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<< Our Photo Pages >> Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate) - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Northumberland

Submitted by Anne T on Tuesday, 01 January 2019  Page Views: 1241

Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate)
Country: England
NOTE: This site is 1.0 km away from the location you searched for.

County: Northumberland Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Nearest Town: Allenbanks  Nearest Village: Catton / Thornley Gate
Map Ref: NY83065661
Latitude: 54.903920N  Longitude: 2.265708W
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
no data Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
no data 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.
no data 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
5
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Anne T visited on 1st Jan 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Tommy Stout's Well, Thornley Gate: Another site ticked off the list of Isaac’sTea Trail. This is obviously a popular spot for walkers, as there are paths both sides of the river, and we passed a number of dog walkers. The small layby on the south side of the river was full (2 cars), so we parked on the grass verge by the entrance to the Allen Smelt Mill. The well is through the kissing gate on the opposite side of the road from the smelt mill gate, with the well some 15m further on, to your left hand side. Water appears out of the hillside below a small protruding dressed stone, largely hidden by moss and lichen. There is a fair flow of clear water which comes out; I did taste it, but there was nothing really to taste. Above the simple, dressed stone well head with drain there is a marshy area in the field above, from which the source of the water appears to come. Between the well and the kissing gate, on the other side of the fence, is a stunning little stream with a mini waterfall, which is a different water course to that of the well. Also being interested in some industrial archaeology, we spent some time wandering around the fascinating remains of the smelting works opposite. There is still quite a lot left, and it is left accessible for visitors. Some of the underground flues are currently being excavated.

Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate)
Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate) submitted by Anne T : At first the well looks just like part of a small retaining wall by the side of the path running above the southern side of the River East Allen. As you get closer, you can see (and hear) a steady stream of water issuing from underneath a slightly protruding dressed stone in the middle of the wall. Now covered by ferns and lichen, it wasn't possible to determine whether the water came through a p... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Holy Well or Sacred Spring in Northumberland

Marked on the OS map, this well can be found just west of the B6295 and south west of the River East Allen, opposite the site of the Allen Smelt Mill (now partly renovated as a small business park).

To find this well, from the southern end of Catton, the roads diverge with the B6303 heading south east towards Allendale Town and the B6295 heading south towards Thornley Gate. Take the B6295 and continue along the road until you cross the bridge over the River East Allen. The well is immediately at the south western end of the bridge, where a small layby allows parking for two cars. A small kissing gate gives access to a path at the southern side of the river. The well is approx. 15-20m west of the gate.

The well is part of a small dressed stone wall to the left of the path. At the time of our visit, a steady stream of clear water issued from underneath a small dressed stone which protruded from the wall, draining into a very small basin and modern drain. The "Isaac's Tea Trail" booklet tells us the well was probably named after a manager of the smelt mill, but the site of the well looks far older. Above the well is a hill with a marshy area above. It looks as if water collects into this marshy area, then is piped out into the well basin below.

I am currently trying to find out more information from the Newcastle Antiquarian's records to confirm this as a holy well. For slightly more information see Pastscape Monument No. 958098.
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Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate)
Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate) submitted by Anne T : The water from Tommy Stout's Well issues steadily from underneath a slightly protruding stone from the middle of the wall. The water is clear but with no discernible taste. What amazed me was all the dog walkers and walkers going by without paying any attention to this well at all. Nearby, between the well and the kissing gate, is a lovely little stream with mini waterfall, not connected with th... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate)
Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate) submitted by Anne T : First view of the well from the kissing gate to the south western end of the bridge over the River East Allen. At first it just looks like part of a retaining wall, but getting closer there is a steady stream of water issuing from the middle of the wall into a small basin and modern drain. (Vote or comment on this photo)

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Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
NY8356 : Path on the south bank of the River East Allen by Mike Quinn
by Mike Quinn
©2008(licence)
NY8356 : Kissing gate on the path to Oakpool by Mike Quinn
by Mike Quinn
©2008(licence)
NY8356 : Sheepfold near Allenmill Bridge by Mike Quinn
by Mike Quinn
©2008(licence)
NY8356 : Footpath to Oakpool by Mike Quinn
by Mike Quinn
©2008(licence)
NY8356 : River East Allen and Fish Ladder, Thornley Gate Bridge by Les Hull
by Les Hull
©2023(licence)

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"Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate)" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Re: Tommy Stout's Well (Thornley Gate) by Anne T on Tuesday, 01 January 2019
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For anyone interested in industrial archaeology, opposite this well is the site of the Allen Lead & Silver Smelt Works (see Pastscape Monument No. 16248 and Historic England List ID 1016817). Now partly regenerated as a small business park, some of the flues, chimneys and hearths of the works are still visible and accessible to visitors. At the current time of writing, it looked as if excavation work on some of the flues was taking place.
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