Monument record MDO28136 - Ice Well, Rear of Angel Inn, 28 Market Street, Poole

A brick-built circular ice well with remnants of a corbelled top (replaced by concrete slabs) was found beneath the yard surface behind the Angel Inn, Market Street, Poole. It is probably 18th or early 19th century in date.

A circular brick-lined shaft was found beneath the former yard behind the Angel Inn, Market Street, Poole during redevelopment of the site in 2003. This was about one metre in diameter with vertical sides over 3.6 m deep, the bottom was not exposed. The interior was void down to a depth of about three metres. There was little mortar bonding visible and the whole structure had become deformed in places. The shape of the surviving top indicated that originally it may have had a corbelled cover. The original top had been removed and the structure capped with flat concrete slabs. The corbelling at the top suggests this was an ice well, rather than a well. Ice wells were stores to keep ice into the summer and are sometimes found in towns where they may relate to the storage of fish, etc by shops rather than domestic use. This one perhaps relates to the market under the Guildhall or to the Angel Inn itself. Although undated, it is likely to be 18th or early 19th century in date, as from the mid 19th century imported ice and improvements in refrigeration made ice houses and ice wells redundant. (1)

Record last edited

Feb 21 2012 2:07AM