Well Street Excavations

November 1934

WELL STREET EXCAVATIONS

As the Gas and Electrical Showrooms are shortly to be opened, I must ask my readers to excuse me for malting a break in the story of the Benedictines, though in fact even in this story they take a part.

Well Street is one of the oldest streets (probably the oldest) in Coventry, deriving its name from the fact that a well existed there, called "Broad Well," and probably of the Saxon period. It was in 1333 the inhabitants were licensed by Edward III. to erect a conduit 20-ft. long by 10-ft. broad in any street which they might deem most convenient for that purpose, and under this licence a conduit was erected at "The Broad Well" in Well Street. It is thought that this well supplied part of the Benedictine Monastery, for we find in the year 1406 that Henry V., at the petition of the Prior of the Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary in Coventry, granted by assent of the Bishops and Lords "that out of the conduit of water running to the said priory no man do make any head or rock, or break the same conduit without the assent of the said prior." In digging operations part of this conduit was discovered, and was in perfect condition, being about 3-ft. 6-ins high, and had at one time a stone top. The well was in the centre, and was about 16-ft. in depth from the present level of the road, but only 6-ft. in depth from the bottom of the conduit. The flow of water of about 5000 gallons per hour filled the conduit, and an overflow channel carried the water to the Priory Mill pool.

In 1554 this well was repaired with stone from the destruction of the Monastery. At a later date it had been bricked, but the old rings of wood from the ancient well had been used again, and are now preserved for a future museum In the middle of the 19th century this well ran dry, or nearly so, by the sinking of deeper wells, one of which was 23-ft. deep, and the water could be seen to flow in at a rapid pace, and dispersed just as quickly. No less than seven wells were discovered on the site. Men who were called 'bytters' (water carriers) lived in Well Street, and supplied the public with water, and one of the yokes for carrying water was found. After 1855 the supply was restored again, and a pump erected. Water carts were used to supply the public, the water being sold in bucketsful.

At the east end of the conduit a sand quarry was revealed, worked to a depth of about 14-ft. This would join up with an extensive quarry or quarries which cover the greater part of the Burges valley, and was a part of the Bablake, and would be of Saxon or Norman period. At a depth of 11-ft. 6-ins. in this quarry a large oak tree was found, and as it was about 18-ft. in circumference it must have been of great age. Around this tree a shed had been built for a shelter for cattle, probably goats, as horns were found in great numbers. Broken vessels of Saxon or Norman pottery were found, also a stool top made from a rough oak plank. A pony's shoe, a lock for a pony's fetlock, and a chain made up of S hooks was found and near the conduit great quantities of charcoal for smelting, and horse shoes cut in half and placed together for smelting. In one hole at the east end roots of the oak tree were found at a depth of 20-ft. At a depth of 11-ft. on the south side, large oak timbers and stonework were found, being foundations of some very early building. At the west end clay had been quarried, while actually under Well Street, and running east to west, were large oak timbers about 4-ft. below the surface. As S. John's Hospital stands at the corner of Hales Street, and was built in the Norman period, it is quite possible that sand was used for this purpose. An enamelled brooch in the shape of a cross was found, and is of about 11th century.

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