Sacred Springs

What is so special about spring water How are wells holy What kinds of legends magically appear in these places And why are so many waters known for the healing of eyesThis little book tells the story of sacred springs and holy wells in the British Isles through carefully selected examples, beautifully illustrated by the author. A useful gazetteer at the back of the book catalogues further rewarding sites to visit.

• This edition Wooden Books Ltd 2000 First published as Holy Wells in Great Britain 2000 AD Published
• Introduction 1 Conditions and Cures 4 Madron Well 6 St Levans Well 8 St Augustines We
• 1 IntroductIon The Monks Well, Edington, Wiltshire What we now call holy wells are those springs and
• 2 3 for bringing water to isolated areas, and in the mideighteenth century visiting spas became fash
• 4 5 The waters of holy wells have long been used to heal many conditions, by drinking, bathing or oc
• 6 7 Just northwest of Penzance, the small village of Madron has one of the most famous wells in Corn
• 8 9 St Levans Well is set in a high, dramatic location, on the cliffs overlooking Porthchapel beach
• 10 11 Peaceful St Augustines Well is situated near the abbey ruins below the most famous hill figure
• 12 13 The Chalice Well is found in the peaceful Chalice Well Gardens at the foot of Chalice Hill. T
• 14 15 The steaming Hot Springs can be seen in the impressive Roman Bath Museum, in the centre of ele
• 16 17 The ancient hill town of Malmesbury stands on a rocky eminence, almost completely surrounded b
• 18 19 The peaceful and picturesque village of Bisley stands high on the Cotswold Hills and the delig
• 20 21 St Margarets Well is found in Binsey churchyard, across Port Meadow, the marshy common land no
• 22 23 The distinctive building of the Holy Well is situated at Malvern Wells, with St Anns Well near
• 24 25 Often starting as recognised holy wells and springs, the spas of Britain developed at the end
• 26 27 The mysterious Wizards Well is located on mystical Alderley Edge and overlooks the vast expans
• 28 29 Situated to the north of Preston, the attractive well at Fernyhalgh is a healing and pilgrimag
• 30 31 Kirkoswald is a small picturesque village in the Eden Valley, northeast of Penrith. The villa
• 32 33 St Anns Well is found in the centre of Buxton, the highest town in England, set in the beautif
• 34 35 The ancient art of well dressing originates from early veneration of the spirit of the spring,
• 36 37 Northwest of the delightful harbour town of Whitby is the quiet village of Hinderwell, with it
• 38 39 hOly WEllS, WAlSINGhAm Little Walsingham, Norfolk Situated to the north of Fakenham is the sma
• 40 41 The Holy Well of St Marys in bustling Willesden is found within the peace of the church, risin
• 42 43 St Govans Well and its isolated chapel can be found in the breathtaking coastal scenery at St
• 44 45 St Cybis Well is found beyond the churchyard in the delightful small village of Llangybi, with
• 46 47 St Winefrides Well with its bubbling, clear water is housed in a handsome medieval well chapel
• 48 49 Scotlandwell is found to the west of Kinross and the elegant well is in the centre of the vil
• 50 51 The unusual monument over the Well of the Heads is found on the road south of Invergarry, besi
• 52 53 The ancient town of Downpatrick is south of Belfast, and to the east of the town can be found
• 54 55 GAzETTEER Of SElECTED hOly WEllS WITh OS MAP REFERENCES AND PAGE NUMBERS OF SITES MENTIONED OR
• 56 57 Newark. Just outside Newark, the site is marked. oxfordshire Fair Rosamonds Well, Blenheim Pa
• 58 lanark St Patricks Well, Lanark NS875437 On south side of main street. lothian Brands Well, Gul