Billy Hobby's Well
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| Billy Hobby's Well | |
|---|---|
Billy Hobby's Well | |
| Location | Grosvenor Park, Chester, Cheshire, England |
| Coordinates | 53°11′23″N 2°52′49″W / 53.1897°N 2.8803°W |
| OS grid reference | SJ 4128 6620 |
| Built for | Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster |
| Architect | John Douglas |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Designated | 10 January 1972 |
| Reference no. | 1375825 |
Billy Hobby's Well is in Grosvenor Park, Chester, Cheshire, England. Its canopy is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[1]
Grosvenor Park was developed on land given to the city of Chester by Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster in the 1860s. The land consisted of fields on the north side of the River Dee overlooking the river. The largest of these fields was known as Billy Obbies' Field.[2] This field contained a spring or well that was believed to have magical powers; maidens stood with their right leg in the water and wished for husbands.[3] As part of the development of the park, the Marquess commissioned the Chester architect John Douglas to design a number of features for the park, including a canopy for the well.[4] The structure is now used as a pump house for the water garden in the park.[1]