Bodmin - St Petrocs Well

St. Petroc's Well in Bodmin is believed to have originated in the medieval period, possibly constructed using materials from the dissolved Bodmin Priory in 1539. The well, made of granite, is situated within a bank and features a square opening with molded granite jambs and a slightly cambered molded granite lintel. The interior walls are made of stone rubble, and a tablet is set into the rear wall. Located below Priory Road, beyond the football pitch, the well is frequented mainly by dog walkers and teenagers. Interestingly, there is strong evidence suggesting that the two prominent wells in Bodmin have had their names swapped, with this particular well originally being known as St. Guron's rather than St. Petroc's well. This holy well holds historical significance, as it is associated with a remarkable miracle and represents an ancient allegiance. During the time of Cromwell's troops, a wooden statue of St. Mary was concealed inside the well to protect it. Remarkably, this statue was only discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century. After undergoing minor repairs and redecoration at Buckfast Abbey, it was returned to Bodmin and now stands prominently in St. Mary's Church.In 2001, the Environment Agency constructed a substantial flood alleviation system, redirecting the waters of the river that flows beneath Bodmin. St. Petroc, who founded a monastery in Bodmin during the 6th century, bestowed the town with its alternative name, Petrockstow. The monastery experienced a reduction in its land holdings at the time of the Norman conquest. However, during the Domesday survey, it still retained eighteen manors, including Bodmin, Padstow, and Rialton. Bodmin is one of the oldest towns in Cornwall and the only significant Cornish settlement documented in the Domesday Book of 1086.During the 15th century, the Norman church of St. Petroc underwent extensive rebuilding and stands as one of the largest churches in Cornwall, second only to the cathedral in Truro. Additionally, an abbey of canons regular was constructed during that period, although it now lies mostly in ruins. Throughout much of Bodmin's history, the tin industry played a vital role in its economy.. This camera was installed and is maintained by the Environment Agency and can be viewed here  All  content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. During the 15th century, the Norman church of St. Petroc underwent extensive rebuilding and stands as one of the largest churches in Cornwall, second only to the cathedral in Truro. Additionally, an abbey of canons regular was constructed during that period, although it now lies mostly in ruins. Throughout much of Bodmin's history, the tin industry played a vital role in its economy.Evidence of a settlement in Bodmin during the early Middle Ages is provided by an inscription on a stone integrated into the wall of a summer house in Lancarffe. The inscription commemorates "Duno[.]atus son of Me[.]cagnus" and has been dated to the 6th to 8th centuries. Arthur Langdon's records mention three Cornish crosses in Bodmin—one near the Berry Tower, another outside Bodmin Gaol, and a third in a field near Castle Street Hill. Additionally, the Carminow Cross can be found at a road junction southeast of the town.In the mid-14th century, Bodmin suffered a devastating blow when the Black Death claimed the lives of half its population, amounting to 1,500 people.Bodmin was at the center of three notable Cornish uprisings. The first was the Cornish Rebellion of 1497, led by Michael An Gof, a blacksmith from St. Keverne, and Thomas Flamank, a lawyer from Bodmin. Their Cornish army marched to Blackheath in London but was ultimately defeated by King Henry VII's army of 10,000 men led by Baron Daubeny. Subsequently, in the autumn of 1497, Perkin Warbeck attempted to seize the throne from King Henry VII. In Bodmin, Warbeck was proclaimed King Richard IV, but Henry easily crushed the uprising. The third rebellion took place in 1549 when Cornishmen, joined by rebels from neighboring Devon, rose against the Protestant reforms of Edward VI. The rebellion, known as the Prayer Book Rebellion, saw a Cornish army form in Bodmin and march into Devon to lay siege to Exeter. The rebellion was suppressed, and a total of 4,000 people lost their lives, while proposals to translate the Prayer Book into Cornish were quashed.