Published Date:
05 February 2010
By Olivia Midgley
A LOCAL historian thinks he holds the key to the mystery surrounding the well which was uncovered at a Heckmondwike nursery last week.
The Counting House Private Day Nursery owner, Antony Lee, appealed to Spenborough Guardian readers for information on the historic well, after he and a team of builders came across it when digging out the foundations for a new conservatory.
Chris Bullock, of Heckmondwike, said he believed the well was most likely connected to the old Springwell Brewery.
He said: "The well was most probably used to collect the water for the brewery.
"The spring, hence the name 'Springwell' was just below Tower Buildings and the brewery itself was across the road from where the well was found in Church Street.
"When it closed down the building became a mill."
Antony said he had also heard the well, which was found in the garden of the nursery in Market Street, was connected to the brewery.
"We've heard that there is probably a second well very close by," he said.
"The brewery was about 100 yards from where the nursery is so it makes sense the two would have been linked.
"We've also heard that a taller building, in Beck Lane, was probably used as a pumping station to pump the water from the well across to the brewery."
Antony and his team from Walkers Windows in Mirfield are now busy building up the well to make it into a feature.
He added: "We have built it up above ground using Yorkshire stone and it's looking really good.
"We have organised an electricity company to come in and install some little down lights so it will be lit up from the inside.
"We're still not sure whether to use a mesh or glass covering, but we've been told that mesh could encourage wildlife, which would be really nice for the children."
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Last Updated:
04 February 2010 3:32 PM
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Source:
Spenborough Guardian
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Location:
Spenborough