Friends of Flass Vale, parish councillors and representatives from Redhills Durham have marked the restoration of a historic Well on Flass Lane, within Durham City.
Flass Well is shown on the 1861 Ordinance Survey Map. No structure was detected, suggesting that it was a natural spring. Flass Well served residents into the post-war period, but eventually, it fell out of use and became lost to the overgrowth.
The restoration is a collaboration between City of Durham Parish Council, Redhills, Durham County Council and Durham University’s archaeology department.
Flass Well and Flass Lane sit on the edge of Flass Vale. This area was exploited for quarrying in the 20th century, and from the late 1960s onwards Flass Vale faced a series of development threats. September 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the protests by local residents.
Walking in Flass Vale, residents came across a man standing by a bulldozer – concerned because he had disturbed a badger. It was the beginning of work to build 30 houses on the Shaw Wood site. Permission had been granted 10 years earlier and work began when access became available. A residents group was formed and they campaigned to stop the current work and Save Flass Vale. The campaign was successful and in 1974 the land was taken into public ownership, it later became part of a designated Local Nature Reserve managed by the Friends of Flass Vale, who have supported the well restoration.
The well excavation by Durham University’s archaeology department confirmed that it was a brick and concrete structure built over the original spring. A small inlet in the floor suggests that it was augmented with a pump. Steps on the north side allowed access to the well area, and a socket for a gate or fence post at the top of the steps shows the well was surrounded with railings.
After it had gone out of use it was filled with rubbish including rubble, tyres and a Darth Vader figure!
