An Anglo-Saxon well in Clevedon is set to be blessed, reclaiming its historic status since its restoration last year.

The restored well, instrumental in the Walton area during Anglo-Saxon times, will be formally blessed on March 23.

It will be conducted by bishop Barry Rogerson, the former bishop of Bristol.

The blessing event will be preceded by a talk on its history by local historian, Jane Lilly,

She will speak at 11am about the well's background and the intriguing history of the adjoining St Mary's Church and the broader area.

Ms Lilly’s talk is supplemented by an illustrated information board, provided by Discover Clevedon's Tom Vaughan, from Clevedon BID.

North Somerset Times: The restored well was instrumental in the Walton area during Anglo-Saxon times

For years, the well remained concealed under a crude wooden cover, largely unnoticed by those attending church services or casting their votes in the church hall during political elections.

Now, thanks to the dedicated efforts of several congregation members, the well is prominently displayed in the Well Garden, where its resplendent 15-foot depth of clear water can be appreciated beneath a protective metal grill.

Historically, this village was referenced as Stoke-super-Mare in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Its small populace, dating back to Saxon times, relied on the Ladye Bay's petite beach for fishing and Somerset coast trade.

An original church dedicated to St Paul was situated on this site, likely the solitary stone building and village's focal point before the entire settlement was mysteriously deserted in the early 17th century.

However, the site continued to serve as the parish church for Walton-in-Gordano, located just over a mile away.

John Norton, renowned for restoring Tyntesfield House in nearby Wraxall, rebuilt the dilapidated St Paul's church in 1869-70.

Refashioned and dedicated to St Mary, the rebuilt church catered to stylish cliff-top villas proliferating in the Bay Road vicinity from around 1860 onwards, concurrent with Clevedon's expansion as a popular Victorian seaside resort.