The ancient, holy and healing wells of Bodmin: Part three – the Bree Shute and Cockwell

Good eye water

Two less well known springs which have widely differing effects. Near the car park off Dennison Road is a rare survival that other towns would have culverted, this is the Bree Shute or as the sign proclaims the Eyewell. The stone tablet is a survival from 1700 and records the use of the water for those who had ocular problems, as readers of this blog will be aware, a common concern. However, the oldest record of the well is recorded as Breest in the account rolls of those tenants playing rent living on hillside east in 15th and 16th Priory accounts. Its other name from the Cornish Bree for hill.

Fever grips Bodmin

Throughout the 19th century, enteric fever was a common issue and claimed many people. In 1872 a Rivers Commission report stated that the water “a fairly good •, water”, however analysis did show it was highly contaminated and may have been a source of illness. This is certainly true of the other well, for the Cock Well had a less savory reputation. The well supplied water for the area as well as a blacksmith nearby but in 1881 Enteric Fever, hit the town and 60 cases of the fever being reported with 13 fatalities. Two fatalities were blacksmiths which was significant because the often drunk large quantities of water due to the hot conditions they worked under. For one of them it was certain that the Cock Well was the culprit but unlike in other towns it was not filled in and remains today.

Oddly enough, the name Cock may derive from the name Couch. There was a Couch’s Lane in the town where the renowned . Sir Arthur Quiller Couch author of the Ancient and Holy Wells of Cornwall lived as a boy; oddly enough he failed to include this well in his survey!