St Catherines Well | Newark Guide

St Catherines Well
The Sacred Leprosy Healing Spring and The Legend of the Fair Maid of Newark

A series of simple black and white pencil-style sketches illustrating the legend of St Catherine's W.jpeg

Long before Newark had polling stations or oversized houses, there was a holy well nestled near what is now Sconce and Devon Park. This wasn’t just any spring — this was St Catherine’s Well, a site so revered that it was believed to heal leprosy. Yes, leprosy. In an age when medicine involved more prayer than penicillin, this was a big deal .. ive added in the Legend at the bottom of this article (adds a splash of medieval romance)

To honour the miraculous waters, a chapel dedicated to St Catherine was built over the well. Pilgrims came, prayers were said, and the water flowed. But as centuries passed, the chapel disappeared — not with a bang, but with a quiet fade into history. Today, the well survives as a moss-covered, concrete-lined pond, tucked discreetly into a private ornamental garden.

Fast forward in time and the well found itself in the garden of St Catherine’s Cottage, a charming white house that once served as a small convent. According to locals, you could still see the marks of the nuns’ beds in the attic

The spring water, still flowing, was used to supply the house — purified, of course, because even holy water needs a filter these days

But then came the twist: the cottage was demolished in the 1980s to make way for a “HUGE house”, as one local put it — a modern mansion that now guards the well like a dragon over treasure

A 2001 geophysical survey conducted at the site of St Catherine’s Cottage revealed linear anomalies, possibly indicating the remains of back-filled ditches or other subsurface features

These findings suggest that the area may have had earlier structures or boundaries, possibly linked to the original chapel or convent that once stood near the well.

You can spot the brick culvert where the spring flows into the River Devon, about 100 yards upstream from the Devon Bridge

The Legend of the Fair Maid of Newark (14th Century)

According to Frank Earp’s retelling, the well is tied to the tragic tale of Lady Isabel de Cauldwell, known as the Fair Maid of Newark.

Lady Isabel de Cauldwell was the daughter of a noble house, known not only for her beauty but for her kindness and grace.

Lady Isabel was admired by many, but two knights in particular vied for her affection: Sir Guy Saucimer and Sir Everard Bevercotes, Lord of Balderton. Childhood friends turned rivals, both men were brave, honourable, and deeply in love with Isabel. She, however, could not choose between them — her heart torn equally.

Frustrated, the knights gave her an ultimatum: choose one, and the other would accept her decision. But Isabel, unable to decide, left the matter to fate. The knights agreed to settle the matter by combat, trusting that God would favour the worthy.

On the eve of St Catherine’s Day (23/24 Nov), the two knights met in a field by the River Devon. Lances shattered, swords clashed, and the duel raged into the night. Eventually, Sir Guy struck a fatal blow to Sir Everard, who fell to the ground, blood pouring from his wound. At that very spot, the earth opened and a spring of clear water burst forth — mingling with Everard’s blood as it flowed to the river.

Sir Guy, horrified by what he had done, fled the scene.

When news reached the castle, Lady Isabel collapsed in grief. She died within hours, her heart broken. Meanwhile, Sir Guy, tormented by guilt, joined a band of pilgrims to Rome. Along the way, he was abandoned in France, stricken with leprosy — a punishment, he believed, for his sin.

He wandered the countryside in misery until one night, in a fevered dream, St Catherine appeared to him in radiant light. She told him that only the waters of the spring where he had slain his friend could heal him.

Sir Guy returned to England, confessed his sins, and was consecrated as a hermit. He made his way back to Newark and bathed in the spring. Miraculously, his leprosy was cured. In gratitude, he built a stone wall around the spring and a small chapel nearby, dedicating it to St Catherine. He lived out his days in piety, ministering to the sick and needy, and became known as St Guthred.

The spring, now known as St Catherine’s Well, became a place of healing and pilgrimage. Though now hidden in a private garden near Sconce and Devon Park, its waters still flow.

The legend, first written down in the 15th century and later popularised by W. Dickinson in 1816, may blend folklore with fiction — but its emotional truth endures.

Even if the tale was embellished or invented, it draws on deep traditions of medieval storytelling: the love triangle, the duel of honour, the miraculous spring, and the redemptive power of faith.

Some say that on quiet evenings, when the wind rustles through the trees and the river runs slow, you can still feel her presence. A soft chill in the air. A ripple in the water. A whisper of silk and sorrow.

The well, now hidden in the grounds of a private home, may no longer be accessible to the public — but its legend lives on. In the name of the street nearby (Caldwell Drive, St Catherines Close, Saucemere Drive). In the memories of schoolchildren who once visited it. And in the hearts of those who still believe that love, honour, and sacrifice can leave a mark on the land.