Open well (Period)
Covered well (SFPP)
A well is a vertical shaft sunk into the earth, from which water is drawn. It’s usually depicted as the
edifice built around the hole to prevent accidents: a short masonwork wall. It’s commonly round, as in the arms of Pronner von Tahlhausen, 1605 [Siebmacher 98]; but there are also period examples of square wells (in the canting arms of Hadiswell, 1586 [Bedingfeld 58]) and hexagonal wells (in the canting arms of da Fontana, mid-15
th C. [Triv 149]).
Some period arms depict wells (of all shapes) with a swape, or lever arm for drawing water.
In more modern heraldry, the well is depicted with a wooden cover or roof, and a cradle for a pail and rope [Franklyn 346]. This form of well was the first form registered in the Society; while still permitted, its use is now considered a step from period practice.
Neither form of well is the Society default. The type of well must be explicitly blazoned: either “open” or “roofless”, or “covered” or “roofed”.
Japanese well-frame (Accepted)
There is also the “Japanese well-frame” or “well-curb” (
igeta), with examples dating to the 15
th Century; it’s found in the 17
th Century
Mon of Inoue [Xavid Pretzer,
O-umajirushi: A 17th Century Compendium of Samurai Heraldry, p.218; cf. Hawley 79]. The motif is formed of four laths fretted; period examples show the laths either fretted as on a delf, or as on a mascle. The latter is the Society default. As the Japanese well-frame could also be blazoned in Western European terms, it is not a step from period practice.
For related charges, see fountain.
Jon Blackwell bears: Argent, a covered well sable.
Alina Meraud Bryte bears: Per fess rayonny azure and argent, an open book argent and a roofless well gules.
Gwenllian Brighid Hertewelle bears: Vert, in pale a stag’s head cabossed Or and a roofless stone well argent.
Kameyama Kengōro bears as a badge: Argent, the kanji shu within a Japanese well-frame sable.
