Fram Wellhead

Many of us who are familiar with Durham will have passed through Framwellgate or along Framwellgate Peth on our way into the city centre, but I imagine few of us will have taken a second thought about where that name comes from?

It is thought to be a mixture of Old English, “Fram” and “Wella”, and the Old Norse word “Gata”. Originally appearing on documents as “Framwelgat” it means “street by the strongly gushing spring”. A well was thought to have been sited at the head of the street and this was connected to a pant to supply water to the area. The Pant Master would have been the guardian of the City's wells and while this is not really needed these days, Durham does still appoint an Honorary Pant Master.

The Fram Wellhead, after which the area is named, was built in 1450 and was a gift to the city by Thomas Billingham and it would have protected the water source, preventing it from becoming contaminated. It was rebuilt in 1847 after becoming dilapidated and then restored in 1959 and re-sited 165 yards to the north east of its original location.

It is a Grade II listed structure and is a low rectangular, stone structure with buttresses at each corner and a small slot on the east side. There is a plaque on a bricked-up doorway on its southern face which states;

“CITY OF DURHAM.

This superstructure stood on the original site of The Ancient Fram Well Head at a spot approximately 165 yards to the North North-East now marked by a cairn. The inscription below was found on a tablet within the superstructure upon its removal to the present site in 1959.

This spring was given for the use on inhabitants of the City of Durham for ever by Thomas Billingham, Esq., by deed dated the 14th March, 1450 with leave to convey the water by pipes to the pant in the Market Place which grant was confirmed by a decree of the Court of Chancery in Durham on the 30th March, 1633. The reservoir having become dilapidated was rebuilt on the site and in the style of the original erection by public subscription in the year 1847.

Joseph Holmes, Robert Robson, Pant Masters.”