Dupath Well, near Callington

A pencil and wash sketch of Dupath Well, near Callington, "sketched by Mrs. Cooke, " [1846?]

Dupath Well, near Callington, Cornwall, is a remarkably well-preserved example of the Medieval predilection for building covered “holy wells” in the county. Around forty structures, usually comprising a simple gabled house, were built over wells or springs in Cornwall in the Medieval period. This well was built in 1510 by the Augustinian canons of the nearby St. Germans, on land which they acquired in 1432, then known as “Theu Path.” The spring was said to be able to cure whooping cough, and there may have been baptisms in its waters. The edifice is made entirely of Cornish granite and was restored by the Reverend H. M. Rice, rector of South Hill and Callington, in the 19th century.

A local legend suggests the site once played host to a fateful battle between Colan, a poor knight, and Gotlieb, a rich gentleman, for the hand of a Lady. The story inspired a poem by the Reverend R. S. Hawker, (1803-1875), who changed the latter’s name to “Siward.” It read as follows:

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