NHER 5685 (Monument record) - St Helen's Well

'A spring, formerly known as Holy Well or Tenant Well, but was St Helen's Well' (S1).
Called Tenant's Well on estate map of 1752, Santon Estate of Earl of Cadogan (S2).

Early 1960s.
[2] used to visit the spring weekly and collect watercress for use in salad. The setting was open, with many rivulets running from the spring in the chalk wall. The water was clear, and the cress considered to be pure and free from any contamination.
D.A.Gurney (NLA), 22 October 2007.

July 1977. Visit.
The 'Well' is a pool completely covered in rushes and weed, and flowing out under a railway bridge.
E. Rose (NAU), 27 July 1977.

March 1992. Visit.
The spring has almost dried up, leaving one patch of rushes. The pool is choked with dead branches, hillwash etc. The channel under the railway is dry.
E. Rose (NLA), 6 March 1992.

30 September 1993.
Spring flowing again, pool filled with water and growing plants, so all is well again.
E. Rose (NLA), 30 September 1993.

1994. Visit.
[1] reported finds of gunflints; he believes the spring to have been enlarged as a quarry.
E. Rose (NLA), 7 October 1994.

The pit and well are now included within the scheduled area of the Chapel (NHER 5684).
See (S3) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 6 June 1997.

2002.
Scheduled Ancient Monument Management Plan, March 2002 - March 2007.
See (S4) in file.
D. Gurney (NLA) 24 April 2002.

2004.
It has been said that the name Tenant's Well is a corruption of St Helen's Well, but the surname Tennant (sic) is still current in Thetford. So which came first?
E. Rose (NLA), 5 July 2004.

2013.
The area around the spring was indeed enlarged by quarrying, with a large feature marked as a chalk pit clearly shown on the 1st Edition O.S map. The provenance information for a number of the finds recovered from near the spring (see NHER 5656) suggests that it has also been known as Tanner's Well.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 May 2013.