YOULGRAVE – DAVID OAKES

DERBYSHIRE WELL DRESSING.

Water has always been a precious necessity and commodity and in places such as Derbyshire (middle England) which is predominantly an area of porous Limestone sources of fresh water Springs and Wells have since pagan times be held as very precious sites. So precious that over the centuries the ritual of Blessing the wells was of major local significance. Originally pagan ceremonies were held to give thanks for the water and to protect it from evil spirits but like all traditional pagan customs the Churches sought to regularise the tradition with a Blessing. Wells were also decorated in celebration of the gift of water and over the centuries this decoration became known as Well Dressing.

The Well Dressing takes many forms but the most popular to-day is the use of large display boards that are first filled with wet clay then have intricate religious designs (both traditional and modern) created by the use of flower petals, herbs and seeds. Here is one such design (each year and each village has a different theme)….

This well is at Youlgrave and is just one of several in the village. On Well Dressing day the village is lead on a procession from the church and visits in turn each of the villages well’s. The procession is lead by the Village Band followed by Church dignitaries then the villagers and of course lots of visitors. At each Well there is a short Blessing and Prayers said in thanks for the continuing supply and the purity of the waters. Prayers said then the procession moves onto the next well and the service repeated…..