who: Dave G, Ivan E, George
where: Ravens well - Bristol
when: 5th February 2014
Heath Buntings Ravens Well photosMy photo albumFirst trip to Raven's WellRaven's well is the source of the medieval water pipe in Bristol - called Temple Pipe built in 1366 to supply water to the friary at Temple Gate and Temple Church. A 100 years ago Temple pipe was severed by the building of the railway line. Raven's well is under the three lamps sign post at Totterdown. This was first publicised in Sally Watson's
Underground Bristol book which describes several such medieval pipes. So it has been on my wish list for some time. None of us has been before.
Heath Buntings photo of the three lamps junction:

Here is an overlay map by maggot combining the mendip underground survey with aerial photos of the location.

Passages hand hewn by monks - well the tool marks are everywhere

Long and straight passages

The water gets deep above the essentials and bridging eventually becomes untenable and emersion beckons.

The ledge

Ivan and George admiring an end point


Ivan ahead

A confluence of two waterways

A collapse

A spring source

Pick marks on the roof

An artefact? = a 1 foot wooden peg

Returning

Looking along a collapse

The capped well shaft of the three lamps


Ivan leading as always





Remains of a pipe

Heavily calcited end point

Yet another end passage or spring

The sump

George not coming to see the sump

Good little trip - harder to find the entrance than I realised in the dark. But well worth the effort. Nice to visit something
from the underground bristol book. Very convenient for Ivan and George who both live within a mile and we ended up in one of Ivans locals. Good beer too - but no food unlike the Hunter's. Just expensive crisps.