Vital maintenance work needs to take place to save the roof of St Cleer’s Well, a rare medieval holy well and wayside cross, situated in the middle of the village of St Cleer, near Liskeard. But we need your support to make it happen.
In order to protect this invaluable part of Cornwall’s heritage, we are looking to raise £8000 to completely repoint the roof of well house, which has been in need of this essential maintenance for some time.
Taken into the care of Cornwall Heritage Trust last November, the well is a Scheduled Monument and also Listed Grade One – a demarcation earned by only 2.5% of listed buildings, which Historic England defines as warranting “exceptional interest”.
Thought to date from the 15th century, St Cleer’s is the only example of a well house with an open porch-like design in Cornwall. Its pillars, arches and capitals are carved with simple mouldings and patterns which are also unusual in Cornwall at this date.
During the medieval period, holy wells sometimes functioned as sites for baptism but they were also revered for less tangible reasons, such as folklore beliefs in the healing powers of the water. According to Historic England, St Cleer’s, for example, had the reputation for “curing the lame, the blind and the insane”.
Historic England Heritage at Risk Project Officer, Ann Preston-Jones said: “During recent work to stabilise and repoint the walls enclosing the well-house, Rachel and Charlie from Old Light Building Conservation set up their scaffold-tower and gave me the opportunity to examine the roof.”
“Although it is built of massive blocks of granite and looks very secure, close examination showed that there are many gaps between the blocks, where pointing has eroded away and been lost with time. To secure the well-house for the future, and prevent it is essential that these repairs are carried out as soon as possible.”
St Cleer’s Well is a unique part of Cornwall’s heritage that deserves to be protected for future generations. All over Cornwall, there are heritage sites that are uncared for and at risk – some that are even lost forever. It is vital that its future is safeguarded!
This crowdfunding campaign offers rewards in return for your donation…
£5 or more
A donation certificate posted to you
£15 or more
St Cleer’s Well pin badge plus a donation certificate
£30 or more
Your chance to win Afternoon Tea for Two plus a St Cleer’s Well pin badge and donation certificate
£50 or more
St Cleer’s Well tote bag and your chance to win Afternoon Tea for Two plus a St Cleer’s Well pin badge and donation certificate
£100 or more
A Walk & Talk about St Cleer’s Well with a specialist, St Cleer’s Well tote bag and your chance to win Afternoon Tea for Two plus a St Cleer’s Well pin badge and donation certificate
£200 or more
Framed print of 19th century St Cleer’s Well engraving, a Walk & Talk about St Cleer’s Well with a specialist, St Cleer’s Well tote bag and your chance to win Afternoon Tea for Two plus a St Cleer’s Well pin badge and donation certificate
£400 or more
Signed original print by Lou Tonkin, a Walk & Talk about St Cleer’s Well with a specialist, St Cleer’s Well tote bag and your chance to win Afternoon Tea for Two plus a St Cleer’s Well pin badge and donation certificate
£400 or more
Life Membership of Cornwall Heritage Trust, a Walk & Talk about St Cleer’s Well with a specialist, St Cleer’s Well tote bag and your chance to win Afternoon Tea for Two plus a St Cleer’s Well pin badge and donation certificate
£600 or more
Joint Life Membership, a Walk & Talk about St Cleer’s Well with a specialist, St Cleer’s Well tote bag and your chance to win Afternoon Tea for Two plus a St Cleer’s Well pin badge and donation certificate