st anns well

BY RICHARD PEARSON

All new 2014 edition featuring:

• A History of St Ann’s Hermitage, Well, and Mrs. Blee’s farm.

• Leicester University |Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for the Gardeners

Arms, St. Ann’s Well Road, by Sophie Clarke (2011)

• Robert Thoroton (1797) & James Orange (1840) book Extracts

• PHOTOGRAPHS OF ST ANN’S WELL, PAST & PRESENT

Nottingham St Ann’s holy Well & Hermitage By Mr. Richard Pearson

Copyright © Richard Pearson 2014 This book is copyright under the Berne Convention, and may not be reproduced digitally, photocopying or other wise, stored in any database or retrieval system, or on the Internet, without the permission of the copyright owner. Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge and thank the following people, and organisations, for their valuable help while writing, and researching Old St Ann’s : Lorraine Crofts, Ray Gale, the staff of St Ann’s Library, Nottingham Local Studies Library (Cat Smith), Nottingham City Council, and anyone else I may have inadvertently missed out, thank you all.


FORWARD I first began researching the history of St Ann’s well in 1995 at the time St Ann’s Library began an annual gathering of former towns folk who lived in the old St Ann’s during the 1960s. Titled ‘A day of Reminiscences’ It proved extremely popular. The history of St Ann’s, Nottingham, can be traced back many centuries, and takes its name from St Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary, and the patron saint of lace workers. The Coppice has a mention in the Doomsday Book of 1066. Monks from Lenton Priory established a small hermitage as an attached building to the farmhouse constructed on the land here at the end of the 16th century, which had a small stream or beck running through the grounds. Oswell had been established as a means of a running water supply for the farm along with its inhabitants, and by the middle of the 17th century the monks soon put it to good use as a tourist attraction to bring in additional income which has become known affectionately as St Ann’s well. On St Anne’s Day every year, which is the 26th July, Nottingham town folk would paraded up along the cart track which is today St Ann’s Well Road to celebrate St Anne at the site of her holy well, and partake refreshments at St Ann’s first pub which the farmhouse had later become. The Gardener’s pub stood on the land from the middle of the 1960s following the demolition of the double arched railway bridge over the Wells Road, until it was demolished in January 2012 by Thurcroft Properties Ltd, of Linley Court, Bingham. Nottingham.

The developer had obtained planning permission in October 2011 to construct 9 new homes on the land. However, a condition of the granted application was that there should be an archaeological excavation of the site to unearth any artefacts from St Ann’s well & Mrs. Blee’s farmhouse, which should be paid for by the developer. Today the land remains grassed and barren with no real prospect of realising the construction of the proposed new houses. The planning application expires on 20th October 2016. The possibility of an archaeological dig on the site has now diminished, which is rather sad because a lot of people living in St Ann’s today had built up there hopes in anticipation of unearthing some really important finds. In this book I have brought together a number of important documents, and photographs concerning St Ann’s well. I have also included some photographs I took in January 2012 during the demolition of the former Gardener’s public house. I trust that you will find this book useful. Maybe one day in the not to distant future some important artefacts will be uncovered at St Ann’s well, and the site will then have a plaque highlighting its historical significance for the Nottingham inner city area of St Ann’s. © Richard Pearson 15 April, 2014.

Nottingham St Ann’s holy Well & Hermitage

[

ANGLO-SAXON ORIGIN The true origin of this area of St Ann’s , known as The Coppice, can be traced back many centuries. While the holy spring has not only seen a hermitage nearby, the main building was a small farm owned by Mrs Blee, and the farmhouse itself later became St Ann’s first pub.

Not very far from my home in St Ann’s is situated Plantagenet Street, nothing unusual about that, except its name commemorates a point in History. The Romans departed from Britain in AD407 to be replaced by the Anglo-Saxon empire up to 1066, the battle of Hastings. In this period of history we have the Plantagenets. The significance here lies in a great battle between the Plantagenets and the Danes that took place in an area quite close to Sneinton Market, which the Danes won. The first inhabitants that settled in the Clayfields were therefore almost certainly Anglo Danes, while Anglo paganism lay behind local customs for more than five centuries.

This marked the beginning in Britain of Danish rules known as the Dane law that lasted during the 11th - 12th centuries. It was customary during this period to buy peace from the Danes by paying a tax known as the geld that was based on the number of hides of livestock, and land owned by individuals. Plantagenet Street in Nottingham is therefore of singular importance in the history of St. Anne's.

We owe our earliest knowledge about the King's realm known as The Coppice, on which is located St Ann’s Well, to the two volume Doomsday book of 1066-86 set up on the orders of William the Conqueror (William-I).

The Doomsday book records geld assessments on about 45,000 land holdings in 14,000 named places. The book tells us that in King Edward's time (1042-46) he owned "1 meadow and Underwood, six furlongs in length and five in breadth." Described as 'The Coppice,' "it was divided among 38 burgesses, and rendered 75 shillings & 7 old pennies from the rent of the land, the services of the Burgesses, and 40 shillings from two moneyers."

The book also tells us that apart from the King another landowner of The Coppice was Berenger de Tosny, Second son of Robert de Tosny, who had Holdings in Lincolnshire. Oxfordshire, and Yorkshire, as well as Nottingham. Tosney had one carucate (15 acres) of land of which the King use to have the 2 pennies and Tosney himself the third.

The Doomsday book records that "Hugh, the son of Baldric, the Sheriff [of Nottingham], found 136 men dwellings, now there are sixteen less." The final account records that "Hugh built 13 houses that were not before."

Documents remain scarce for this period of history and the next three centuries, until we are able to read the book of Nottingham Historian Dr Charles Deering "Nottingham Vetus Et Nova," published in 1781. Deering informs us that in the Forest Records—

“William Chaundeler of Nottingham, keeper of the St Leonard's monastery (1357-58), made an encroachment of half acre of ground in the King's domain, within the court of the town of Nottingham, in the hermitage that is called Oswell."

This provides us with a connection between the disability illness of leprosy and the hermitage which was then known as Oswell. Nottingham had five hospitals or


almshouses, between the 12th - 15th centuries, two of which, that of St Leonard's and St Mary's, were for the lepers of the town.

Dr Charles Deering continues—

"William of Copole, clerk that is now dead, held an assert of old time, that is called hermitage Wong, within the covert of the King's wood [The Coppice], of 20 acres of ground."

King Henry-IV may have visited the site of St Ann’s Well on a number of occasions during his reign, and of great interest here is that the King did suffer leprosy during the last few years of his life; he died in 1514.

The Borough Records of Nottingham dated 1552 also contain an interesting account concerning The Coppice that it was the Council's chosen site for an "astronomical observatory." However, nothing became of this as there public subscription and application to parliament failed to secure the necessary funds. A careful look at the 1881 ordnance survey map does show the site of an observatory at the bottom of Thyra Grove, Mapperley, built by the late Thomas Bush in 1877. No connection here with St Ann’s along with its famous holy well, however, upon investigating the life of Bush it proved to be a fascinating story.

We have already read about the Borough Records in the time of Queen Anne (1702-14). One account in the Records, and given by Dr. Charles Deering, notes the story of the first introduction of the potato crop in St Ann’s. Historically it was Captain Cook in the 1590s who introduced the potato to England. The English celebrated by introducing the Poor Relief Act and performing the plays of Shakespeare—

"Robert Purcell, a native of Ireland, came to Nottingham to cultivate wastelands and to grow the field potato. Before that time, this root had only been grown in the garden. He took up his abode at the farmhouse kept by a Mrs Blee. Robert Purcell was here given permission to clear away the Underwood of a piece of land, which he planted with potatoes, his crop was abundant and he realised great profits."

© Nottingham City Council

On the ‘Picture the Past' website, there is a woodcut illustration showing the hermatige attached to the side of the main house dated 1820 (Image Reference NTGM007625). We have confirmation of Mrs Blee running the farmhouse in 1741 due to the published account of a murder of

one of Mrs Blee's young servants:-

“On the morning of 22 September 1741, just after midnight, John Clark, a young servant


[

with "widow Blee," heard a noise among his mistress's poultry in the "farmyard." He got up and went down stairs into the "little farmyard," which he had scarcely entered, when a gun was fired at him killing him instantly, but the murderers escaped detection, and nothing further was known or heard of the dreadful catastrophe until late 1796.

“In 1767, a framework knitter of the town, John Shore, gave information to the magistrates that to his knowledge the murder was committed by John Wilkins, James Cuff, and two brothers, all soldiers in "General Churchill's" regiment of Dragoons, then quartered in the town. He knew that they had been out deer stealing, but having been unsuccessful, they determined to have some of "Mrs Blee's" geese on their return, in this they were disappointed by the appearance of the servant, the unfortunate John Clark.

Wilkins & Cuff were immediately arrested in the neighbourhood of London, being then out patients of Chelsea Hospital, and were brought back to Nottingham and lodged in the town jail [Which was then a dungeon below the original Guildhall in the Lace Market].

“However, as the other parties were dead who might have witnessed against them, sufficient evidence was not obtained to convict, and soon after, on his deathbed, one of them confessed his "own" guilt and that of his "three companions."

Pagan Rituals

Between about 1796 to exactly 1824, Mrs Blee's farmhouse had become a venue for socialising with beer and alcohol being readily sold. However, a number of brawls along side unruly behaviour took place at the big house, and the Borough Records record that the venue lost its victualer's licence in 1824 for disorderly conduct. Anglo-Saxon paganism can be traced back to the 5th and 7th centuries when pagan tribes dominated England, although it has to be said very little is known about this early period of paganism. Bob Trubshaw in his paper published in "At the Edge No.3 1996," gives a reason for this, referring to Hutton, `The English Reformation and the evidence of folklore' op. cit.:—

"The modem era is much better documented regarding folk customs. Superficially, this might be thought that our society became more self-conscious of the need to preserve itself in writing. But this is somewhat inaccurate. Plenty of records exist in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries but the popular customs were so commonplace that they were rarely considered worthy of mention, except when unusual rowdiness or other irregularities entered the annals. Only in the late eighteenth century did educated observers become sufficiently separated from the common people that they began to record popular customs, rather in the manner that early explorers were systematically documenting foreign cultures. "

We can only imagine the goings on at the site of St Ann’s holy Well during this period which was the cause of such unruly behaviour, when Rob Trusaw informs us—

"By the late nineteenth century the fairly copious written records reveal that popular customs were again undergoing wide-spread changes. Victorian moral standards disfavoured drunkenness, brawling, and any suggestions of lewdness. And, as court records reveal, the former two were inextricably linked to village festivities, and the latter is frequently alleged by detractors (although parish records of births do not provide evidence for a surfeit of milkmaids defoliated at May tide). There is more than a little to

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text

Laptop

Typewritten Text


suggest that such holidays were traditionally a time for local lads to visit a neighbouring village, not just for a few beers, but an inevitable punch-up with the 'home team.'"

Nottingham historian Dr Robert Morrell indicates in his own paper published in 'Mercian Mysteries No.21 November 1994,' the customs of pagan practices that occurred at the site of the farmhouse tavern, by the side of St Ann’s Well—

"In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries the house at the well site became the centre of activities for what appears on the surface to have been a strange group of Robin Hood devotees known as the Brotherhood of the Chair. The 'rites` of this group involved the use of several relics said to be associated with Robin Hood, which were preserved at the house. Visitors would be seated in Robin Hood's Chair then capped with his iron cap. Secretive features of the rites were hinted at but, if the historian, John Blackner, is to be believed, these consisted of nothing more than the consumption of 'large quantities of Woodward's nut-brown ale. "

It seems strange that the hermatige should still be in use at this time by the monks who held regular religious services, and it seems reasonable to assume that the building was demolished at the time of John Clark's murder in 1741 or soon afterwards, leaving widow Blee's farmhouse intact.

The only excavation work carried out at the location of the actual St Ann’s Well took place when the main house and well were demolished to make way for the Great Northern Railway line. Some bones, a half-crown of the date 1685, and a ring showing 'devices' and a motto' dating from the time of King Henry-IV, were uncovered their. The site was then buried under tons of soil and shale that become part of the railway embankment.

St Ann’s Holy Spring


[

The name of our inner city area must have had an origin since the holy well was once named Oswell, even Robin Hood's Well, and not St Ann’s Well. It is my belief that its religious origin relates to `The patron Saint of lace Workers.'

Ever since the Great Northern Railway was completed in St Ann’s , Nottingham, in 1889 it has been unclear exactly where the position of the original holy well was located. It has been speculated that it lies under the north bridge abutment that still exists today in the grounds of the Gardeners' pub in the Wells Road. In fact it can now be revealed that the site of St Ann’s Well lies on the south side of the small cut through road next to the smaller of two trees on accessible open ground. So that one day a plaque or monument may be positioned here to commemorate this famous landmark.

The original name of the local Well of spring water was 'Oswell' and the waters originating from here are always referred to as the `Beck' which was in fact a brook or stream that flowed down what had became known as `The Wells Road' by the hundreds of Nottingham town folk who visited the site over hundreds of years. However, the specific title of 'Anne' was not explicit to this area of Nottingham.

This is by no means an unusual occurrence since today there is known to be four 'Holy springs’ in the United Kingdom that are all named `St Ann’s Well.' The nearest of these is that situated in the Derbyshire town of Buxton that is of Roman origin, while there is also a local church in the town which bears the name of 'St. Ann's Church.' There is a St Ann’s Well at Stanwell a short distance from the main church their that is dedicated as `St Mary.' In St Helens we find yet another St Ann’s Well. In Berkshire there is a St. Anne's Well at Caversham.

Therefore a picture begins to emerge that these are all 'holy wells' or `sacred springs.' In fact, we also find such religious sites throughout Europe, especially in France, many of whom are dedicated to Saint Anne. This places us on the correct path for the origin of our own St Ann’s Well since it is also a religious site sanctified by the monks and their hermatige that existed here through the 15th & 17th centuries. In the bibal the Saint herself is the mother of the Virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ at the dawn of Christianity.

St Anne enjoyed a renaissance during the 16th century throughout Europe and had risen to great popularity during the period of time that the `Oswell hermatige' was in regular use around the turn of the 16th century. It was therefore a step away from a form of dedication ceremony during which 'Oswell' became St Ann’s Well. The same occurrence that may have taken place a number of times throughout Britain over the years, if there was indeed such a ceremony?

There are records that show that King Henry-IV did visit Nottingham on a number of occasions, although none that are credible which state clearly the King dedicated 'Oswell' to that of Saint Anne. In addition this period of history was before the time of the Oswell hermatige itself, and our famous Well.

However, we do have Nottingham Corporation Records dating back to 1513, a century on from the eventual death of King Henry-IV. These refer to "Le [The] Hermitage," "Hermitage Wong," and "Hermitage Close." The early Nottingham Historian the Reverend John Orange referring to the period 1543-4 in which The Corporation Records were written, states—

"It is recorded that the sum of 3s 6d was paid to William Rose and his fellow for workmanship at Sainte An' Chappell."


The Rev. John Orange also gives another example—

"And a further sum of 2s to Deonyse Cowper for workmanship at Sainte An' Chappell. "

The Nottingham Mickleton Jury proceedings of 1577 give this account—

"Master Mayor, we desire you and your brethren that their may be a cover made at Sent Anne Well, as you and your brethren may desire as concerning, either at the chapel end or at some place convenient where you shall think good."

There is a real Queen Anne of course, Queen Anne (Of England, Ireland, and Scotland) who reigned 1702 - 1714. Here there is a link between Queen Anne and Saint Anne since Saint Anne was the patron of pregnancy among others titles, and we know that the Queen herself had many problems in baring any children. There is also evidence of Queen Anne's visits to Nottingham Castle. The book `Through England on a Side Saddle in the time of William and Mary,' written by Celia Fiennes & published in 1888, has this passage—

“All the Streets are of a good size all about ye town and well pitch'd, there are severall good houses in the town. There are 3 or 4 Large houses of the Duke of New-Castles wth the Castle wch is a fine thing-stands very high on a hill and when you Come to the Castle you ascend 40 Steps to the Court and hall. The roomes are very Lofty and Large, 6 or 7 state roomes and a long gallery hung with fine Pictures of the family; the wanscoate is most of Cedar. Some Roomes are hung with good tapistry. The Chamber of State is hung wth very Rich tapistry so much silver and gold in it that the 3 pieces that hung the Roome Cost £1500? : the bed was rail'd in as ye presence Chamber used to be, ye bed was damaske. The floore of the roome was jnlay'd wth Cyphers and the Corronet: here ye Princess Ann Lay when she fled in King James's tyme when the prince of orange was Coming over.”

What is of great interest here is that Queen Anne, although persecuted at the latter half of her life, existed in the period of the hermatige, and the events that took place their when the site had transformed to become Blee's Farm (including the murder of Mrs Blee's farmhand John Clarke). However, the sacred spring was already being referred to as St Ann’s Well, and even Robin Hood's Well during the short period that pagan rituals were being performed here, usually on the annual Saint Anne's Day, 26 July.

Now let us return to the subject of Saint Anne herself, and to be honest not a lot is known about her within the pages of the bible. She is not mentioned in the New Testament, and we must depend on apocryphal literature, chiefly the Protoevangelium of James, which dates back only to the second century.

In the document we are told that, Anne, wife of Joachim, was advanced in years and that her prayers for a child had not been answered. Once, as she prayed beneath a laurel tree near her home in Galilee, an angel appeared and said to her, "Anne, the Lord hath heard thy prayer and thou shall conceive and bring forth, and thy seed shall be spoken of in all the world." Anne replied, "As the Lord my God giveth, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God; and it shall minister to Him in holy things all the days of its life." Thus, Anne became the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The devotion of St. Anne was known in the East in the fifth century, but it was not diffused in the West until the thirteenth. A shrine at Douai, in northern France, was one of the early centres of the devotion. In 1382, her feast was extended to the whole Western Church, and she became very popular, especially in France. Here the two most famous shrines are at St. Anne d'Auray in Brittany and at St. Anne-de Beaupre in the province of


[

Quebec.

She is patroness of `Lace workers,' among other things, a fact I found of great interest in relation to Nottingham, and our inner city area of St Ann’s itself. Her emblem is a door. St. Anne has been frequently represented in art, and the lovely face depicted by Leonardo da Vinci comes first to mind in this connection. The name Anne derives from the Hebrew Hannah, meaning "grace."

Probably the best internet site that describes Saint Anne is 'The Patron Saints Index' at: httpa/www.catholic-forum.comlsaints/sainta03.htm. This describes Saint Anne in these terms—

"Mother of Our Lady. Grandmother of Jesus Christ. Wife of Saint Joachim. Probably well off Tradition says that Anne was quite elderly when Mary was born, and that she was their only child. The Vatican condemned the belief that Anne remained a virgin in the conception and birth of Mary in 1677. Believed to have given Mary to the service of the Temple when the girl was three years old. Devotion to her has been popular in the East from the very early days of the Church; widespread devotion in the West began in the 16th century, but many shrines have developed since.

"Canonized cult extended to the whole Church in 1584; Name Meaning gracious one; grace (Anne).

"Patronage: Adjuntas, Puerto Rico; against poverty; Brittany; broom makers; cabinet makers; Canada; carpenters childless people; archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan; equestrians; France; grandmothers; grandparents; homemakers; horse men; horse women; housewives lace makers; lace workers; lost articles; miners; mothers; diocese of Norwich, Connecticut, old-clothes dealers; poverty,, pregnancy, pregnant women; Quebec; Santa Ana Indian Pueblo, riders; seamstresses; stablemen; sterility; Taos New Mexico; turners; women in labour."

In conclusion our inner city area of Nottingham, St Ann’s originates from the religious dedication of the Monastery or Hermitage to Saint Anne from about the year 1540. With the spring attracting many visitors, and therefore increasing the popularity of the monastery grounds, it made good sense for the monks or hermits their to refer to it as a holy well or sacred spring, and they adopted it along with their religious monastery, and from this point onward it soon became known as Saint Anne's Well. The name of our inner city area of Nottingham soon followed - St. Anne's.

Archeology

No actual excavations have taken place at St Ann’s holy well. A trench was opened up within the area at the rear of the Gardeners' public house, which was excavated to a reasonable depth, however, nothing was found, and it was refilled. This comes as no surprise since locating the true position of St Ann’s well has been problematic. It has always been presumed that the Well lies in the grounds of The Gardeners pub (now demolished). This local knowledge came about due to a news item that appeared in The Nottingham Guardian in relation to the completion of the Great Northern railway line in February 1888, which contained a paragraph concerning the demise of St Ann’s Well. The reporter concluded that the holy well "was situated under the northern abutment of the two arched railway bridge crossing The Wells Road." In my opinion, this article was misleading due to its inaccuracy.



The second available image dated 1850 shown (NTGM009485) here, is in fact a colorful painting. The main building showing the two sloping roofs and windows is centre of the painting. The hermitage building formerly located, and attached to the right of the big farmhouse, has since been demolished. The two out buildings are still there, all of the tall trees on the left have been felled, except one, while four solid tree trunks are prominent at the front of the house between the three people.

It shows three additional points of interest. First, the construction of the huge irregular shaped chimney with a sloping roof out-building to the side of it. The entrance to the main house is now on the left with the main front central front door, two lower side windows at ground level, and central upper window. The small wooden building to the left of the big house is St Ann’s holy Well itself. Nottingham historian Dr Robert Morrell tells us that—

"Despite its long popularity as a healing shrine only one print has been published actually showing it. This appears on a plate illustrating several Robin Hood relics published in Thorsby's expanded edition of Robert Thoroton's, History of Nottinghamshire (1797). The small engraving depicts the water of the spring to have been fed into a rectangular stone lined bath covered by an arched roof, perhaps of brink steps leading from a platform down into the water, which Throsby describes as being so cold that it would kill a toad. Several later writers who tried the water confirm it to have been exceptionally cold. No scale is given for the illustration."

Visitors would therefore enter the wooden lean to building, inside there were two benches either side. They would take off their footwear, hold up their lower clothes, and then step into the cold natural spring water of the Beck. The image also now shows a small shallow footbridge at the lower centre of the painting, under which, undoubtedly, the Beck brook or stream passed through.


[

The third watercolor painting on the Picture the Past Website dated 1850 (NTGM007624). Looking at all three of these illustrations it appears that this date is incorrect due to the advancement of the property alterations. The artist seems to be sitting upon the small bridge over the Beck stream, and facing the main farmhouse of Mrs. Blee. The same tree is visible on the left, St Ann’s well in the wooden lean-to shed, the distinctive big chimney in the foreground, and the three large logs upon which sits a man with his faithful dog nearby. The front of the main house can now be plainly seen, the central door with a set of three-paneled windows either side, while the single upper window has also become three panels. The farm buildings are still visible on the left of the painting; however, it appears that the far left barn remains incomplete by the artist.

We now arrive at three photographs of great importance in the history of St Ann’s holy well, and it is pleasing that these images were taken to preserve the view of the house, grounds and the holy well itself.

The origin of photography can be traced back to the camera-obscurer at the turn of the 18th century, the first photographic images upon glass plates were being made around 1837 when the name Louis Daguerre comes to mind. However in these early days photography was in its infancy, experimental and quite expensive. Over the next half century, it was refined until celluloid was developed for the photographic negative. At the date the next two photos were taken George Eastman Kodak had begun to mass-produce the Box Brownie which had become widely available to the public. Both images are black & white, the first shown below (NTGM009915) is hand painted to reveal the color of the trees and the garden. These sepia hand painted toning techniques were in wide use at the time, especially on sets of postcards.



The [Picture The Past] photograph is dated 1900. The date is certainly inaccurate by eleven years since the Great Northern Railway line was completed in 1888 along with St Ann’s railway station at this location. The description given is "House adjoining St Ann’s well... occupied by the Colton family."

It was taken within the large gardens of the house looking at a slight angle left to right, and shows the front of the farmhouse as seen in the earlier paintings. The same shaped door is present, while each of the window panes are divided by two wooden vertical white panels making three rows, and each row containing eight small glass windows. There are two main windows either side of the front door, and three across at the first floor level. The wooden lean-to construction over St Ann’s well situated on the left wall, has now been replaced by the lean-to glasshouse. There is a large window above this, and of significant importance is the very large brick chimney with its four chimney pots. The house gardens are quite considerable in size, and still being put to much use by growing many varieties vegetables.

I made an extensive search of Wright's Trade Directories in an attempt to trace the people who lived here. The only significant house at the top of the Wells Road was number 368 on the list of St Ann’s street names in the 1883 Wrights Directory (Page 92) which was occupied by Mrs. Sarah Man, a greengrocer & shopkeeper. This information is listed under The Wells Road [East side], and the house numbers were descending as if you are walking down the road towards Nottingham town centre. The large house in this photograph is indeed on the left hand side of the road. It is quite possible that the Colton family were the very last occupants of the property before demolition took place to make way for the new railway.


[

Of significant importance are the two people in the photograph and the clothes they are wearing. The woman is reading a book by the front door of the house, and the gardener [husband?] standing at the side of the line post in front of the greenhouse.

© Nottingham City Council.

The next photograph shown above is dated 1870-80 (NTGM007621), and is of equal importance. When the town council engineer of the time, Mr. Tarbottom, realised that the house and St Ann’s Well would need to be demolished as part of the redevelopment of the area, while building the new railway line, he designed a significant brick monument so that the centuries old St Ann’s Well would not be lost from memories.

In 1856 when Mrs. Blee’s farmhouse was demolished, some of the stone were given to the owners of Coppice Farm a mile up the road. St Ann’s well was capped and Tarbottom’s monument was then constructed over the top. It was enclosed within iron railings, the entrance being on the Wells Road. This photograph shows the St Ann’s Well monument, the front of which is at the left archway of the brick structure. To gain an idea of the monument’s size the lady dressed in dark clothing standing directly in front of the supporting pillar and the camera, would be about 1.8 meters tall making the monument about 10 meters in height.

This photograph has great significance since the main farmhouse can be clearly seen in the background of the image along with the house's principal big chimney on the right of the roof. Therefore this view shows the side of the house directly opposite to which the lean-to greenhouse is located. In my opinion, all three of these photographs were taken on the same day in the same lighting conditions.


In order to pinpoint the actual location of St Ann’s well in 2006 I obtained a copy of the 1881 Ordnance Survey 38.14 map of this area of the Wells Road, which is of the scale 2.08 meters to the kilometer (25 inch to the mile). I then acquired a copy of the later ordnance survey 1938 map showing the complete railway layout of St Ann’s railway station, and Rail Bridge over the main road that is to the same scale. Using a sheet of acetate film I made an accurate copy of the 1881 site of St Ann’s Well, house, monument, the Wells Road, and the long public footpath leading up to the Coppice hospital. This done I laid the clear film over the ordnance survey 1938 map, and it was a perfect match. I then transposed my hand drawing detail carefully upon the newer 1938 plan that had the new Kildare Road and its long row of houses included on it. It was soon apparent that St Ann’s Well and farmhouse were all some distance away from the Gardener's public house, on accessible land. All of the illustrated drawings and photographs from the Picture the Past web site were then carefully measured, and their perspectives taken into account. Using all these images as a control to verify my measurements, they all agreed really well.

Within an accuracy of one meter, St Ann’s Well lies close to the tall trees on the grass verge opposite the terminus bus shelter in Kildare Road, and not in the boundaries of the Gardeners' pub, and garden as originally believed.

The Nottingham Guardian reporter may indeed have been in error in his written conclusion concerning St Ann’s well, together with its main house, and gardens. Alternatively, his narrative may have simply been interpreted incorrectly, and 'Chinese whispers' since his report did the rest.

Today the mystery has been resolved to a satisfactory conclusion. The main farmhouse together with St Ann’s well where certainly demolished and were buried under the soil & shale railway embankment at the side of the Great Northern Railway. However, Tarbottom's monument built in memory of St Ann’s well, was certainly buried under the main railway line and bridge abutment.

I live in hope that as this revelation is increasingly accepted by other Nottingham historians, and the people who live in St Ann’s today, a new monumental structure, or


[

plaque, will be sited here in remembrance of this holy shrine, the true origin of the town of St Ann’s.

The Farm at St Ann’s Well

There can be no doubt that a hermitage existed on the site of St Ann’s holy Well since it is mentioned in the Nottingham Corporation records dating from 1513, which refer to ‘Le Hermitage,’ ‘Hermitage Wong’, and ‘Hermitage Close.’ Hermitages were small sites where one or more hermits went to find peace in remote places. Access to hermitages would be limited - physically, e.g. by their remoteness, or socially, e.g. in private places. They were simple sites usually with a small house and simple chapel often built by the hermit themselves. Wealthy patrons could endow hermitages, as at Warkworth, Northumberland.

It consisted of a single building attached to one side of a farmhouse on the same site. The farm being the means that made the hermits here self-sufficient in food from the land, supplemented with the meat from farm animals. The location of the hermitage here was entirely due to the spring of the Beck that trickled up out of the ground, and flowed down the hill of the Beck valley.

St Ann’s holy well was important since it was a valuable attraction for pilgrims and visitors, who gave gifts of money or other valuables to the hermits, and brought food and ale for themselves. The greatest attraction being on St Ann’s Day itself, 26 July, at the height of the British Summer. Another attraction was known as ‘The Shepherd’s Race,’ which was situated on land at the side of The Wells Road, now a new housing estate, between Coburn Street & Eccles Way. This was the name of an ancient 'miz-maze' shown here on the left (NTGM010595), of unknown origin.


It was cut into the turf on Blue Bell Hill, some historic references state that this was an ancient or Roman maze, but conflicting records suggest that the priests of St Ann’s Chapel, who had to seek their recreation within site of the chapel, created it for recreation. It was ploughed up when the surrounding Lordship of Sneinton was enclosed on February 27th 1797. The land was then used as a quarry for materials needed while building the old St Ann’s. The diameter of the maze is given as 51 feet. In addition, its total length of path was 535 yards.

The hermitage was well established up until 1540 around the time of the dissolution of the monasteries. Roman Catholic writers referred to this period as the Suppression of the Monasteries, it was the formal process during the English Reformation by which King Henry VIII confiscated the property of the monastic institutions in England, Wales, and Ireland between 1538 and 1541. He was given the authority to do this by the Act of Supremacy, passed by Parliament in 1534, which made him Supreme Head of the Church of England. In 1543-4 The Rev. John Orange recalls that all there was left of the


hermitage was a piece of the hermitage wall situated in part of the great fireplace of the large farmhouse at St Ann’s well.

I remember visiting Dale Abbey that was also the site of a hermitage. Dale Abbey is situated three miles South West of Ilkeston off the A6096 road, six miles North East of Derby. Once known as Depedale this tranquil little village contains a tiny church, a pub, a school and the remains of an abbey founded here by Augustinian monks in the 13th century.

The curious little church of All Saint's, measuring just 26 feet by 25 feet, probably one of the smallest in the country, shares a roof with an adjoining farmhouse. The church dates back originally to the mid 12th century, altered in 1480, to give it its present form. It contains a pulpit that dates from 1634 and the whole interior appears rather crammed with its box pews and open benches. The farmhouse was once possibly used as an infirmary for the Abbey. For some time before 1820 it was used as a pub called the Blue Bell, the bar being used as a vestry, with a door into the aisle. It was rebuilt in 1883.

Behind the church is an ancient area of woodland containing beech, ash, oak, and lime trees. Situated in the wood is Hermit Cave, hewn out of the sandstone cliff by a 12th century Derby baker who wished to live a life as a recluse. It is well preserved, measuring six yards by three with a doorway, two windows, a peephole, and a niche for a light. A story goes that, one day when Ralph Fitz-Geremund had come from Normandy to hunt in his English woods, he found the hermit, and, touched with pity for his poverty, gave him not only the site of the hermitage but a tithe of this mill at nearby Borrowash. Then the hermit built himself a more pretentious oratory and a cottage to end his days.

The small church at Dale Abbey which shares its roof with the farm house, is somewhat similar to the set up at St Ann’s Well itself, were the hermitage is also attached to one side of the farmhouse. However, the hermitage at St Ann’s holy well is a little different to others since there were frequent visitors by Nottingham town’s folk to the well, and secondly the site is located in The Coppice, which is the King’s domain, that was frequently used for hunting deer and wild boar.

In the 16th century, the farmhouse would have no running water so constructing the building next to a cold-water stream percolating up out of the ground was the best solution, and to have this ‘well’ in a lean-to shed with access from inside the farmhouse itself was even better. As we have seen 19th century paintings of the farm show a small building next to the farmhouse itself which houses St Ann’s Well almost certainly paid for by Nottingham town elders to protect themselves, and town people from the elements, and spare their blushers, however, originally there may not have been such an elaborate structure.

In the 16th century, straw was a valuable material; it was used to thatch the roof of the farmhouse out buildings, and quite possibly the hermitage itself. Straw was used to make manure during the daily task of cleaning out the cowshed, pigs and stables.

It was also used as a building material. The walls of a farm building were first weaved from relatively straight wooden branches obtained by the Woodward who had the job of coppicing the nearby woodland. Sturdy wooden poles were hammered firmly into the ground, and then the thinner branches were weaved in and out to form the wall. The


[

process was completed on all four sides leaving a space for the main doorway. Straw, cow or horse dung, and lime were mixed together to form a white daubing mixture that was applied thickly by hand, and pushed into all the cracks.

For larger buildings like the farmhouse or farmyard sheds, tree trunks were used, which were axed and worked into long oblong beams. Simple mortise & tenant joints were cut and fitted together. A hole was drilled through the side of each joint, so when the two pieces were fitted together, a wooden beg hammered through the holes held each joint firmly in place.

Straw was also used to make rope; hand full’s of straw were pushed together lengthways, and then twisted. Once a good length was achieved, one end was bent round forming a loop, which then went onto a iron hook attached to a building, or quite often, the hook was attached to a wooden hand held handle. It was then a matter of adding further hands full of straw, and twisting the rope until the desired length had been achieved, at this point each end was tied firmly with a piece of linen string. Straw rope was useful in thatching the roofs of buildings, and around the farm.

Straw was also used to make the beds of the farm laborers. In the sixteenth century farmhouse, those that were considered wealthy used luxurious eiderdown, or feather stuffed mattresses, others would have flock or wool, and those who were servants made use of straw. Man size straw filled sacks had to be changed every eight to twelve weeks because they tended to become smelly and attracted bed mites and small insects. In an effort to prevent this, herbs were used to keep the insects at bay, and keep the straw mattress reasonably fresh.

The floor of the farmhouse was originally the hardened clay soil base where the building was constructed, although in the 19th century this was brick laid.

The chimneystack was quite large at the base to allow for a good-sized fireplace indoors for cooking with various size vessels of iron or pottery. Inside the chimneybreast was two or three iron bars part way up the chimney, used for smoking hanks of pork, veal, venison, or fish. Such cured meats would stay fresh to eat for many weeks after being treated in this way. The fireplace was used for baking bread, and boiling the water ready to make ale or mead, which every member of the household drank because it was far less likely to cause illness, even fresh water from St Ann’s Well had to be boiled before it could be drank, except when the thirst was so great it was drunk neat with cupped hands or beaker with a certain amount of risk involved.

When spring cleaning came around, the straw beds had to be emptied and re-stuffed, and textiles used for covering tables or beds, had to be hung over a line and beaten to get rid of the accumulated dust of the previous season. In these early times, the available textiles were made from homespun wool, linen, or hemp.

Cleaning the big chimney was a big job involving three or four men, and they used a number of branches of prickly holly all tied together. This bush was tied with a long rope that was dropped down the chimney inside the fireplace. At the bottom, two men pulled on the rope to drag the holly bush down the chimney cleaning all of the soot along the way. Sometimes the holly became stuck on the iron bars inside the chimneybreast, and


a man had to stand up inside the chimney to free the bush. Understandably, it was a messy, dusty business. Afterwards, the inside of the farmhouse had to be swept clean using a broom, which was also used to sweep the crevices of the white interior walls.

The main table, stools and trestles were all made out of wood collected locally, even the soup bowls, and candles provided the lighting. In later years, whale oil lamps replaced the candles.

At St Ann’s holy well the farmhouse had an upper floor either reached by an angled wooden ladder or constructed stairs to reach the part of the house used as the sleeping quarters. As the decades passed, there were many improvements to make things easier, and the farmhouse and its rooms more comfortable.

In time, the hermitage became derelict through the lack of maintenance, and disrepair, as the people living here became much more involved in farming the land, brewing ale, and receiving visitors to the holy well that had grown in popularity. It was demolished sometime in the mid fifteenth century around the time of the dissolution of the monasteries throughout the country. Although the hermitage here was by no means a monastery, it was originally built as a religious retreat, it therefore fell into disfavor, and its useful purpose declined.

However, as a working farm and holy spring latterly run by a Mrs. Blee, business was doing really well. Although we don’t know what animals the farm had, I think it likely that pigs, one or two dairy cows, chickens, and geese were here providing the meat, and produce making the household self sufficient. The Woodward was responsible for coppicing the nearby woodland of mainly horse chestnut, and oak trees. Most probably charcoal making on a small scale, which can be used as a smokeless fuel for indoor cooking.

Mrs. Blee’s farm at St Ann’s Well was not the only local farm in the area, another was Rose hill farm on Beacon Hill situated at the top of what is now St Matthias Road; at the time of Blee’s farm this was a cart track, as was Beacon hill rise that also ran through Rose hill farm. The Beck valley of course was another cart track than ran from the town of Nottingham up to St Ann’s well and the coppice woodland. Today the Wells Road is lined either side with horse chestnut trees, some of which are over two centuries old; these trees were plentiful in The Coppice near Blee’s farm.

In the past, Horse-chestnut seeds were used for whitening hemp, flax, silk, and wool. They contain a soapy juice fit for washing of linens and stuffs, for milling of caps and stockings, etc., and for fulling of cloth. For this, 20 horse chestnuts were sufficient for six liters of water. They were peeled, then rasped or dried, and ground in malt or other mill. The water must be soft, either rain or river water. The nuts are then steeped in cold water, which soon becomes frothy, as with soap, and then turns white as milk. It must be stirred well at first, and then, after standing to settle, strained or poured off clear. Linen washed in this liquid, and afterwards rinsed in clear running water, takes on an agreeable light sky-blue color. It takes spots out of both linen and woolen, and never damages or injures the cloth. Horse chestnuts were also used to make a form of starch for stiffening cloth.


[

Farming the land was certainly hard work for the farmhands who did not have the benefit of early tractors, and machinery to make life easy; it was hard backbreaking work.

At St Ann’s holy, well the farmland stretched across the present well’s Road, and covered much of the appropriately named Wells Gardens opposite. The land was often difficult to dig and cultivate because of the many woody fibrous roots in the hard baked ground. The first task was to use the stones found lying around for stonewalling, and willow to mat together, to construct a perimeter fence around the land, so that farm animals could not escape, especially pigs.

Pigs in the 18th century were a valuable asset, not only for their bacon but because they forage for their food digging into the ground for the roots, and vines. Therefore, by putting pigs into the enclosure to be cultivated for about a month, they did much of the hard work. After returning the pigs to their farmyard pens, farmhands could then cut and pull up much of what was left, piling the woody roots into small bonfires around the enclosures. These pyres were then lit and left to burn, smoldering away for a number of days. The red, and brown, powdery residue is rich in phosphates, so it was then spread across the worked ground.

The land was then ready for manual ploughing, although in time the farm horse was brought into service. The manual plough was a carefully angled piece of metal on the end of a wooden stave, with a cross bar at the top end. The laborer would put his chest against the cross bar and push forward, turning the plough to the right. As the plough halted, he would repeat the process over again until the entire field was roughly ploughed into furrows. The crops of beans, peas, cabbage or kale, and potatoes were then sown in the rows, before the ground was lightly spread with farmyard manure; it was then ready for ‘harrowing.’ A harrow looked like a large rake, a square or triangular structure of wood, one to two meters in size, with cross hatch struts and rows of teeth at every junction. The hard preparation work was complete, and the crops were left to grow, while farmhands carried out the occasional weeding of the ground.

It is important to mention that up until the Middle Ages of the 16th century Paganism played a part in worship practices at St Ann’s holy well. Paganism is the broad term used to describe any religion or belief that is not Christian, Jewish or Muslim. Paganism can be traced back to Neolithic times and survived up until the middle ages when Christianity became powerful enough to erase it from existence. Paganism is an earth based religion which lays emphasis on the worship of all aspects of nature. Paganism appeared very early on in the history of the world. Examples of early paganism can be seen in ancient Greek and Roman religions, as well as in ancient Goddess worship and Druidic religions.

Ancient people believed that everything had a spirit and were polytheistic and they placed great importance on the worship of many Gods, Goddesses and Deities. Gods were a part of everyday life and great emphasis was placed on placating them through worship and ritual. Pagans believed that the Gods were imminent and entered every aspect of their society, influencing everything from laws and customs to the general workings of their community.

In the few short years that Blee’s farm was the first pub in St Ann’s , pagan beliefs caused rows & brawls inside, and outside the premises, that led to the premises losing its victuallers license.


Since St Ann’s well was principally a farm the Lacnunga chant composed in 1050 may have been used once the land had been prepared and sown with crops, along with a charm for increasing the fertility of the fields, known as the Acerbate. It contains a pagan hymn to the sun and another to the earth. Both contain details of the ritual.

Turn to the east and bowing humbly nine times, saying these words—

'Eastwards I stand, for favors pray

I pray to the great Lord, I pray to the mighty Prince.'

Then turn three times sun wise and stretch yourself along the ground full length.

The hymn to the earth included a ceremony that continued well into Christian times, the ceremony of burying a cake with the first ploughed earth.

Say the words—

'Erce, Erce, Erce, Mother of Earth,

Hail to thee, Earth, mother of men,

Be fruitful in God's embrace,

Filled with food for the use of men.'

Then take every kind of meal and have a loaf baked no bigger than the palm of your hand, having kneaded it with milk and holy water, and lay it under the first turned furrow. The hermitage here would have been the ideal place to obtain holy water for the yearly ceremony.

St Ann’s Under Construction

Two centuries ago, you would be looking out over a luscious landscape of green fields divided into crofts of arable farmland, segregated by stonewalls in addition to hedge rows and Coppices of woodland. It would have a beauty all of its own as you follow the curvature of the hills as far as the eye can see, leading down into the Beck valley. The valley having been transformed into a cart track by the numbers of visitors to the religious site of a holy spring dedicated to St Anne the patron saint of pregnancy, and Queen Anne herself. The site was originally occupied by a small monastery that later gave way to Blee's farm.

Beyond the Nottingham town boundary, all of this scenery was picturesque, with the Beck brook of spring water leading the town folk, and occasionally Royalty, meandering along this cart track to St Ann’s well. The valley was to be the ideal place to construct a major new township for the progressing crowded slums of Nottingham.

However, local landowners and crofters were not going to give up their valuable farmland so easily, and the political climate was not agreeable during the mid 1700s. Much needed to change before this could happen in Nottingham, and the country. Enclosure


[

Acts came into being from the 12th century onward that allowed the conversion from open field farming to severalty, and construction of new homes, although this lead to some rural villages being depopulated. On the subject of `Enclosures' the book: The History Today Companion to British History records—

"Under pressure for food production, enclosure later became more diverse in aims and scale, ranging from piecemeal arable agreements to major single schemes and wetland reclamation; from the early 17th century. Many such schemes were passed by parliamentary private acts, the first in 1664. Consistently, they raised the renewable value of the land involved, and to gain total control of farming practice, all resulted in a loss of rights in common land. I.e. manorial wasteland in which all the tenants of the manor enjoyed certain defined rights of exploitation. Such commons were of great importance to the poor, and the chief focus of continuing discontent"

It was the beginning of the Industrial Revolution that sparked the changes necessary to allow towns to `Enclose' surrounding land. Moreover, the difficulty was that if you owned land you had power, therefore much of that power rested with landowners who were able to use this to manipulate the decisions made by the government of the day. These landowners used their social standing to instruct their low class workers and families to vote for the member of parliament of the owner's choice, while those of a higher social standing who the Lord of the Manor could not control, he bribed with money. It was this that gave the big 'Whig' families, as they became known, the power to control the government of the day - the Cavendish's, Russell's, Bentinck’s, Manners and the rest. A situation resented by the Conservative `Tory' squires who desired change in the country. At times, as in the great Oxfordshire election of 1754, when the Tories spent £40,000 in an attempt to oust the Whigs, the old rancor’s could be as bitter as ever.

The size of villages were on the increase creating new towns such as that of Nottingham, and here the Whigs and Tories were being backed by energetic and vigorous citizens with which they had mutual interests. It was in these heartlands that local government along with administration was in its infancy and lacking any real direction, while locals loathed the hint of restraint. Meanwhile the crofters and Woodwards working the surrounding lands feared this would be taken from them along with their livelihood; it was this hesitation that lead to hindrance. Local authorities needed to be created to ensure enough pressure to bring about Enclosure of the land.

The first large town to circum to change was that of London, where enterprising citizens between 1761 - 1765 secured private acts of parliament that enabled them to levy the first House Rates of their kind in return for street pavements and gas lighting. Such town committees under the act allowed them the right to sue any local anarchist who refused to pay. The outcome was a dramatic improvement in social amenities, Birmingham followed in 1769 and the town of Nottingham soon after.

Over the next thirty years, local authorities set up their own Electricity and Town gas Company's, Water works and local Police Force to deal with unruly behavior and local riots. Professor J.H. Plumb points out—

"It created a unity of interest between the administrative class and new industrial magnets intensified their belief in order, efficiency, and social discipline. It gave them a satisfactory outlet for their energies, which did something to alleviate their impatience with the constitution. They became addicts of administrative reform ... Above all they fostered both social conscience and civic pride, which in their children and children's children became a part of the massive grandeur of Victorian Liberalism. "


In Nottingham houses were being built with increasing numbers with those for the more well-to-do having better sanitary conditions than those of the poor, the latter being constructed in haste to house its increasing population.

The fact is that the much-improved living conditions since 1765 meant that local authorities had become a victim of their own success. The improved food, use of pottery rather than pewter, the widespread use of cheap cotton clothes that could be washed, the availability of water, the removal of effluence and dirt from the streets, the foundation of hospitals and knowledge of medicine all created a rapidly expanding population.

Many of the houses for the poor were terrace housing along narrow streets with their front doors opening directly out onto the pavement, and their backs opened into large courtyards with a small number of amenity standpipe cold water taps, toilets and coal-houses. None of these houses had indoor sanitary amenities apart from the tin bath, and chamber 'buckets' under the bed. The growth of the town's population was rapidly increasing, while the size of Nottingham itself remained relatively fixed with no prospect of enlargement (Enclosure of the common land) in sight. Therefore overcrowding soon followed with the inevitable slum living conditions of families often living six in an average size room, notably in Middle Marsh, and Upper Marsh. The mortality rate among children was high, and often very few youngsters lived beyond their sixth birthday. With the industrial revolution, and subsequent lace manufacturing boom beginning in the 1820s, things got gradually worse.

In 1750, the population of the town was 10,000, a total reached slowly over the centuries, but from 1750 onwards, growth was more rapid towards 17,500 by 1779, and 25,000 by 1793. In 1801, the population of Nottingham had reached 28,861. Two decades later, it was 40,415 and had climbed rapidly to 50,680 by 1831. At this point during every decade, the population of Nottingham was increasing at the rate of over 10,000. Another means of grasping the scale of this increase is to look at the local authority electoral wards themselves. At that time, Nottingham was divided into eight distinctive town wards. In the main four wards during the period 1801-1831, the population of St. Mary's increased from 22,654 to 33,139; Exchange 2,732 to 5,681; Castle 3,415 to 6,804; and Park from 60 to 5,056.

This increase in population also means a populous of children, if of course they survived passed their 5th birthday, since the mortality rate continued to remain high among family off springs. Once passed this hurdle children proved of value to their families and to factory owners, since they were employable as cheap labor. The factories and mines absorbed them and they were exploited to the full, while a number died in the process of carrying out their repetitive jobs. The poor folk who lost their children in this way received little in the way of compensation, and if they had no children by the grace of god, they were destined to become inmates of the Union Workhouse, if they were not imprisoned as debtors beforehand. Professor J.H. Plumb points out—

"Agitation against child labor was not confined to 19"' century humanitarians. One of the most visible and appalling exploitation's of child labor... was the chimney sweep. From 1760 Hanway & Porter carried on a campaign on their behalf and a Regulating Act was secured in 1788. "

However, there remained the continual problem of the Whigs influencing the outcome of elections to maintain their grip on government supremacy, that had to end so that local authorities like that of Nottingham could expand their town outward to ease the population pressure it was desperate to control, Enclosure would have been difficult without it.


[

The parliamentarian who set about making this happen was Edmund Burke (1729-97) who made the bold decision that the personal interference by the Crown must cease; "the Royal Household must be reorganised so that the means to corrupt politicians would be destroyed; to regain the purity of elections of all civil servants."

Throughout the 1770s, Edmund Burke scored many successes and won a number of converts in parliament itself. In 1780, the House of Commons passed the famous resolution, proposed by John Dunning 1st Baron of Ashburton (1731-83): "That the power of the Crown has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished." Reform followed soon afterwards when in 1782 Lord North's ministry disintegrated; only the personal will of George III had kept it together for so long. The Rockingham Whigs came to power. In two measures of economic reform, the Royal Household was completely reorganised and reformed.

It was also during this period that the acrimonious debate of the country's increased population had come to a head. However, it was parliament member Arthur Young (1741-1820) who travelled throughout the country to see the overwhelming problem of its population and affects upon the poor and needy. Local authorities were crying out for urgent action to be taken to relieve the pressures upon them. In a major speech, Arthur Young said—

"View the navigation, the roads, the harbors, and all other public works. Take notice of the spirit with which manufacturers are carried out ...Move your eye which side by side you will behold nothing but great riches and yet greater resources... It is vain to talk of tables of births and lists of houses and windows, as proofs of our loss of people the flourishing state of our agriculture, our manufacturers, and commerce, with our general wealth prove the contrary. "

The debate continued until in 1798 with the publication of Thomas Robert Malthus' (1766 -1834) `Essay on the Principal of Population.'

Alongside, the heated population debate was the repressed workingmen who determined that their factory owners were getting considerably richer while they continued to remain poor citizens, and now the number of anarchists had multiplied. The heated debates and public demonstrations spiraled out of control. In open revolt, they burned down the factory, or broke jacquerie. The worst of these riots occurred in the Midlands and the north in 1811 and 1812; it was on such an occasion that Nottingham Castle was burned to the ground. The rioters named themselves Luddites after their leader Ned Ludd. Riots on a smaller scale were also endemic in the industrial regions of the country due to the Corn Law reforms that eventually lead to bread rationing of a kind, so that the poor folks living in Nottingham's many slums suffered even more.

Out beyond the Nottingham town boundary were the rolling hills and fields that were seen in religious terms as 'a brave new world,' where much of the pressure of overcrowding and poverty could be released by the overspill into new housing estates. However, it meant moving cautiously so as not to displease landowners, with this in mind the first Enclosure Act in 1839 allowed some common lands to be absorbed by the town of Nottingham. The Act covered West croft (the Station Street area), Burton Leys (the Trinity Square area), and the Lammas Fields (the Wellington Circus area) that totaled about 52 acres of land. It was a start and Nottingham Borough Council worked hard to ensure that it was a success.

It was around this time that in St Mary's ward the population had grown substantially, so that it became necessary to divide it into separate areas including Byron & St Ann’s


Wards. St Ann’s Wards. St Ann’s Ward at this time was on the periphery of the town of Nottingham itself, located in the Huntingdon Street area and incorporating the then new St Ann’s cemetery. A great many back-to-back terrace houses and lace worker' cottages were construction that only compounded Nottingham's problem slums areas. Therefore, at the time that the next General Enclosure Act was passed by parliament in 1845, the population of St Ann’s was misleadingly shown as above 11,000 people; a populous that actually represents the population living in the St Ann’s electoral Ward.

Copyright Nottingham City Council © Photographs NTGM007625, NTGM009485, NTGM007624, NTGM009915, NTGM007621, NTGM007623 NTGM010595; provided courtesy of Picture the Past. The internets address is| http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Laptop

Cross-Out

An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for the Gardeners Arms,

St. Ann’s Well Road, Nottingham SK (58910 41891)

Sophie Clarke

ULAS Report No 2011-041. ©2011

An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for the

Gardeners Arms, St. Ann’s Well Road, Nottingham (SK 58910 41891)

Sophie Clarke

For

Thurcroft Properties Ltd Planning Ref: 11/00037/PFUL3

Checked by Project Manager

Signed: .. ...Date: 6/04/2011

Name: .....Richard Buckley

University of Leicester

Archaeological Services

University Rd., Leicester, LE1 7RH

Tel: (0116) 2522848 Fax: (0116) 2522614

ULAS Report No. 2011-041 ©2011

CONTENTS

Summary ................................................................................................................ 1 1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 2. Aims and Methods ....................................................................................... 1 3. Methodology ................................................................................................ 2 4. Site Location, Geology and Topography ..................................................... 2 5. Historical and Archaeological Background ................................................. 3 6. Cartographic Evidence ................................................................................ 7 7. Site Visit .................................................................................................... 17 8. Appraisal of the Development Impact ....................................................... 19 9. Conclusion ................................................................................................. 20 10. References ................................................................................................. 20 11. Sources....................................................................................................... 21

ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1: Site Location. Scale 1:50 000 ......................................................................... 2 Figure 2. Site Location Plan. (supplied by developer; not to scale) ............................. 3 Figure 3. St Ann’s Well (after Thoroton 1790) ............................................................. 4 Figure 4. St. Ann’s Well and House Prior to 1856 (taken from folder held by SMR for Nottingham, provenance unknown) ............................................................................... 5 Figure 5. St Ann’s Well (after pen and ink sketch by Thomas Cooper Moore, dated 1856) taken from website http://www.artoftheprint.com/artistpages/moore_thomas_cooper_stannswell.htm ...... 5 Figure 6. Sketch plan of St Ann’s Well site layout (pre-1856). After Briscoe 1881. .... 6 Figure 7. St. Ann’s Well 1856-1887 (after engraving held by SMR for Nottingham, provenance unknown). ................................................................................................... 6 Figure 8. 1887 Tarbotton Map of Nottingham (Sheet 6: Scale unknown) .................... 7 Figure 9. 1881 OS map SK 38.15 Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted... 8 Figure 10. 1884 OS map SK 38.15 Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted . 9 Figure 11. 1900 OS map SK 38.15 Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted...................................................................................................................................... 10 Figure 12. 1914 OS map SK 38.15 Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted...................................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 13. 1930 OS map SK 38.15 Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted...................................................................................................................................... 12 Figure 14. 1949 OS map SK 38.15 Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted...................................................................................................................................... 13 Figure 15. 1954 OS map SK 5841. Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted...................................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 16. 1968 OS map SK 5841. Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted...................................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 17. 1981 OS map SK 5841 NE. Scale 1:1250 .................................................. 16 Figure 18. Layout of the proposed development. (Supplied by developer, not shown to scale) ........................................................................................................................ 20

PLATES

Plate 1. The Gardeners Arms development site, looking north. .................................. 17

Plate 2. The Gardeners’ Arms Public House, looking north........................................ 17 Plate 3. The development area, looking south. ............................................................ 18 Plate 4. The development area, looking east, from Kildare Road to St Ann’s Well Road. ............................................................................................................................ 18 Plate 5. Remains of the Nottingham Suburban Railway viaduct, on the eastern boundary of the development area. Looking north–west. ............................................ 19

An Archaeological Desk-based assessment for the Gardeners’ Arms site, St. Ann’s Well Road, Nottingham

©ULAS 2011-041 1

An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for the Gardener’s Arms site, St. Ann’s Well Road, Nottingham (SK 58910 41891) Summary This report presents the results of an archaeological desk-based assessment of the site of the former Gardener’s Arms Public House, undertaken by ULAS on behalf of Thurcroft Properties Ltd. The site is proposed for residential redevelopment and the study has shown that the development area is believed to contain the remains of St. Ann’s Well, a healing spring or holy well, which has been documented since the medieval period. The various buildings associated with the well were demolished at the end of the 19th century, to make way for the embankment and viaduct constructed as part of the Nottingham Suburban Railway. The railway line was dismantled by 1963, with the Gardeners’ Arms constructed by 1968. Although the site has been substantially developed during the 20th century, there is good potential for thepresence of medieval archaeological deposits, surviving beneath the overburden laid down during the construction of the railway embankment.

1. Introduction This document presents the results of an archaeological desk-based assessment for the Gardeners’ Arms Public House, St. Ann’s Well Road, Nottingham (SK 58910 41891). The assessment has been commissioned from University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) by Thurcroft Properties Ltd, in advance of the proposed residential development of the site (Planning Ref: 11/00037/PFUL3).

2. Aims and Methods The aim of this desk-based assessment is to present information on the extent, character, date, integrity and state of preservation of archaeological deposits present within the development area. The assessment must take into account all previous land uses. In addition it must be established what impact future development will have on the archaeological remains. The desk-based assessment should, once the above information has been gathered, assist in providing an informed planning decision of whether further stages of work are necessary.

All work follows the Institute of Field Archaeologist’s Code of Conduct (2010) and adheres to their Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-based Assessments (2008).


©ULAS 2011-041 2

3. Methodology The following sources have been consulted to assess previous land use and archaeological potential:

Archaeological records (Historic Environment Record for Leicestershire and

Rutland (HER), Leicestershire County Council).

Previous Ordnance Survey and other maps of the area (Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland (ROLLR)

Geological maps (ULAS Reference Library)

Historical background material (ULAS Reference Library and University of Leicester Library).

4. Site Location, Geology and Topography The development area is located approximately 2 miles to the north-east of Nottingham City Centre, in the residential district known as St. Anns, on the junction of St. Ann’s Well Road with Kildare Road. The Geological Survey of Great Britain (Sheet 126) shows that the underlying geological substratum is likely to consist of Tarporley Siltstone Formations (TPSF). The site measures c.0.25ha and lies on land which slopes steeply from c. 70m aOD in the northern part, to c. 66m aOD in the southern part.

Figure 1: Site Location. Scale 1:50 000

Reproduced from the Landranger OS map 129 Nottingham 1:50000 map by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright 1996. All rights reserved.

Licence number AL 10002186.


©ULAS 2011-041 3

Figure 2. Site Location Plan. (supplied by developer; not to scale)

5. Historical and Archaeological Background

Historical Background The application area is located in the St. Ann’s district of Nottingham, a residential suburb located to the north east of the city centre. The area and the main road leading through it, are named after St. Ann’s Well, a medieval healing spring (SMR ref. M2057), which is believed to located beneath the present ground surface of the Gardener’s Arms Public House and car park.

Recorded in 1301 as The Brodewell, with other references made also to the Owswell, and to Robin Hood’s Well, this natural spring was for centuries renowned for its healing properties, before apparently being appropriated, in 1409 by Cluniac monks affiliated with the nearby Lenton Priory. At this time the monks of Lenton are recorded as having built a chapel adjacent to the well and dedicated the site to St. Ann, the mother of the Virgin Mary (SMR ref. M2056). At the time of the Dissolution, ownership of the site reverted to the town of Nottingham and the spring gradually took on more of a secular appeal, developing, by the 19th century into a sort of pleasure ground and public house for the amusement of the local population.

An entry within the Borough Records for Nottingham, dated the 20th July, 1500, makes reference both to the Saynte An Chapelle and the Robynhode Well at Sneinton, and it is possible that the inevitable link with the ubiquitous Robin Hood was first made at some point during the 13th or 14th centuries, when ballads about the folk-loric hero became popular.

During the 17th century there are references within the Borough Records to an annual Easter Sunday procession from the town to the Well, made by the Mayor of Nottingham, the town aldermen and local officials, accompanied by the town musicians. This is recorded to have been an ancient custom, which ceased at the outbreak of the Civil War. From the latter part of the 17th centuries, the Borough


©ULAS 2011-041 4

Records refer to a house at St Ann’s Well and by the middle of the 18th century there is also reference to a bowling green.

Dr Deering wrote in 1745 that

‘ at St Ann’s Well there is a dwelling house serving as an habitation for the wood ward of the woods, being an officer of the Mayor. This house is likewise a victualling house, having adjoining to it fair summerhouses, bowers and arbours. There is also a building containing two rooms, an upper and a lower one, serving for such as repair thither to retire in case of rain or bad weather; thither do the townsmen resort by an ancient custom beyond memory.

The people who keep the green and public house, to promote a holiday trade, show an old wicker chair which they call Robin Hoods chair, a bow and an old cap’ Writing in 1790, Thoroton described the site as

‘a sequestered haunt of the famous Robin Hood, which tradition has given celebrity to for ages. It is situate within two miles north east of Nottingham, on the base of a hill, which, a century ago or less, was covered in fine ash trees and coppice, as well as a great part of the adjacent fields, which are now cleared of wood, and is become good land, some portion of which retains the name of coppice and belongs to the Burgesses of Nottingham. The house which is resorted to in the summertime, stands near the Well, both of which are shaded by firs and other trees- here is a large bowling green and a little neglected pleasure ground. The Well is under an arched stone roof, of rude workmanship, the water is very cold, it will kill a toad. It is used by those who are afflicted with rheumatic pains and indeed, like many other popular springs, for a variety of disorders. At the house were formerly shown several things said to have belonged to Robin Hood; but they are frittered down to what are now called his cap, or helmet and a part of his chair.’ The text is accompanied by a small engraving, which is included below as the earliest known depiction of the Well.

Figure 3. St Ann’s Well (after Thoroton 1790)


©ULAS 2011-041 5

In the 1915 edition of the Transactions of the Thoroton Society (vol. XIX, p. 143; quoted by Oswald, 1926 TTS LI) a Mrs Dunn recalls from circa 1840 :

‘a small house of entertainment called St. Ann’s Well. There was a bath of intensely cold water, here the gentlemen of the town frequently went to bathe. When I drove that way about 12 years since, they were taking down the old house, the eastern stone wall of which had incorporated a wall of the ruined chapel’.

Figure 4. St. Ann’s Well and House Prior to 1856 (taken from folder held by SMR for

Nottingham, provenance unknown)

Figure 5. St Ann’s Well (after pen and ink sketch by Thomas Cooper Moore, dated 1856) taken from website http://www.artoftheprint.com/artistpages/moore_thomas_cooper_stannswell.htm


©ULAS 2011-041 6

J.P. Briscoe writing in 1881 of the various mazes in Nottinghamshire, includes a sketch plan of the St Ann’s Well site, to show the relationship between this and Shepherds’ Race, a turf cut maze of unknown origin, believed to have been located approximately 200m to the south-east of the site but largely destroyed by ploughing, following enclosure in 1797. The plan is roughly drawn and is not to scale, but gives an indication of the relative position of the various buildings associated with the site.

Figure 6. Sketch plan of St Ann’s Well site layout (pre-1856). After Briscoe 1881.

By the middle of the 19th century, the popularity of the site had declined significantly and in 1856, the early buildings were demolished and the area was redeveloped. The site of the spring itself was preserved, and the sum of ‘not less than one hundred pounds’ was spent on enclosing the site and the erection of a small, gothic-like spired structure over the top, which permitted visitors to drink the water, although no longer gave access for bathing (Morrell 1994).

Figure 7. St. Ann’s Well 1856-1887 (after engraving held by SMR for Nottingham, provenance

unknown).


©ULAS 2011-041 7

In 1887, the site was demolished to make way for an embankment and viaduct to carry the Nottingham Suburban Railway, which was completed in 1899 and remained in use until 1954. The viaduct was dismantled in 1963 and map evidence shows the present Gardener’s Arms Public House (now derelict) to have been constructed by 1968. Archaeological Background In 1987, a local amateur archaeologist named David Greenwood was reported in the local press as having carried out an unofficial archaeological evaluation of the site, finding structural remains in association with medieval pottery and evidence that the spring water was still flowing (http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Historic-site-used-tourist-attraction/article-2170939-detail/article.html). The findings of the evaluation have not been verified however; no details of the work undertaken were deposited with the SMR for Nottingham, the locations of the excavated trenches are not known, nor are the recorded depths of any archaeological deposits below the present ground surface.

6. Cartographic Evidence

Figure 8. 1887 Tarbotton Map of Nottingham (Sheet 6: Scale unknown)

The earliest map to depict the development area held at Nottinghamshire Archives is the Tarbotton map of Nottingham (Sheet 6) dated 1877 (Fig 8). This shows an unmarked group of buildings on the Thorneywood Road (later the St Ann’s Well


©ULAS 2011-041 8

Road), which represent the site of St Ann’s Well, following the redevelopment of 1856.

Figure 9. 1881 OS map SK 38.15 Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted

The first edition OS map SK 38.15 of 1881 (Fig. 9) shows more detail of the site, including the position of the Well monument, the site of the Chapel, Public House and the pleasure garden to the south.


©ULAS 2011-041 9


The 1884 edition OS map 38.15 has the projected line of the proposed Kildare Road and the Nottingham Suburban Railway inked on by hand, showing the outline of the St Ann’s Well site beneath, destined for redevelopment as part of the expansion of the Nottingham suburbs during the late Victorian period.


©ULAS 2011-041 10


By the time of the Ordnance Survey of 1900, the railway is in place, with an embankment and viaduct taking the line over The Wells Road. The sites of the Chapel and Well are marked on the map.


©ULAS 2011-041 13


No further changes are noted on the site between 1914 and 1949, although by 1930, the recorded position of St. Ann’s Chapel was moved further to the west and on the 1949 map, neither site is recorded at all. By 1954 (Fig 9 below,) the Suburban Railway is no longer in use, although the viaduct is still intact and the sites of St. Ann’s Well and Chapel have been re-located on the map.


©ULAS 2011-041 15

Figure 16. 1968 OS map SK 5841. Scale 1:2500, with development area highlighted

By 1968, the Suburban Railway line has been dismantled and the area shows large scale residential development to have taken place by this time. The Gardener’s Public House has been constructed on the site of the St Ann’s Well, with a car park located to the south. Traces of the railway embankment are recorded to the north of the present development area.


©ULAS 2011-041 16

Figure 17. 1981 OS map SK 5841 NE. Scale 1:1250

The most recent edition OS map SK5841 NE held by Nottinghamshire Archives shows the Gardeners site in more detail, although little change appears to have taken place across the site since 1968. There are traces of the former railway embankment visible on the site and to the north and the Ordnance Datum benchmarks in the vicinity give an indication of the change in levels across the site, which range from approximately70m aOD in the northern part, to 66m aOD in the south..


©ULAS 2011-041 17

7. Site Visit

Plate 1. The Gardeners Arms development site, looking north.

Plate 2. The Gardeners’ Arms Public House, looking north.


©ULAS 2011-041 18

Plate 3. The development area, looking south.

Plate 4. The development area, looking east, from Kildare Road to St Ann’s Well Road.


©ULAS 2011-041 19

Plate 5. Remains of the Nottingham Suburban Railway viaduct, on the eastern boundary of the

development area. Looking north–west.

A site visit was carried out on the 28th March 2011 (Plates 1-5). The Gardeners’ Arms is a plain 1960s structure of little architectural interest, located at the northern part of the development site and at the highest point of the land. From the north, the ground slopes steeply away to the south and to the east, towards the junction of St. Ann’s Well Road with Kildare Road. The site is derelict and freely accessible, although the building has been secured.

8. Appraisal of the Development Impact

The developers have supplied a plan which shows the layout for 9 dwellings proposed for construction on the site of the Public House and car-park . No details of the extent of the landscaping works have been provided, and the depths of proposed ground-disturbance are not known. There is, however, likely to be some degree of clearance of the overburden and levelling across the site and an excavation depth of approximately 1.5m into undisturbed ground may be assumed for the footings of the proposed two-storey buildings.


©ULAS 2011-041 20

Figure 18. Layout of the proposed development. (Supplied by developer, not shown to scale)

9. Conclusion The proposed development area is known, from information held in the Nottingham SMR and cartographic evidence, to contain the site of the medieval St. Ann’s Well and Chapel (SMR refs M2056, 2057). Documentary evidence indicates the presence of a house and farm buildings which were subsequently associated with the site before development in 1856. In 1899, the buildings were demolished to make way for the Nottingham Suburban Railway and viaduct. Early Ordnance Survey maps of the site show that the line was carried over a substantial railway embankment.

An amateur archaeological evaluation of the site carried out in 1987 is reported to have located building remains, medieval pottery and the presence of the water-course itself. No report of the work carried out is available however and the depths of the archaeological deposits recorded below the present ground surface are unknown.

Although the site of St Ann’s Well has been extensively developed, during the construction and the subsequent demolition of the Suburban Railway, the nature of the development suggests that there is good potential for the presence of related archaeological deposits, surviving beneath the overburden laid down during the construction of the railway embankment.

10. References Briscoe, J. P. 1881 Old Nottinghamshire Hamilton, Adams/

Deering, G. 1751 Nottinghamia Vetus at Nova, or an Historical Account of the Ancient and Present State of the Town of Nottingham. Reprinted in facsimile as TheHistory of Nottingham. SR Publishers, Wakefield 1970

Gover, J.E.B., 1940 The Place-names of Nottinghamshire. Cambridge University Press.

IfA, 2008, Standards and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-Based Assesments.

IfA, 2010, Codes of Conduct


©ULAS 2011-041 21

Throsby J. 1790 Thoroton’s History of Nottinghamshire: Republished with Large Additions by John Throsby, Vol II. Republished 1972 by EP Publishing Ltd, in collaboration with Nottinghamshire County Library

Morrell, R. W. 1994 ‘The Great Spring of the Township’ in Mercian Mysteries Vol. 21.

Oswald, F. 1926 ‘St Ann’s Well Maze’ in Transactions of the Thoroton Society, Vol LI.

11. Sources SMR Sites and Monuments Record for the City of Nottingham; HER Historic Environment Record for Nottinghamshire;

University of Leicester Library

Nottinghamshire Archives:

MAPS : Tarbotton Plan of Nottingham of 1877 (Sheet 6); OS maps 38.15 1881, 1884, 1900, 1914, 1930, 1949; OS map SK 5841 1954, 1968; OS map SK 5841 NE 1981.

Internet websites:

http://www.artoftheprint.com/artistpages/moore_thomas_cooper_stannswell.htm

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Historic-site-used-tourist-attraction/article-2170939-detail/article.html).

Sophie Clarke

ULAS University of Leicester University Road Leicester LE1 7RH

Tel: 0116 252 2848 Fax: 0116 252 2614

Email: [email protected]

6/04/2011

Nottingham’s St Ann’s Holy Well & Hermitage By Mr Richard Pearson

Nottingham St Ann’s holy Well & Hermitage by Mr. Richard Pearson


PHOTOGRAPHS FROM JANUARY 2012 SHOWING THE DEMOLITION OF THE GARDENERS PUBLIC HOUSE

Mr. Richard Pearson was born in Ilkeston Derbyshire in 1958, and began writing for the Ilkeston Advertiser as a junior reporter in 1995, before going on to write as a local news correspondent for the Nottingham Evening Post in 1981. He moved into St Ann’s, Nottingham in 1986, and lived in Duncombe Close near the Robin Hood Chase. He developed an interest in local government soon after, and has helped to resolve a number of issues & concerns to improve St Ann’s to make the area a nice place.

Richard Pearson began researching the history of St Ann’s well in 1998, and his work first appeared in Ruth John’s local studies work St Ann’s Inner City Voices first & second editions. He went on to research the biography of Nottingham Astronomer Thomas William Bush FRAS who had a private observatory in Thyra Grove, Mapperley, near the site of St Ann’s well, who was the secretary of Nottingham General Hospital for a time.

Today Mr. Richard Pearson presents a popular monthly program called Astronomy & Space which is regularly watched by a world wide audience of over 50,000 viewers.

He still lives in St Ann’s, today.

Ann’s well in 1998, and his work first appeared in Ruth John’s local studies work St Ann’s

st anns well

Documents

old st anns

history of st anns hermitage

staff of st anns library

time st anns library

st annes day

nottingham town folk

small hermitage

nottingham city council