Hidden among the houses of Coundon, St Catherine’s Well is the oldest surviving structures in Coundon. Now a new gate and information board are helping to reveal the story of this remarkable medieval water source.
The small stone well chapel dates from the early 15th century and is Grade II listed. Although now surrounded by suburban housing, the well once stood in open countryside and provided an important water supply to the west side of Coventry.
The well is believed to have belonged to Coventry Priory by 1410, when it stood on priory land. In the late 15th century, a small chapel-like stone structure was built over the spring, with lead pipes carrying water towards Spon End and the public conduits around Spon Street. One of these was at Conduit Yard, near St John’s Church.
The well was also known as Conduit Knob, reflecting its role in Coventry’s historic water supply. Before the Spon End waterworks were constructed in the 19th century, springs such as this were an important source of water for the city.
Today, the spring has long since run dry and the well is hidden behind a high fence. This protects the fragile historic structure but makes it difficult to see properly from the street.
That was not always the case. A local resident recalls being able to walk straight into the tiny chapel as a child. In 2016, the well was opened for Heritage Open Days, giving visitors a rare opportunity to see the interior at close quarters.
The building itself is remarkably small – only about 7ft by 5ft and 10ft high – and consists of a sandstone structure with a steeply pitched gabled roof and a pointed-arched entrance. Historic England describes it as a restored late-medieval, chapel-like well of Celtic type.
There are also various traditions surrounding St Catherine’s Well. St Catherine has historically been associated with the Christianisation of earlier sacred springs, and local folklore tells of a tunnel leading from the well towards the underworld, guarded by a giant cockerel. Such stories form part of the fascinating folklore that has grown up around ancient springs.
A new chapter for the well
The well is about to become rather more accessible and better explained. On Tuesday 11 August 2026, a new gate and information board was unveiled at St Catherine’s Well as part of the Sherbourne Valley Project.
The improvements should make it easier for people to appreciate this remarkable survivor, while still protecting the Grade II listed structure.
For the first time in more than a decade the well was opened up for the public to look at. The council has committed to tidy up the grounds that surround the well.
St Catherine’s Well can be found on Beaumont Crescent, just off Holyhead Road, close to the former Alvis factory site. Although the well itself is normally inaccessible, it can be viewed through the gate from the street. The Coventry Society hopes that further opportunities might arise to open up the site for public inspection.
For something so easily overlooked, St Catherine’s Well provides a remarkable link between modern Coventry and the city’s medieval past.
