“Water from the Well…”

The old reservoir of 1757 at the top of Causewayhead in Penzance, was supplied by three streams, one of these was from Madron Well. Although many of the springs in the Madron Well area have been piped by local farmers, the Wishing Well never runs dry. Water from the Well probably flowed in an open leat round the hill from the north, along what is now the tree lined path from the well towards the village. Sometime later iron pipes were laid under the ground to carry the water more securely, then through the village and across what is now Madron churchyard. Water that was not used by the inhabitants of Madron, then flowed downhill towards Heamoor to join a new leat running to the reservoir at Causewayhead.

In 1807 part of St Madern's churchyard wall fell into the leat and was repaired at a cost of £80 10s 0d. Records show that the leat was piped underneath the road, but still ran in an open leat across the north side of the church. In 1820 the ancient churchyard was full and a new burying ground was sought, but in 1829 it was decided to just extend the existing churchyard on the north and the leat was diverted round the churchyard past the school-house, where, in 1936 Jennings writes …it still supplies Madron village. [Historical Notes on ‘Madron, Morvah and Penzance’, Henry R Jennings 1936].

In 1852 a new reservoir was opened at Boscathnoe, near Tregwainton Gardens, to provide a better water supply for Penzance. Water was taken from the Lariggan Stream that this walk crosses at Point 8, that then flows down the valley beneath Trengwainton Carn to meet the sea at Wherry Town.

(Extract from ‘History of Penzance Water Supply’ by Robin Knight)