Before Great Torrington existed their was a small settlement on a hill. The spring water found up on the hill was the reason early British people could settle there.  The cleanest, purest water was always found at the top of a hill and it was surrounded by fertile land with a river for transportation so it was ideal.

The name

The name Windy Cross probably came from the old English words for well being wella, wille or waella. There never has been a cross road there, it was a straight road into town from the west gate in the old town walls with a small lane which eventually became the Whites Lane/Hasldon Terrace we know today. The cross in the name will, therefore, refer to the cross on the well. So the name 'windy' was probably wille hundreds of years ago suggesting it was simply known as 'Well' which became corrupted to Windy and became known as Windy Cross after the cross was erected.

It's position in the town

Windy Cross Well is the highest well in the town and always communal, for travellers and surrounding properties. The well water from it sustained it's people and allowed the town to grow into the modern day town we know today.

The well stretches back through many millennia, way back into prehistory, but in medieval times Windy Cross well was just inside the town walls close to the west gate.  As travellers came through the west gate from the direction of Cornwall their first stop would have been the well to rest themselves and their thirsty horses and donkey's before heading into town.

The hermit Nun

Here is a story that nun lived in a hermitage close to the well and tended it. She had a reputation for healing and people who would come from miles around to see her for treatment for aliments and would be cured. For that reason it was given holy status which is why it has a cross.

The end.

The current pump house that sits over the top of the ancient well was 'modernised' from the older well structure to bring it up to date in the mid 1800's. Prior to that it would have been an open well with maybe an ancient shelter over it.

At some point a reservoir was built out of town to supply it with piped, clean, water via pipes directly into peoples homes and the pure water of the well was made inaccessible by removal of the hand pump. It became just an empty building. Eventually even the entrance to the pump-house was sealed in the 1970's.

We have currently removed the stones that blocked the entrance and can now proceed to investigate the well. It is looking like it is intact and healthy. This could take a while and we'd love to hear from you if you could help us.