Visitors to the lush forest just 500 metres south-east of St George at Vassilika will encounter a picturesque old well. It’s a rectangular structure, built out of stonework and plaster atop an elevation, and proves that there’s groundwater here. The recent layers of concrete on it show that it was in use recently. Wells would traditionally have been dug and built by an entire village community or by groups of villagers. However, they could also be privately owned. In many cases, the stones around the mouth of a well have been inscribed with the initials of the well’s owner, or the community leader who had it constructed, in addition to the year of construction. Here though, the wear and tear suffered by the stones has wiped out any inscriptions that may have existed.
Visitors should be warned: the well shaft is not covered. It’s generally a good idea to be careful around wells encountered when enjoying a hike through the woods, especially for families with young children or pets.