Stone Wellhouse opposite New Inn Farm

Cadw's description

Location

Approximately 1km NW of Cross Ash post office, on the N side of a lane leading to Grosmont.

History

Undateable from structural evidence, perhaps built at the same time as the house opposite (which, though much altered, appears to C18 in origin), but any date between the early C18 and mid C19 would be credible.

Exterior

Properly speaking, a holding tank rather than a well, being situated on a slope below a spring which originally supplied it. Now disused, and at the time of the survey so heavily overgrown with vegetation as to be almost invisible. Built of coursed slabby sandstone rubble. Square or rectangular in plan, approximately 3-4m on each side, facing SW. Steeply-pitched pyramidal construction approximately 4m high, the front wall fallen but otherwise intact.

Interior

Inaccessible, but the owner reported that it has a vaulted roof and contains a tank approximately 2m deep.

Reason for designation

Listed as an unusually large example of a distinctive and unusual building type; one of a group of similar buildings in this locality, with Well house to N of Graig House (q.v.) and Well-house on E side of lane opposite village hall (q.v.).