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The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany, Aubrey Burl

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<< Our Photo Pages >> St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild) - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Kent

Submitted by DavidCWoods on Tuesday, 21 March 2006  Page Views: 10681

Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild) Alternative Name: Bacca's Spring
Country: England
NOTE: This site is 3.601 km away from the location you searched for.

County: Kent Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Nearest Town: Sittingbourne  Nearest Village: Bapchild
Map Ref: TQ930631
Latitude: 51.334229N  Longitude: 0.769199E
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
2 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
2 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
3

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St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild)
St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild) submitted by DavidCWoods : I'm not quite sure if I reached the source here, but it was as far as I could get before being defeated by the brambles. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Holy Well or Sacred Spring in Kent

James Rattue’s “Holy Wells of Kent” tells us that in about 700 AD the village was named Baccancelde, meaning “Bacca’s Spring”, and that the spring was renamed after the saint’s murder in 1180. It is marked on the 1872 OS map north east of the site of a chapel, and east north east of the parish church.

I visited in March 2006 and took the road to the north east of the village towards Tonge. Stopping in the car park for the Wildlife Park I took the path along the southern boundary, heading for the trees. On reaching the wood, I turned south along the side of a stream. The going became increasingly difficult until I stopped a little before the source, the way blocked by a large bramble.
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St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild)
St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild) submitted by DavidCWoods : The stream continues approximately northward until it forms a lake. (Vote or comment on this photo)

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Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
TQ9363 : The Street, Bapchild by David Howard
by David Howard
©2016(licence)
TQ9263 : The Street, Bapchild by David Howard
by David Howard
©2016(licence)
TQ9263 : The Street, Bapchild by Chris Whippet
by Chris Whippet
©2016(licence)
TQ9363 : London Road, Bapchild by Stacey Harris
by Stacey Harris
©2010(licence)
TQ9363 : Pomphrey's of Sittingbourne, London Road, Bapchild by Stacey Harris
by Stacey Harris
©2010(licence)

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"St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild)" | Login/Create an Account | 4 News and Comments
  
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Re: St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild) by rhpb on Tuesday, 11 July 2023
(User Info | Send a Message)
"St Thomas a Becket's Well, Bapchild
description TQ 9306 6316
[Ordinance Survey 6" 1938-47; OS Card Reference: SKE48354.]

This well is named on the 1st edition OS maps. The place name was Baccancelde (696 -716) meaning Bacca's spring. The curate of Bapchild wrote in the parish register in 1724 that "Streetwell" in the village was mentioned by the Roman writer Antoninus and called Aqua Lena. He was wrong about that, Aqua Lena was at Lenham, but the well in Bapchild is beside Watling Street so it may also have been called Streetwell.

Spring supposed to have been used first by the pilgrims during their journey to Canterbury.
A nettle-filled hollow from which a series of springs issue. The name is still known locally.

Field report for monument TQ 96 SW 28 - July, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4956."

From Kent Ancient and Holy Wells by Andy Norfolk.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/d/viewer?id=1P8gTfzVZURHfjgbsNAvu6VdNY_vKCPZJ&ll=51.23588458424482%2C0.6962515499999533&z=9
[ Reply to This ]

Re: St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild) by rhpb on Tuesday, 11 July 2023
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I contacted the local council leader about improving this spring, creating a feature at the source, this was his reply:
"This was something we looked into as soon as we took power in 2019. Sadly it's on private property and the owners are not interested in engaging with the council as their land is of interest to developers for a major planning application. We have investigated other means of proteting the spring, and it is something we would very much like to progress as soon as the opportunity is available."
[ Reply to This ]

Re: St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild) by Anonymous on Thursday, 31 December 2009
I am also aquainted with this site. I agree the best access in the past was via a farm track to the left of the Fox and Goose Pub. About 500 yards down this track turn right and follow the steam to the right for approx. a quarter of a mile to the source of the stream.
In the past I believe the land was owned by the Doubleday Family and am unsure of the rights of access, however inquiring at the Fruit Stall opposite the farm track may shed some light on this.
The Spring(s) themselves were indeed quite impressive, and the whole area possessed an enchantment. I really must consider making the journey back to revisit.

RW
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Re: St. Thomas a Becket's Spring (Bapchild) by Anonymous on Monday, 09 February 2009
I grew up in Bapchild & used to visit the spring via a path opposite a "fruit stall" on the main A2. The path ran next to the pub The Fox & Goose.
Follow the path down for 500 yards & turn right. There was a derilict foot bridge across the stream and if you follow the stream to the right further you come across its source. It used to be quite shallow & it was possible to see the water gushing from holes in the shingle of the stream.
I don't know who now owns the land, perhaps enquire in the stall first.
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