The Well House

Cadw's description

Location

Located in the park and set into the E bank of the River Taff. Accessible from Park Lane.

History

The well is said to date back to the C3-4, when it was discovered by the Romans and its warm waters used for medicinal purposes. A flood of 1799 apparently revealed Roman masonry. It was well known from medieval times onwards and in the C19 its waters were recommended by sufferers of rheumatism. An early C19 engraving shows a timber hut next to the well. However, a well house is shown in a photograph of 1893 which has much the same form as today. It was a free-standing structure surrounded by water with a central door flanked by small windows, 3 openings in the S end, and a roof with a low curved profile and 2 steam vents. The ground was raised to the sides and rear of the building in the C20 to prevent flooding, and in the mid C20 there was an open-air swimming pool to the front. The rendered facade of the well-house was refaced in rubble in 1995.

Exterior

The well house is single-storey with a flat roof and is surrounded by a bank to the sides and rear. The facade has been refaced in random rubble with wide joints, but the original door and window openings have been retained. Central doorway with flat head containing a planked door, flanked by small square windows with wooden frames and metal grilles. The front angles of the building are curved, and retaining walls extend to the L and R, the former with 2 buttresses. Flat concrete-covered roof sloping down slightly towards the rear, and set below the level of the surrounding brick walls. Square brick vents rise from within the side walls.

Interior

Inside the building is a full-width pool of tepid water. In front of the pool is a narrow quarry-tiled floor area, surrounded by a rendered kerb. Straight steps with metal handrails lead into the water to the L and R sides. The interior walls are rendered. There are 3 square blocked openings in the L wall, that to the centre deeper and with a raked sill. Single large recess to rear wall, partly under water. Raised plinth to R wall. The ceiling is of concrete sections with cast iron cross beams, and contains a hatch. When the pool is drained, there is said to be a circular well beneath at least 20m deep, and with spiral stairs leading down.

Reason for designation

Listed for its historic interest as a surviving well-house over the only thermal spring in S Wales. Although the exterior has been altered, its foundation appears to date back to Roman times.