Historic Bovey Tracey spot given a new look after ‘real community effort’

A historic corner of Bovey Tracey has been given a fresh boost with the installation of a new name plaque at St Mary’s Well.

The well, located towards the top of the town, is set into a garden wall next to the parish church, now dedicated to St Peter, St Paul and St Thomas. 

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It was previously dedicated to St Mary, from which the well takes its name.

The site has long been a popular place for residents to sit and watch the world go by, with its traditional bus stop sign, red letter box and flower beds maintained by members of the town’s Garden Club.

The new plaque was installed following a suggestion made during judging for Bovey in Bloom. 

Former Garden Club chairman Julia Mooney took on the project, securing materials and arranging for its creation.

She said: “At one of our meetings for Bovey in Bloom, a judge suggested that we should have a name plaque so I looked into it.

“That was two years ago but we couldn’t put it on the wall itself because it’s listed and its ownership is unclear, but it looks very good in the spot we’ve chosen.”

ABOVE: (L-R) Peter Stanyon and Roger Runce install the sign 

The slate plaque was donated by local supplier Kenmart, while the wooden frame was made by volunteers at the Bovey Community Workshop, known as the Bovey Shed. Ms Mooney covered the remaining costs herself.

Shed founder Simon Carter said volunteer Steve Ware took on the task of building the frame.

“It was virtually the day Steve joined and he just took it on and ran with it, we’re really really impressed,” he said.

Volunteers from the workshop have also carried out other improvements at the site, including reinforcing the bench and fitting new feet.

Garden Club chairman Sue Nickels said the group continues to maintain the area, which is in a prominent position in the town.

“We look after the garden because it’s a prominent area, especially with the bus stop, and whenever I come up to look after it people stop and say how lovely it is,” she said.

“The wet weather has prevented us from doing much of late but now with things a bit drier, the new sign will give us motivation.”

ABOVE: (L-R) Steve Ware and Simon Carter at the well bench the Shed repaired

Mayor Cllr Sheila Brooke praised the community effort behind the project.

“I’m thrilled, it’s a real community effort which is brilliant and so typical of Bovey Tracey, all these volunteers looking after the town,” she said.

“Without them we’d have none of these lovely things.”

Folklore linked to the well suggests a traveller, possibly St Mary herself, once blessed the site after receiving hospitality from a local priest, and turned the frogs in the well golden.

Although water no longer flows into the stone trough, the location remains a well-known and valued spot in Bovey Tracey.