Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Part of a spring with a stone well sink and a cold bath structure were revealed during the widening of the A26 near the Pantiles in 1971. Two phases of construction were identified; a lower elliptical basin of finely worked stone c.1m, predating the early 19th century barrel vault which covered it. Excavation also revealed an irregularly brick-paved floor resting on clay and sandstone through which the water rose. Small finds included tin-glazed earthenware, fragments of an apothecary's pill-rolling slab, an ointment pot, a glass phial and a piece of vitrious slag. The bath seems to have been in use between c.1766 and shortly after 1827. A coin of 1911 at the bottom of the well indicated that the site was only recently buried.

Monument Types

• SPRING (Unknown date)
• BATHS (Post Medieval - 1606 AD? to 1900 AD? (at some time))
• WELL (Post Medieval - 1606 AD? to 1900 AD? (at some time))

Full description

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[TQ 5815 3885] A chalybeate spring with a stone well sink over it and a structure subsequently identified as a cold bath were revealed during the widening of the A26, adjacent to the Pantiles (TQ 53 NE 41)in April 1971. The sites have been preserved and made available for public inspection. Chalybeate Spring. The square chamber, just over 8ft. deep, is constructed of roughly worked sandstone blocks, surmounted by a brick "beehive" top. The footings of the structure rest on a narrow bed of irregularly compacted sandstone about 18 inches deep, through which the water rises, above a floor of natural clay. This type of construction indicates a 17th or 18th century date for the stonework and that the canopy is a 19th century addition. A coin of 1911 at the bottom of the well indicates that the site has only become buried quite recently. Finds of tin-glazed earthenware, fragments of an apothecary's pill-rolling slab, ointment pot, glass phial and a piece of vitrious slag imply a date of c. 1700. Cold Bath (see illustration). Two phases of construction appear to berepresented; the lower part of the structure, taking the form of an elliptical basin of finely worked stone approximately 3ft. deep, beingearlier than the early 19th century barrel vault which covered it. Excavation revealed an irregularly brick-paved floor resting on clay. The basin itself contained a quantity of early 19th century debris, with two anomalous fragments of late 17th century glazed brick, but the absence of any stratification implies deliberate filling in. The Fonthill bath seems to have been in use between c. 1766 and shortly after 1827. (1)(2) [TQ 5813 3883] Spring [NAT] (3) Additional bibliography. (4)

<1> Arch Cant 87 1972 177-82 fig photos (MB Streeten and ADF Streeten) (OS Card Reference). SKE35884.

<2> Bldgs of Eng 1980 W Kent and the Weald 582 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37719.

<3> OS 1:10000 1974 (OS Card Reference). SKE48159.

<4> The Story of the Pantiles 1967 (M Hepworth) (OS Card Reference). SKE50525.

Sources and further reading