First of all the [ b/w ] pic. is old to begin with WWII 40's , ...... who knows when the well was built , 1800's ? , .....
To me it seems that the only reason a pipe looking metal rod is sticking out of the left , top side of the well could be a plumbing addition .
Can't fathom any other reason for that metal pipe/rod , ........ the town well dries up , .......... we got this stone thing that doesn't work any more , ........
Sacrebleu , ....... we add zee plumbing to zee well , ..... and now she works again so zee town can use zee well ........
Without a pump handle to pump the water up from underground , a natural spring fed well would run all the time .
I don't see this well constantly flowing .
I just think at some time , or maybe from it's original construction this stone structure was plumbed to give water .