Drummer Boy's Well - Harpham
(TA 0912 6153)

The Drummer's Well is located in a grass field to the west of Harpham church (St John's). The well appears to be a spring/artesian type, which rises in a circular stone built shaft, around 4 feet in diameter and at least 4 feet deep (the Rev. Smith was told the shaft was 12 feet deep). The water fills the shaft up to the rim and then over flows to form a boggy area on its south side. An old photograph shows a large pond alongside the well, and this apparently covered the well entirely on some occasions.
On a visit in summer 2000 it was not possible to judge the true depth of the well because it it was choked with vegetation, as it was in 1988, however the well must have been cleared out at some point over the years or it would now be totally filled up?
The field where the well is located has numerous humps and bumps and these are the said to be the remains of the manorial hall of the St Quintin's family, who are linked with the legend attached to the Drummers Well. The older version of the story relates how William the conqueror promised the lands of Harpham to the first person in his army to enter the village. By chance a drummer boy reached the village first, but one of the St Quintin's was close behind, so he killed the boy and threw his body into the well, in order to claim the land for himself. Since that time the sound of a drum has been heard coming from the well whenever the head of St Quintin family is about to die.

The more 'Quintin friendly' version relates how, many years ago, an archery tournament took place in the field alongside the old manor house and during the proceedings squire Quintin accidentally knocked a drummer boy into the well, who was drowned before he could be rescued. The local wise woman pronounced that although it was an accident, the boys spirit would return to beat his drum in the well as a portent of the approaching death of a St. Quentin.