<< Our Photo Pages >> Knapwell - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Cambridgeshire
Submitted by HOLYWELL on Wednesday, 23 August 2006 Page Views: 14132
Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: Knapwell Alternative Name: The Old Red WellCountry: England County: Cambridgeshire Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Nearest Town: Cambridge Nearest Village: Knapwell
Map Ref: TL33816300
Latitude: 52.248917N Longitude: 0.041346W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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Holy Well or Sacred Spring in Cambridgeshire.
Certainly The Old Red Well has an ancient and probably pre-Christian origin. Knapwell is first mentioned in a will by A.D. 1000, and the settlement is noted in the Domesday Book of 1086 as CHENEWELLE, held by Abbot of St Benedict of Ramsey.
The origin of the name Knapwell is unclear, Cnapa may be the name of the first settler, or simply 'boy' 'moneylender' or even ' mound' referring to the earthworks to the end of the present village. The itself was once an important source of miraculous cures. Although none were recorded, although it was apparent that even by the 11th Century it had received some note. Its water was the sole source of freshwater for both Boxgrove and Knapwell parishes and footpaths still lead from both communities to the well. Knapwell was also known as Little Wellesworth indicating the importance of this and The Victoria County History notes for Knapwell: ‘..named from the chalybeate Red Well, supposedly medicinal, in Boxworth Wood just east of the village.’
The well lies hidden in eerie elm woodland now under the protection of the local nature conservation trust. It is a red brick domed or arched well house similar to those of Holywell and Longstanton, however unlike these the well is in fear of collapsing, and has deteriorated over a number of years. Within living memory a drinking cup used to hang on this small brick arch. The structure has had some degree of buttressing of this roof. The spring arises from the junction of boulder clay and the more impervious Jurassic Kimmeridge clay, beneath this dome and forms a trench gully, feeding a nearby stream that flows at a parallel to the well. This flow appears to be affected by the lack of water as a recent drought reduced its flow considerably. A sample showed that the water is very reddy, having red-orange material in suspension.
If you wish to find it park the car at the church and follow the footpath beside the church and after crossing the stream and style turn right and continue along the woods passing the information centre ( where a wooden box holds maps ) and then after a few feet one reaches a small clearing and a path leads to the right into the woods. Take this and this will lead to the well.
The Northern Antiquarian (TNA) also features a page for this well - see their entry for the Old Red Well, Knapwell, Huntingdonshire. It is also recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 369211.
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