Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Wells

Folklore / Wells

Pistyll Teilo

This pool and waterfall lie in a ravine below an old ruined curch dedicated to St Teilo (Capel Teilo). The water from the waterfall has long been thought to have healing properties, it was said to heal bruises and other ailments including rheumatism and sprains. All you had to do was hold the affected part in the main stream of icy water for a short while.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Folklore / Wells

Llddwyn Island

This island is connected by a sandy beach to Anglesey, and was home in the Dark Ages to a religious community, founded by the female Saint Dwynwen. St Dwynwen is a patron saint of Welsh lovers, and after her death the island became an important place of pilgrimage.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Wells

St Patrick’s Well

Around 450AD St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland is supposed to have preached on the banks of Ullswater in Cumbria. The whole Patterdale area is named after him. In Glenridding a Holy Well dedicated to St Patrick can still be found roughly one mile outside of the village of Glenridding.

Aquatic Monsters / Cryptozoology / Hauntings / Legends / Wells

Loch Awe

Loch Awe is Scotlands third largest fresh water loch at with a length of 35km and total surface area of 14.9 miles. It shares a common legend about its creation which concerns a well that flooded.

Ancient Sites / Folklore / Hauntings / Wells

Nether Stowey

Nether Stowey has a number of holy wells, and the crossroads at Over Stowey is traditionally haunted by a creature known as the Galley Beggar, who laughs demonically at passers by. A Galley Begger is the local name for a frightening spirit.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Legends / Wells

The Chalice Well, Glastonbury

The Chalice Well has been associated with healing and with the Holy Grail for many years. According to legend Joseph of Arimethea placed the cup that held the blood of Christ into the well. The waters run red with Iron Oxide another association with blood.

Ancient Sites / Festivals / Folklore / May / Wells

Drummers Well, Harpham

The drumming well located near to the church is reputed to foretell death in the family of St Quentin. The folklore relates to a story about a fourteenth century drummer called Tom Hewson, who was accidentally knocked down the well by a St Quentin squire. His mother put a curse on the family predicting that the sound of drumming from the well would predict death in the family.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Fairies / Folklore / Legends / Mermaids / Wells

St Ethelbert’s Holy Well

Around 794AD, King Offa of Mercia demanded the head of the Christian King Ethelbert of East Anglia whilst he was making arrangements to marry Offa’s daughter. Not far from the location of Marden Church the young king was assassinated and his body hidden. After rumours of Ethelbert’s ghost being seen in the marden area, Offa asked the Pope for absolution.