South Staffordshire residents, building firms and environment experts team up to tidy up area of historical interest

Residents of Brewood and Codsall came together to participate in tidying up the overgrown land surrounding Leper Well in Gunstone. 

Local resident Helen Heywood organised the event, which was supported by Charlie Giffard, Estate Manager of Chillington Hall, and Henry Carver of Carvers Building Supplies, and which has already triggered the interest of a local school pupil studying history with a particular interest in wells.

She said: “The Leper Well at Gunstone is a Grade II listed building but in recent times it has become very overgrown and is hard for walkers to notice. 

"Over the last twelve months, a small group of local volunteers have been looking at ways to restore the Leper Well as part of conservation in the area and to investigate the option of placing a plaque at the site to inform people about its history and significance.”

Ms Heywood said that records suggest that the well probably dates from the late 17th century and it is thought that the lepers lived on the site of what is now Leper House Farm. 

She said: "The sulphurous well was believed to be medicinal and six steps can be seen leading down into the water where the lepers could immerse themselves.

"Tradition has it that those affected by leprosy were blessed by the priest from the church in Codsall, half a mile away to the south west, then made their way down the hill, across Moat Brook to bathe in the sulphurous waters of the lepers’ well."

Charlie Giffard of Chillington Hall, on whose land the well sits, described the restoration as being “a worthy project to be undertaken by the local community and in time we would like to see the well opened up again.”  

Mr Giffard also said he believes that “The more information of historic monuments that can be passed on to passers-by and the next generation, the better.”

Most of the work involved cutting back of hedges and undergrowth but the approval of the council, Historic England and various environmental groups was necessary. 

Safety was an important issue and Henry Carver supplied materials which capped the well while work was carried out.

Brewood Councillor Mark Sutton said, “It’s fantastic that I could allocate some of my Community Fund towards this project and I’d like to thank everyone who has played a part in restoring this valuable part of our local history.”