St Stephens’s Holy Well, Launceston

St Stephens’s holy well is hidden down a footpath in the village near Launceston. 

A medieval site I’ve not ascertained whether it is Celtic or later. The village of St Stephens’s predates Launceston which was called Dunheved originally. Launceston means the holy place of Stephen. There is still an area called Lanstephen (a ‘lan’ being a holy site) near the church. It’s certainly late Medieval but I’ve yet to find the origins of the well or any associated legends. Despite this it was interesting to visit and see the spring running clear and fresh with an abundance of water in the well. It’s always slightly surreal stumbling across these ancient places ostensibly in the middle of nowhere. Even if it’s not a Celtic well, it’s still well over 500 years old yet seemingly forgotten.

We stopped and prayed here as is our usual practise, worshipping easily and praying for God to release any of His deposit which remains here. I had a brief vision of a man historically at the well who was clearly insane and mentally anguished. I sensed he was in his right mind after being prayed for. So it’s possible the specialness of this site and the people who prayed here was deliverance from mental torment. 

Behind the main wellhouse there is another chamber containing water but barred by a metal grid. Reading up, it appears this too is a holy well and predates the wellhouse one. However more than this I’ve yet to discover.