Five Wells Lane
FIVE WELLS LANE connects CHURCH STREET to the bottom of LADY STREET
From Church Street, FIVE WELLS LANE is well known for its very narrow entrance which has given many a car driver a nasty scrape along their vehicle. Obviously, never designed for the present day motor vehicle, it gives access to the `well` and to the rear of many of the shops located in Coinagehall Street. This includes Woolworths which at one time used an unloading bay at the rear of its premises for all goods for the shop. However, the narrowness of the lane makes it virtually impossible for anything other than a car to succesfully navigate its length!
THE FIVE WELLS
Long before my Grandfather W F Ivey was born the local inhabitants of Helston certainly did`nt have the luxury of clean drinking water piped direct to their houses. Some properties had their own well, known as a “PLUMP”, located in backyards and gardens. However, for the majority of people getting drinking water meant a trip to the nearest public water source. This would be from wells, shutes or pumps.
The `FIVE WELLS` was one such source of water.
Residents would decend the granite steps to fill their buckets etc with the clean water. It would also have been a focal point for many people carrying out the daily chores of washing clothes and probably themselves!
To the right is the TOWN TRAIL No3 plaque.
WHEELBARROW LANE & COBBLED OPE
WHEELBARROW LANE & COBBLED OPE are cobbled alleyways off Five Wells Lane which allow access to Church Street and Coinagehall Street respectively.
Granite steps with granite inserts between allowed the local inhabitants relatively easy access down to the `Five Wells` with wheelbarrows (hence the name) etc.
