A Schedule of Works has now been produced and confirmation received from the local Conservation Office that the works involved do not constitute any significant change and therefore Listed Building Consent will not be required.  This is good news for the Project Team as work should now progress much more quickly than originally anticipated. 

The next stage is for quotations to be obtained for carrying out the work.   A suitable agricultural or water engineer still needs to be identified who will be able to remove the flywheel and pump, prior to the renovation work commencing

The well is a Grade II Listed Building, and so requires special treatment in order to comply with English Heritage rulings. Before any work can begin, a conservation survey must be carried out, to assess the state of the well superstructure and working parts and to identify the works that are required in order to complete repairs in accordance with conservation regulations. A risk analysis has been done to ensure the safety of all concerned, before, during and after any work is done.

Project Objectives

To carry out a survey of Hampstead Norreys Parish Well superstructure and working parts to assess their current condition.

To implement the processes needed to restore the superstructure to its former state.

To restore the functionality of the pump mechanism.

To record the history of the well construction and use.

The Renovation Project

While the protective superstructure of the well is in fairly good condition, and the roof has recently been retiled, there are some parts of the woodwork that are in need of repair and the floor is in a very poor condition. The actual pump mechanism is no longer operational, owing to lack of use and maintenance together with the effects of the elements and the passage of time.

A project is now under way to restore and renovate the well to its former glory and to document its history. The purpose of this project is to reinstate one of the main features of past parish life.

Parishioners would come, with their buckets, to fetch water from the well, before mains water was piped to the village. It could also be pumped into a trough, beside the well, for watering animals, or routed through a delivery pipe into people’s containers for carrying home.

The well was not very deep, and so the water volume and quality were not great. In the 1930’s, an additional single cranked borehole pump, driven straight down into the water table was installed further along Church Street to the north of the well. This was used to supply water to villagers right up until mains water arrived around 20 years later.

The well was gifted to the parish in 1903 by Harry Weber Esq. who lived at Hawkridge, near Frilsham. Mr Weber owned Manor Farm, Hampstead Norreys, between 1902 and 1909 and he had the well built using money that he made from his successes on the Stock Exchange.
The Well Restoration Project

Situated in the centre of the village of Hampstead Norreys is the lovely Grade II listed Parish Well.  It is complete with a triple-throw hand-cranked pump mechanism for withdrawing water and is enclosed in an Oak four sided structure with tiled roof.