Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A medieval well, covered by a well house, that served the Whitefriars friary in Sandwich, 2 km away. The water came from a spring in the bottom of the well shaft.

Monument Types

• WELL (WELL, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• WELL HOUSE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Medieval - 1300 AD? to 1375 AD?)

Full description

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[TR 31085726] CONVENT WELL [G.T.] (1) In the corner of a field N. of Sheet Farm, where a spring issues, there is an old well now blocked up and overgrown. It is known locally as "Conduit Well" not "Convent Well". (2)

An archaeological project carried out by the Dover Archaeological Group in 2014 found the remains of a small medieval building buried in a bank with portions of walling still standing to 1 m in height. Inside the structure was a well shaft, capped but intact and still containing water from a spring at the bottom. This well was the conduit head of the water supply for the Whitefriars friary in Sandwich. It consisted of a well house standing over a shaft sunk to capture water from the spring. The lower part of the shaft served as a cistern and settling tank. When the water reached a certain height it entered the conduit which carried the water 2 km to the friary. There was little dating evidence although a pot sherd of c. 1300-1375 was found.

The excavation also found evidence of pre-medieval activity in the area although it is not known if this was related to the spring. It included a surface scatter of struck flints, a neolithic axe and a bronze age pit(5)

<1> O. S. 6" 1960 (OS Card Reference). SKE47764.

<2> 'A Saunter thro' Kent' (C. Igglesden) (OS Card Reference). SKE32832.

<3> F1 FGA 16-JUN-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42928.

<4> Field report for monument TR 35 NW 37 - June, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6056.

<5> Keith Parfitt and Helen Clarke, 2016, 'Scouring the conduit head at Woodnesborough' : investigations into Convent Well, near Sandiwch (Article in serial). SKE51662.

Sources and further reading