Historic well littered with trash and graffiti

FRIDAY, JUNE 17: The state of the historic Black Watch Well has been described as a “disgrace” by passersby heading through Black Watch Pass.

The site — once a visitor attraction — is overgrown with weeds, littered with bottles and trash, and its plaque so faded, it is unreadable.

One woman — who asked not to be named — yesterday said she was shocked by the state of the well and memorial.

“It’s a disgrace that it’s so run-down,” she said.

“It’s part of Bermuda’s history and it should be much better looked after.”

Vandals

The site has graffiti scratched on its concrete cover. The wooden sign commemorating the digging of the well, more than 160 years ago, also needs renovating.

A phone box sign is among the items of trash needing to be removed.

Dr Ed Harris, National Museum of Bermuda director, said: “All of our historic monuments should be maintained and kept in good order. It’s part of the public face of Bermuda for our visitors.

“Black Watch Well is a cultural icon, in that a lot of people used to have wells.

“That’s where they got their fresh water in the earliest times and it’s a valuable reminder of the past.

“The point of these things is you either destroy them or keep them in good repair.

“It’s not good to leave things looking like they’re not cared for.

“If they don’t look cared for, vandals move in and make things even worse.”

The Ministry of Public Works, which is responsible for maintaining Black Watch Well, did not respond to questions from the Bermuda Sun yesterday.

The well was dug by soldiers in 1849, during a prolonged drought. The Governor of the day ordered the troops — part of the Bermuda Garrison — to dig the well to provide water for the poor of the parish and their cattle.

Black Watch Pass — cut to connect North Shore Road to Hamilton — was created in 1934, by removing 2.5 million cubic feet of rock.

It was named after the well, which is located at the northern end of the cutting.

The Black Watch has its origins in the Highlands of Scotland, where clansmen loyal to the German King George I were recruited to police the area after the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion.

This aimed to restore the legitimate claimant James III of England and VIII of Scotland to the throne.

In the aftermath of the uprising, civilians were banned from wearing traditional Highland dress. But regiments loyal to the Hanoverian regime were allowed to wear them.

Tartan

The Black Watch took its name from the dark-coloured ‘Government tartan’ used for its kilts.

Famous former members of the regiment include James Bond creator Ian Fleming, Hollywood actor Stewart Granger and Fergus Bowes-Lyon, brother of the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who was killed in action in France during the First World War.

The regiment was absorbed into the new Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006, although the regimental kilt and the distinctive red hackle on soldiers’ headgear is still worn by what is now the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.