More information : (SW 82224486) Friary Well (NR) (Site of) (NAT). (1)
The site of the Friary well, further up the valley from the Friary,
was marked by two heaps of rubbish, one each side of the pit which had a stream issuing from it. It is said to have had healing
properties. Hals noted (circa 1750) the remains of the well still
standing. (2)
The site of the Friary Well is now occupied by part of a terrace
of Victorian houses. (3)
The holy well of St Dominc is mentioned in a lease of 1664, discussed in a desktop archaeological assessment of the car park area on its south by Reynolds (Kenwyn Street and Kenwyn Mews, Truro, 10 report at CAU). According to Henderson (Ecclesiastical Antiquities 1, 324, MS at RIC), refers to the well's association with Truro Friary (428863). According to Henderson the well was said to be in a basement in Ferris Town. He also quotes a manuscript of c1800; "There was a well in the backlet of Mr Plummer stopp't up called St Dominick's well". Mr Plummer was a carpet manufacturer, clothier, and tanner, trading at 63 Kenwyn Street.
The well is also alleged to have been in St George's Road, Truro.
An account of 1840 by a Mr Spry states that the well was at the rear of the houses called Ferris Town forming a continuation of Francis Street to the west. He notes the structural remains of the well survived until Hals' time, c.1730. Mr Spry had visited the site as a boy, when he was informed that its water had effected marvellous cures, especially of sore eyes. He describes the site as having a pit marked by a grassy heap of "rubbish" on either side, with no visible stonework. He also mentions a stream running east south east from it, along the south of the gardens of Frances Street (Appendix 1, Report of the Royal Institution of Cornwall 22, 40-41).
The location is marked as "a Well" on a plan of 1776 (Reynolds, op cit, 10,16); and as the site of a well on the 1880 and 1908 Ordinance Survey maps. As noted by Reynolds, the 1880 map also shows the stream or leat running east south east from it as an open feature extending half way to Little Castle Street (op cit, 11).
In 2000, following Reynolds¿ assessment, an archaeological evaluation excavation was under taken by Exeter Archaeology on the western part of the car park south of the well, some 20m south west of it at its nearest point (gent, TH, 2000 Archaeological Evaluation of land at Kenwyn Street, Truro Cornwall). Eight trenches were excavated; analysis of the results from those in the northern part of the car park, nearest the well, indicated that this area was relatively undisturbed, but remained undeveloped until the 18th century when orchards were established. Only one of the features found on the site as a whole was thought to be possibly medieval, and this was uncovered towards the south of the car park. This is a ditch running north west to south east, perhaps associated with a property boundary.
The condition of any surviving below ground remains of the holy well is unknown. A modern drain cover is set into the ground surface of the alley where it emerges from the arch on its north, close to the well site (there is another to the south west where the alley opens into the car park). (4)
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