubble built structure with pitch roof formed by stone corbelling topped by a substantial triangular shaped granite slab. Carved onto the west facing edge of this slab is a Maltese Cross within a circular panel. The door faces west and incorporates the upper parts of a reused weathered, decorative window fragment above a horizontal lintel.
INTERIOR: The well basin survives as a rock cut cavity in which water from the spring collects.
HISTORY: In common with many wells the early history of St Mary's Well at Marwell is based on speculation, and its antiquity is to some extent derived from the name of the adjacent farm. No specific traditions relating to the well have been documented, but it is known that the surviving well house dates to the latter part of the C19 and was erected by the antiquarian Rev F.C. Hingeston-Randolph to a design based on the well house at St Minver in Cornwall. The ornamental stonework above the doorway was salvaged from nearby Ringmore Church during its restoration by the Rev Hingeston-Randolf in the 1860's. The form of the original structure and whether the well had pre-Christian significance or was first established for domestic purposes only is not known, but the rock cut basin is likely to be original.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION St Mary's Well, Ringmore is designated at Grade II, for the following principal reasons: * The original well basin is very likely to survive. * Place name evidence strongly supports the holy well identification. * The well house is of interesting design and construction, fully communicating its function and place in history. * Documented association with an influential C19 church historian and architect. * The link with the Grade II holy well at St Minver, Cornwall.
SOURCES: Devon Historic Environment Record, Monument 489, printed 21.05.2007. http://www.manfamily.org/Kirkness_Family.htm, accessed 22.05.2007 http://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?url=etched/ixbin/hixclient.exe&_IXP_=1&_IXR=110617, accessed 22.05.2007
NGR:- SX6545847177
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 503347
- Legacy System:
- LBS
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 28-Jun-2026 at 09:35:10.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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