Discovery of historic 10 foot deep well at Navan's Sheep Market

The recently discovered historic well at Navan's Old Sheep Market on Church Hill is currently undergoing restoration work which is expected to be completed by the end of October.

As the Navan 2030 works continued at the Sheep Market workers discovered the 10 metre deep well close to the archway leading to the Old Foresters Hall.

The restoration works will include the installation of internal lighting and a glass top cover, while paving works at the Old Sheep Market are substantially complete.

The well, which was until now undocumented, measures 0.88 metres in diameter and roughly 10 metres deep. It is fully lined with dry-stone walling and contains a lead pipe, possibly linked to an early pumping system.

The construction suggests a gravity-fed or siphon-based mechanism, likely used to serve either public or private water needs.

It is not marked on any known historical maps.

According to local archaeologist, Clare Ryan, the well’s presence is particularly noteworthy considering the work of Bishop Nulty, who lived in Navan during the late 19th century and was a strong advocate for access to clean water.

"He dammed a small stream that meanders through the nuns' field, flowing into the canal beneath the bridge just past what is known as the 'Finger Post'. His innovative use of Athlumney Castle to create a dam on a local stream and install a gravity-fed water system for his residence serves as a key example of early civic infrastructure."

Bishop Nulty’s system, utilising an elevated header tank on the castle roof, enabled water to be piped to the parochial house and nearby properties at a time when Navan had no municipal water supply. "To prepare the community and instruct them about the dangers of using the natural liquid, he delivered several lectures at the CYMS Hall, illustrated by lantern slides that depicted the numerous living germs and animal colonies they ingested while quenching their thirst.

"Aside from the disfigurement of the tower of Athlumney, it was a pleasant little scheme that provided the first filtered water to the Parochial House and the schools."

Piped water did not become officially available in the town until 1896, suggesting that the bishop’s work may have influenced later developments.

The water conditions from wells around Navan town are documented in the Navan Town Commissioners Meetings 1893. The well identified as The Bishops, supplied to the schoolhouse at Fair Green, is likely the newly discovered well. The water is described as the best of the 16 wells investigated in the town.

Further evidence of private water arrangements is found in a draft memorandum dated 1st January 1894, outlining an agreement between Rev Patrick Farrell, Parochial House, Navan, the Belfast Banking Company and the Sullivan family of Bedford Place, Church Hill. The document details the terms for providing water to both domestic and commercial premises, including rental obligations and maintenance responsibilities. It highlights the semiformal nature of water provision before municipal control.

Clare points out that Navan’s reliance on wells and springs before 1896 is well-documented, with various public wells distributed throughout the town’s medieval core. The Toberorum well on Toberorum Lane is a notable example. Considered the principal well within the town walls during the Middle Ages, it was restored in 1858 and carried religious significance, reflected in its name, meaning “well of the prayers.” The well’s connection to Michael Collier, a well-known local figure, further illustrates the deep integration of water sources into Navan’s social and cultural fabric.

"The rediscovery of the Church Hill well not only adds to this historical landscape but may also provide a material link to Bishop Nulty’s broader water initiatives, reinforcing the role of ecclesiastical innovation in the development of local public health infrastructure," she said.