Coventina's Fountain, by the Rev. J. C. Bruce, LL.D. 357 



channel of the stream was probably kept clear, but when they 

 deserted it, and when the dwellings which they had constructed 

 on both of its banks were thrown down and left to encumber 

 the ground, the stream would have to find its way as best it 

 could through an obstructed course. In consequence of this, 

 the little valley was eventually converted into a peat bog, called 

 the Strands, and it was frequented by wild geese and wild ducks. 

 The water which issued from the spring was highly prized 

 by the inhabitants of the neighbouring farm houses, it being 

 considered good for making tea and all victualling purposes. It 

 is described as issuing from the ground in quantities sufficiently 

 great (if stored ) to drive a mill for eight hours out of the twenty 

 four. One farmer when speaking of its former condition, said, 

 that if he had known that the water of the well had passed 

 through so much oxydized copper, as it now seems to have done, 

 he certainly would not have touched the tea that was made of it. 

 For the last seven years or thereabouts the spring has ceased to 

 appear, its sources, as is supposed, having been interfered with 

 by the drifts of some lead mines which are situated in the valley 

 of the South Tyne. If all the tales be true which are told of the 

 nymphs presiding in ancient and mediseval times over fountains 

 and sacred fanes, they were not the meekest of personages. 

 Coventina, the goddess of this well, has had ample revenge upon 

 the destroyers of her fountain. The mine which is supposed to 

 have been in fault was "drowned out" for several months, a 

 pumping engine which cost something like £5000 had to be 

 erected, and the money expended annually upon the coal neces- 

 sary to drive the machinery must amount to a considerable sum. 



More than a century ago the attention of the Rev John Horsley 

 was called to this spring. At page 145 of his great work, the 

 "Britannia Romana," he says, "The buildings without this 

 fort (Carrawburgh) have been chiefly on the west side, where 

 about a year ago they discovered a well. It is a good spring, 

 and the receptacle for the water is about seven feet square within, 

 and built on all sides with hewn stone ; the depth could not be 

 known when I saw it, because it was almost filled up with rubbish. 

 There had also been a wall about or an house built over it, and 

 some of the great stones belonging to it were yet lying there. 

 The people called it a cold bath and rightly judged it to be Roman." 



In consequence of the diversion of the feeders of the spring, 



