News / Castle Park
One of Bristol’s oldest sources of water could again be remembered
One of Bristol’s oldest sources of drinking water is currently in a sorry state and hidden behind fencing.
St Edith’s Well was first recorded in 1391 and closed in 1887 due to becoming contaminated with sewage.
In a special ceremony in 2019, the bishop of Bristol Viv Faull was joined by the Duke of Kent to bless a new glass covering for the well in Castle Park which had previously been covered in paving slabs.
But the glass which gave a view down the well shaft was sadly vandalised in 2022 with this piece of Bristol history once again in danger of being forgotten.
But hope could be at hand for the future of the water source thanks to the demolition of the Galleries shopping centre just a stone’s throw away.
The Friends of St Edith’s Well have submitted a bid for funding from the developers of the site under the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
CIL money could be spent on repairs to the well and the installation of four large planters orientated to the points
of the compass, which could make a semi-enclosed meeting space with seats.
St Edith’s Well before its glass cover was vandalised – photo: Barbara Evripidou
Dedicated to the tenth century saint, Edith of Wilton, a stone edifice – also known as a castelette – and cross were erected over the well in 1484.
The monument became a hindrance within the narrow medieval streets of Bristol and was removed in 1733 before being taken to Stourhead in Wiltshire where it remains close to Bristol’s original medieval High Cross.
The Friends of St Edith’s Well hope to make this corner of Castle Park “more of a place, not to be walked across without thinking”.
A spokesperson said: “It is important to replace the glass top which was vandalised… The well has been left ignored ever since, barriered off for health and safety reasons.
“It is unlikely at this stage that the well could be open, even though the spirit feels trapped.
“Dreams of it becoming a fountain or a water feature are for the future.
“Even more unlikely would be the return of the well head and Bristol Cross from Stourhead!
“We would like the well to be reinstated as an important historic site so that it can once again be honoured and respected for its significance.”
Find out more about St Edith’s Well, Castle Park and the Old City in a walking tour with Martin Booth: www.yuup.co/experiences/explore-bristol-s-quirkiest-corners
Main photo: Martin Booth
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