Medieval well at St Botolph's Church, Hadstock (EHER 4813)

Ancient well in the churchyard, under the old pump. Recorded as being "One of the most ancient in the country".

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: "St. Botolph's Well is in the churchyard under the old pump. It is one of the most ancient wells in the country and was until 1930 the main water supply of the entire village, and it never ran dry". <1> The other feature shown as a well on the OS 6" (TL 5587 4479) is but a trough which caught the overflow of water from St. Botolph's Well. There is only one well and that is covered up. The position is marked with a pump, now disused but still in good condition. <2> 1950. Field survey. Site correct as shown on 6". <3> 1977. Field survey. St Botolph's Well (name confirmed) is as described by authority 4 and the church guide (TL 54 SE 3). Filed in pamphlet box. <4> 1992. Watching brief. Excavations of a soakaway uncovered a typical graveyard soil. Work uncovered part of the foundations of the original church and later modifications. No signs of the apse (as Rodwell claims) were seen. A possible 19th century well was discovered near the south wall of the nave. <5> 1999. Watching brief. Drainage trenches were dug from the east side of the parish hall northwards round the building and then down the east side of the path that runs through the churchyard. Near the hall, topsoil was 450mm deep and overlain by yellow-brown chalky clay (?natural). North of this beneath the topsoil was a single layer of dark brown clay loam which may represent a fill. Possible burnt material occurred further north and a late medieval rim was recovered form spoil. A deposit of dark brown clay loam with chalk, coal, charcoal and peg tile may represent a dumped layer to form a platform for the church hall. No grave cuts were observed and no bone recovered. Little of significance was noted beyond a foundation for the hall and another representing the southward continuation of the churchyard boundary; a possible feature and an area of burnt clay east of the hall; building debris associated with the construction of the hall or possibly the chancel of the church; and two earlier surfaces of the track running through the churchyard. <6> See also: <7> - <10>