Maiden's Well (Uttoxeter): Difference between revisions
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Maiden's Well in Uttoxeter, is now situated in a private garden, at 21 Highwood Road, Uttoxeter. It was formerly known as Marian's Well, or perhaps this was an alternative name; it was thus named already in 1658. A local historian suggested in 1886 that the element 'Marian' referred to Maid Marian. | Maiden's Well in Uttoxeter, is now situated in a private garden, at 21 Highwood Road, Uttoxeter. It was formerly known as Marian's Well, or perhaps this was an alternative name; it was thus named already in 1658. A local historian suggested in 1886 that the element 'Marian' referred to Maid Marian. | ||
As late as ''c.'' 1800 the well was still known locally for its supposedly healing waters and was, moreover, believed to be haunted by the ghost of a beautiful young lady. Yet a couple of generations later it was largely forgotten. Writing in the 1860s to 1880s, Uttoxeter local historian Francis Redfern believed the well dated back to the time, if not of the Celts, then the Romans or at least the Anglo-Saxons (see Allusions below).<ref>Also {{:Redfern, Francis 1873a}}, see pp. 267, 270 | As late as ''c.'' 1800 the well was still known locally for its supposedly healing waters and was, moreover, believed to be haunted by the ghost of a beautiful young lady. Yet a couple of generations later it was largely forgotten. Writing in the 1860s to 1880s, Uttoxeter local historian Francis Redfern believed the well dated back to the time, if not of the Celts, then the Romans or at least the Anglo-Saxons (see Allusions below).<ref>Also {{:Redfern, Francis 1873a}}, see pp. 267, 270; {{:Redfern, Francis 1873b}}, see p. 302.</ref> Modern archaeologists have expressed doubts about the antiquity of the well; Redfern had access to a 1658 survey of Uttoxeter in which the well was listed under the name 'Marian's Well', so it clearly was not of recent date, even if this does not make it ancient. In the mud near the well Redfern found a stone with what he and a few other local gentlemen agreed must be an Ogham inscription.<ref>{:Redfern, Francis 1873a}}, see p. 270.</ref> In 1957 an archaeologist felt that this was 'probably a typical mis-identification of his period'.<ref>[https://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=305133 PastScape: Maidens Well.]</ref> No doubt 19th-century archaeology, in England as elsewhere, was characterized by enthusiasm rather than method, yet it must be noted that the 1957 archaeologist clearly had not seen the stone. | ||
In his first notice of the well (see page on 1865 allusion below), Redfern was inclined to think that the 'Maiden' in 'Maiden Well', and even the variant 'Marian's', must refer to the Virgin. In a paper published in 1873 he suggested a connection with the Roman road known as Maiden Way.<ref>{{:Redfern, Francis 1873a}}, see pp. 267, 270; {{:Redfern, Francis 1873b}}, see p. 302; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_Way Wikipedia: Maiden Way.]</ref> Then in 1886 he felt that '[f]rom the great celebrity of the well, the floral festivity of the Maid, Marian, the wife of Robin Hood, has probably been celebrated at it, from which circumstance it would readily and naturally receive the distinction of Marian's Well' (see 1886 allusion below). | |||
In 2011, a visitor to the well – as noted it is in a private garden – described it as | |||
<div class="plainquote">[t]he only healing well surviving in the town [of Uttoxeter]. Situated on the hill along High Wood road above the town and now enclosed in the front section of the garden of 21a Highwood Road [...] The spring arises in a roughly two feet wide circular well basin lined by old brickwork, although I could see no evidence of running water, the water is nevertheless clear and the well has a sandy bottom. A mesh cover has been placed over the well to prevent leaves fouling it and it is well looked after.<ref>[https://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=28187 Megalithic Portal: Maiden's Well – Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Staffordshire.]</ref></div> | |||
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== Gazetteers == | == Gazetteers == | ||
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* [https://maps.nls.uk/view/102341415#zoom=5&lat=8487&lon=6477&layers=BT 6" O.S. map ''Derbyshire'' LII (1924; rev. 1920).] | * [https://maps.nls.uk/view/102341415#zoom=5&lat=8487&lon=6477&layers=BT 6" O.S. map ''Derbyshire'' LII (1924; rev. 1920).] | ||
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== Background == | == Background == | ||
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_Way Wikipedia: Maiden Way.] | |||
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Revision as of 18:50, 18 October 2020
[[File:|thumb|right|500px|The mesh covering and brick walls of the Maiden's Well can be seen to the left of the drive / Google Earth Street View.]]
By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2020-10-18. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2020-10-18.
Maiden's Well in Uttoxeter, is now situated in a private garden, at 21 Highwood Road, Uttoxeter. It was formerly known as Marian's Well, or perhaps this was an alternative name; it was thus named already in 1658. A local historian suggested in 1886 that the element 'Marian' referred to Maid Marian.
As late as c. 1800 the well was still known locally for its supposedly healing waters and was, moreover, believed to be haunted by the ghost of a beautiful young lady. Yet a couple of generations later it was largely forgotten. Writing in the 1860s to 1880s, Uttoxeter local historian Francis Redfern believed the well dated back to the time, if not of the Celts, then the Romans or at least the Anglo-Saxons (see Allusions below).[1] Modern archaeologists have expressed doubts about the antiquity of the well; Redfern had access to a 1658 survey of Uttoxeter in which the well was listed under the name 'Marian's Well', so it clearly was not of recent date, even if this does not make it ancient. In the mud near the well Redfern found a stone with what he and a few other local gentlemen agreed must be an Ogham inscription.[2] In 1957 an archaeologist felt that this was 'probably a typical mis-identification of his period'.[3] No doubt 19th-century archaeology, in England as elsewhere, was characterized by enthusiasm rather than method, yet it must be noted that the 1957 archaeologist clearly had not seen the stone.
In his first notice of the well (see page on 1865 allusion below), Redfern was inclined to think that the 'Maiden' in 'Maiden Well', and even the variant 'Marian's', must refer to the Virgin. In a paper published in 1873 he suggested a connection with the Roman road known as Maiden Way.[4] Then in 1886 he felt that '[f]rom the great celebrity of the well, the floral festivity of the Maid, Marian, the wife of Robin Hood, has probably been celebrated at it, from which circumstance it would readily and naturally receive the distinction of Marian's Well' (see 1886 allusion below).
In 2011, a visitor to the well – as noted it is in a private garden – described it as
Gazetteers
- Not included in Dobson, R. B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), pp. 293-311
- Megalithic Portal: Maiden's Well – Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Staffordshire
- PastScape: Maidens Well.
Maps
- 25" O.S. map Staffordshire XXXII.2 (c. 1882; surveyed c. 1881). No Copy in NLS
- 25" O.S. map Staffordshire XXXII.2 (1901; rev. 1900) (georeferenced)
- 25" O.S. map Staffordshire XXXII.2 (1901; rev. 1900)
- 25" O.S. map Staffordshire XXXII.2 (1922; rev. 1920)
- 25" O.S. map Staffordshire XXXII.2 (1939; rev. 1937)
- 6" O.S. map Staffordshire XXXII.NW (1884; surveyed 1881)
- 6" O.S. map Staffordshire XXXII.NW (1901; rev. 1899–1900) (georeferenced)
- 6" O.S. map Staffordshire XXXII.NW (1901; rev. 1899–1900)
- 6" O.S. map Derbyshire LII (1924; rev. 1920).
Background
Notes
- ↑ Also Redfern, F. 'On Uttoxeter and the Archæological Remains of the Parish and Neighbourhood', Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. XXIX (1873), pp. 263-78, see pp. 267, 270; Redfern, F. 'Additional Observations on Uttoxeter', Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. XXIX (1873), pp. 302-303, see p. 302.
- ↑ {:Redfern, Francis 1873a}}, see p. 270.
- ↑ PastScape: Maidens Well.
- ↑ Redfern, F. 'On Uttoxeter and the Archæological Remains of the Parish and Neighbourhood', Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. XXIX (1873), pp. 263-78, see pp. 267, 270; Redfern, F. 'Additional Observations on Uttoxeter', Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. XXIX (1873), pp. 302-303, see p. 302; Wikipedia: Maiden Way.
- ↑ Megalithic Portal: Maiden's Well – Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Staffordshire.