Raven's Well - 5th February 2014

[dave_the_cave]

who: Dave G, Ivan E, George
where: Ravens well - Bristol
when: 5th February 2014
Heath Buntings Ravens Well photos
My photo album

First trip to Raven's Well

Raven'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.












 





 

[Dingley Dell]

Good photos Dave, probably the best that I've seen online of it.  I wish I could have made this trip, but my broken boiler conspired against me

[richardg]

Very interesting, thank you for sharing your adventure and photos.

A question.. Are the springs fed from the water table or are they specifically warm water springs ?

Richard

[dave_the_cave]

A question.. Are the springs fed from the water table or are they specifically warm water springs ?
Richard

I think they are fed from the water table, but how can you tell the difference? Certainly the water at the springs was not warm, and there was very little flow nor a crack from which the water emerged.

[richardg]

Thank you for that Dave_the_cave

Richard