NHER 56201 (Monument record) - The Roman well

The site is known locally as the "Roman well", but there is no evidence that this is of Roman date. The site lies beside (landward side of) the coast path, at the end of a length of flint and mortar boundary wall running east from 'Marshlands'. It has been (and to a certain extent is) heavily overgrown, with ivy, brambles etc, making any detailed examination very difficult. The notes below are based on what was visible from the coast path and forays, where possible, into the undergrowth. Some of the undergrowth has been cleared away from the landward side of the wall in connection with the erection of a new wooden summerhouse. This has also seen some reduction in height of the pathside wall and the possible feature described below. There are clean breaks on the masonry, and probably recently dislodged masonry within the undergrowth. The masonry appears to include bricks and fragments of bricks, unfrogged, similar to other walls in the area, and most probably of post-medieval date. The wall is around 1m tall and, at the east end of the length of wall running east from 'Marshlands' it seems to terminate, possibly with the junction of a wall running inland (south). At this T-shaped junction, there appears to be a some masonry projecting to the north beyond the line of the east-west wall, either the terminal of that wall or possibly a buttress at the junction. Within the mass of masonry here there is a void with a curved terminal. Within this there is a wooden bowl (modern) used for candles. The internal surfaces of the void are roughly plastered and, originally, there was a dome of some sort above - now gone - which was presumably why local people have referred to this feature as a well. It is said to be on a spring line. Mrs Lake remembers taking a photo of this many years ago, but has not yet been able to locate it. This is clearly an old boundary, and at this location there is a T-shaped junction shown on the Brancaster Tithe Map of c. 1840.
What is visible does not look like a well, but there is clearly some sort of domed masonry feature here, of uncertain purpose. There is nothing to indicate a Roman date, but it might well be 18th or 19th century.
See sketch in file and digital photos.
See notes in file.
D. Gurney (HES), 21 October 2011.