Monument record MDO44482 - Wells at Enmore Green, Shaftesbury

Wells at Enmore Green provided Shaftesbury with water in the medieval period, water being brought up into the town by people and horses. According to the antiquarian John Hutchins there were three or four large wells and the Mayor of Shaftesbury and other dignitaries attended a special ceremony at Enmore Green each year as part of an ancient agreement.

On Enmore Green are three or four large wells which supplied Shaftesbury with water. From time immemorial water was brought by persons and horses, and at one time a reservoir was constructed on the top of the Butter Cross. Many people derived their living from carrying water. There was an ancient agreement whereby the Mayor of Shaftesbury and other persons attended a special ceremony at Encombe the Monday before Holy Thursday (Full details are given in the Manor Rolls of Gillingham, 6th March, 1527 and again in 1633). About the beginning of the 19th century a Mayor refused to comply with the custom, and the wells were filled up. The ceremony was finally discontinued in 1830, though cartage of water from Enmore continued until shortly after 1844. <1>

No spring or well was seen which could be identified with the Medieval sites. From enquiries of local residents it seems that most of the cottages formerly had their own wells or springs. Two public watering places are of modern brick construction. <2>

<1> Shipp, W (ed), 1868, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 3, 45, 629-30 (Monograph). SWX3207.

<2> Edwards, D W, Field Investigator's Comments DE, F1 DE 01-FEB-56 (Unpublished document). SDO18341.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206490 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 1 2022 12:14PM