St. John's Well, Hatherleigh, Devon, England

## Overview St. John's Well is a historic public drinking spring located in the town of Hatherleigh in Devon, England. The well is housed within a charming small Victorian brick structure fitted with a wooden door, reflecting the care and reverence with which local communities once protected their water sources. Wells dedicated to St. John are found throughout the British Isles and often have roots stretching back to pre-Christian times, later rededicated to Christian saints during the medieval period. Hatherleigh itself is a small market town with origins dating to at least the Saxon era, and St. John's Well has likely served as a communal water source for centuries. The well sits at approximately 50.821238°N, 4.056665°W, nestled within the rolling Devon countryside. While no formal water quality testing data is publicly available for this spring, it has historically been used as a local drinking water source. As with any natural spring, water conditions can change over time. ## What to Expect Visitors will find a small but picturesque Victorian brick wellhouse with a wooden door — a style typical of 19th-century efforts to enclose and protect community springs across rural England. The structure is modest in size but full of character, and it makes for a lovely photograph. Hatherleigh is a quiet Devon market town, so the surrounding area is peaceful and rural. The well is publicly accessible. If you're visiting the area, Hatherleigh is also known for its historic weekly market and its connections to the English Civil War, making St. John's Well a worthwhile stop on a broader exploration of the town's heritage. As this is a natural spring enclosed in a historic structure, expect a simple, unadorned experience — there are no modern amenities at the well itself. The town of Hatherleigh offers pubs, shops, and other services nearby.