Thank you for your very thoughtful email,
Jeremy.
I can’t claim to have any research
knowledge except a deep love of wells and a delight in their company. One thing
I have been wondering about has been the links between holy wells and Neolithic
smallhol
I have also wondered why bowsenning has
only been mentioned amongst Cornish wells and no others in any other part of
the country. Indeed, the only other trace of similar practice I could find came
from
The recurring story of stan
Best wishes
Sarah
From:
WATER TALK - the email
Sent: 26 March 2007 20:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Saints' Wells
Dear All,
Perhaps a bit late to respond to this thread, but I've been mulling
over James' suggestion that there used to be more saints' wells in
This thought was triggered by a long day spent in in the Edwar
Another thing: several of the holy wells in these old cities are known
from one reference only. There seems to be just the one record of the St.
Mary's Well in Bristol, or St. Mary's in Southampton, or St. Martin's
in Winchester, or All Saints' Well in Colchester, and significantly these are
mentioned as reference points in abuttals of property, not as sources of
baptismal water or recipients of bequests. It looks very much as if 'St.
Martin's Well' means, not 'the well where we may be in touch with the power of
St. Martin', but 'that well in the
Just because a well has a saint's name doesn't mean it had a saint's
cult (Tristan has made the same point in the past). It may be that the number
of culted wells has always
been very small, perhaps one or two in each county, but that in the nature of
things there cults come and go, and then we gather together all the evidence of
the centuries and say 'Ah, the Age of Faith! What a lot of holy wells
there must have been in those days'.
Well, it's a theory. What does anyone think?
Jeremy Harte
********************************************************************
The information contained in this
message is confidential and may be
legally privileged. The message is
intended solely for the addressee(s).
If you are not the intended
recipient, you are hereby notified that any
use,
unlawful. If you are not the intended
recipient, please contact the
sender by return e-mail and destroy
all copies of the original message.
Visit the
This footnote also confirms that this
e-mail message has been swept by
MIMEsweeper for the presence of
computer viruses.
www.mimesweeper.com
********************************************************************
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.18/734 - Release Date: 26/03/2007 14:31
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.18/734 - Release Date: 26/03/2007 14:31