AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. 91 



the aisles in Dodbrooke Church belongs to that estate, and 

 that the proprietor is bound to keep the same in repair. 

 The ancient portions of this place, now mostly used as farm 

 buildings, are situated at the entrance of Wallingford Lane. 

 In John Gye's deed of 1529, Well appears under the name 

 of La Wyll, hence perhaps Langwell. In a feoffee deed 

 1601, Well occurs as Will-yeate. Yeate is used on Dart- 

 moor for a running stream, and thus Will-yeate would 

 mean that stream which comes down by Will. Well is 

 probably an ancient Saxon word for a spring of water. 

 Again, we find the following, "It is spoken of by tradition 

 that there was a holy spring of water at the once religious 

 establishment, at Well, in Dodbrooke, near Kingsbridge, 

 which the priest affirmed, with his prayers and incantations, 

 would relieve whatsoever complaints were brought to it; 

 and it seems that there were numbers of people from all 

 parts of the neighbourhood who resorted thither, and no 

 doubt considered it infallible. * * * There is no doubt 

 but that the place received its name from this famous 

 well; and there are many other places in the county, called 

 Holywell, Halwell, &c, which perhaps may be derived from 

 the like circumstances." There is an ancient road leading 

 from this house to the religious house at Leigh, near 

 Hatch Bridge. 



In Oliver's History of Exeter, he says, "There was in 

 ancient times, a hermitage at Dodbrooke :" and in Polwhele's 

 account of this parish we find these words, "In a place 

 called Court Green, near Court House, are the remains of 

 an old chapel, and the vestiges of a burying place belonging 

 to it. It is situated in a triangular plot, where three ways 

 meet. The walls are still standing, but roofless." This, 

 however, is not the case at the present time. We believe 



