St Dominic's Holy Well facts for kids
St Dominic's Holy Well is a natural spring found in Truro, Cornwall. A "holy well" is a spring or well that people believed had special powers. They were often linked to saints or religious sites.
Today, a well in the garden of Carvedras House on St George's Road is called St Dominic's Well. You can reach it by stone steps from the street. It looks like it was built in the 1600s.
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The Real St Dominic's Well
It turns out the well at Carvedras House might not be the original one. There has been some confusion over time. The first Carvedras House was in a different spot, near Kenwyn Street.
Old records from 1664 describe an area near the original Carvedras House. This area included a path leading to "St. Dominick's well." This path is likely the lane next to 95 Kenwyn Street today. Old maps show this spot as the "Friary Well site."
Why the Friary Well?
This "Friary Well" was probably the true St Dominic's Well. It was connected to the Dominicans, also known as White Friars. These friars lived in Truro at a place called Friary Meads, which was part of Carvedras Manor.
The Dominican Friary in Truro
The Dominican Friary was a religious building in Truro. It stood between Kenwyn Street and the river. A family called Reskymer founded it in the 1200s. The church there was officially opened in 1259.
About 150 years ago, parts of the church and the holy well could still be seen. They were in a field called the Friary. Today, it's hard to find any remains. Modern streets like Castle Street and Frances Street now cross the old site.
Importance of the Friary
The church at the friary was very tall. It had a tower with pointy tops and three bells. In the 1200s, Truro was growing fast. By 1339, it was the biggest town in Cornwall after Bodmin.
The friary was an important center for missionaries. It had a church and a chapter house. In 1538, during the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the friary had a leader called a Prior and ten friars living there.
