South Shields, South Tyneside
Hogshead Well, South Shields
Last Updated:
7 Jul 2020
South Shields, South Tyneside
This is a
Well
55.005383, -1.427119
Founded in
Current status is
Destroyed
Designer (if known):
Site is now North Marine Park. The well was destroyed by levelling of Ballast Hills
'Immediately below (the Lawe) on the sands was Hogshead Well, in later times known as the Roman Well, which was so wantonly destroyed by the levelling of the ballast hills for the North Park extension - thus wrote Hodgson in 1903. In 1805 it had been included in a list of public wells which it was recommended should be opened out and deepened to relieve the water shortage in South Shields. In 1910 Rev. C.E. Adamson noted that in 1896 a well was found at the foot of the Lawe...described by Mr. G.B. Hodgson...as consisting of a circular shaft lined with Roman bricks in an excellent state of preservation, and yielding a regular flow of pure water. It was buried the next year during some operations at the Marine Park.'
- Sitelines
Listing Description (if available)
The Ordnance Survey maps above illustrate The Law in South Shields. Just under The Lawe sat Hogshead Well, later known as the Roman well. On the first edition from 1862, The well can be seen under Lawe Bank as a small sphere. The well was actually on the sands, noted as a circular shaft made of Roman Brick. Unfortunately by the 1898 edition no such structure existed as it was destroyed while levelling the terrain in the area. Unfortunately nothing is known of the remains, but fragments of the Roman brick may potentially be buried.