Well Dressing

Amongst the customs of Derbyshire, perhaps the best known, most colourful and popular one is that of Well Dressing or, as it is more correctly known, Well Flowering. Its beginning and subsequent history and reason for the custom being preserved are obscure. It almost certainly originated in pagan sacrifices to water-gods, but the early Christians banned all types of water worship.

Gradually however, the custom was revived, and many ancient springs were 'purified' and re-dedicated to the Christian 'Virgin Mary' or to one of the Christian saints. Tissington began well dressing again after an outbreak of the Black Death in 1350. The village escaped, thanks to the purity of the water and well dressing has continued there to the present day.

The thanksgiving for the gift of water is today celebrated by the blessing of the wells and a festival for the whole village. The actual dressing of the well is done by the villagers and consists of designs made from growing materials, mainly flower petals, though some villages including Barlow and Holymoorside have traditionally used whole flower heads. The dressings are based on wooden frames and the petals pressed into a base of clay, producing strikingly beautiful dressings. Some wells are dressed in secret, others you can go along and watch.

Local Well dressings take place between May and September at Ault Hucknall/Holmewood/Heath, Brackenfield/Wessington, Barlow, Coal Aston, Cowley, Cutthorpe, Homesfield and Holymoorside.

A list of dates is available from the Council Offices tel 01246 231111 extension 2446.

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