This information is provided to the best of our knowledge.
We have collected and collated it in good faith but we are not responsible for its accuracy
and anyone intending to make use of this information is advised to check it out.
Well that's the legal stuff sorted.
Should you decline to comply with this warning,
a leather winged demon of the night will soar from the deep malevolent caverns of the white peak into the shadowy
moonlit sky and, with a thirst for blood on its salivating fangs,
search the very threads of time for the throbbing of your heartbeat.
Just thought you'd want to know that.
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Skip to the comprehensive list of well dressings.
Derbyshire, which is the major county in the Peak District is world
famous for its well dressing. They can be seen from May to September throughout
the county. Probably the most well known village that has well dressing
is Tissington which is
the first village to hold their well dressing festival in May.
Most well dressings are of a similar form.
Near the well will be a large
wooden frame containing a picture made out natural materials.
The predominant material is petal leaves.
The technicalities
of the construction is that the wooden frame is full of nails, a little
like a bed of nails.
Into this frame is spread clay, about 25mm (1") thick.
This will have been collected seven to ten days before the festival.
During
the intervening period it is 'puddled' - a process whereby the well dressers
walk over the clay in much the same way as grapes used to be pressed.
This has the effect of softening the clay and makes the removal of stones,
grit, twigs, and other unwanted contaminates easier.
A little salt is
added to the clay to assist with its water retention.
Then the image is
marked out with seeds, small stones, or coffee beans, in much the same
way a child's colouring book looks.
Then the coloured images are filled
in with petals, Hydrangea are good for blue skies, moss for greens and
bark for trees and buildings.
No self respecting well dresser uses any
paint whatsoever.
They will use diverse natural materials such as
eggshell, lichen, straw, wool, stone or coal to give their well dressing the colours it requires.
It will take a proficient well dresser about seven hours
to attach all the petals.
They are laid like tiles so that any rain will
run over the petals and off the bottom of the picture.
Rain is not the biggest threat to the pictures.
Most rain will run off
of the pictures, but wind will cause the clay to dry out, then it will
crack and the petals may be blown away.
The best time to see the dressed wells is in the first three or four
days after they have been erected.
The index
lists villages on the route that have well dressings.
See also a comprehensive list of well dressings which includes well dressing within the Peak District National Park and many villages and towns outside the Peak National Park which have well dressings.
There is no definitive explanation as to why they were started.
It is
thought that they originated in pagan rituals or sacrifices to water gods
as a thanks for past supplies and a request for continuing future deliveries.
With much of the Peak District residing on porous limestone, water could, at times, be in short supply.
The scarifies are thought to have been replaced by the colourful decoration
as a tribute to the gods.
It is known that the Romans
made similar offering to their gods and one theory says that they probably
brought this custom to Derbyshire.
Unfortunately, no similar custom exists
in modern Italy.
So, the most favoured theory has the custom originating
before the Romans and that is was a Celtic
custom that managed to survive the successive invasions of Romans, Saxons,
Danes, and Normans.
What is more certain is that the early Christian Church absorbed the
pagan rite into it.
The early Christian Church has an history of absorbing
rather than suppressing pagan customs.
Why else is Christmas day so close
to the shortest day?
In pagan times this was a time of rejoicing as the
days would now get longer.
And why is Easter a moveable feast?
The name Easter comes from Eastre, an ancient Anglo-Saxon goddess, originally of the dawn.
In pagan times an annual spring festival was held in her honour.
Some Easter customs have come from this and other pre-Christian spring festivals.
Thus, most modern day well dressing coincides
with religious festivals with the pictures depicting a biblical or moral
theme.
Indeed, one primary school has used the paintings of
L.S Lowry,
who lived that later part of his life in Derbyshire, for its
well dressing.
As part of the absorbing of the well dressing tradition, it is thought the the Christian Church gradually changes the well dressing themes to a religious theme
and allowed the well dressings to be more complicated with the modern day picture frames.
Although many of the wells are not in active use, the tradition of well dressing survives to this day.
Each village and town's well dressings in this list have been colour coded as follows:
Well Dressings that have recently been taken down - you can also see all previous Well Dressings.
Well Dressing that has just been put up in the last few days
and today would be a good time to see the Well Dressings in their prime condition.
Well Dressing that has been up for more than a few days
and its condition may be deteriorating.
Well Dressing that will be put up in the next 2 weeks.
Well Dressing that has not yet been put up
and are at least 2 weeks from being put up.
If you village or town's well dressing is not shown on our list, or you have a definate date for next year's well dressing, please contact us and let us know.
| Start Date |
Village or Town |
Local Contact |
End Date |
| Monday | 5th May 2008 | Newborough | | Sunday | 11th May 2008 | | Saturday | 10th May 2008 | Milford and Makeney | 01773 822537 | Saturday | 17th May 2008 | | Saturday | 17th May 2008 | Etwall | | Monday | 19th May 2008 | | Saturday | 17th May 2008 | Ashford-in-the-Water | 01629 813464 | Sunday | 25th May 2008 | | Saturday | 17th May 2008 | Swanwick | 01773 609171 | Wednesday | 21st May 2008 | | Saturday | 24th May 2008 | Wirksworth | | Tuesday | 27th May 2008 | | Saturday | 24th May 2008 | Endon | | Monday | 26th May 2008 | | Saturday | 24th May 2008 | Brackenfield | | Tuesday | 27th May 2008 | | Saturday | 24th May 2008 | Middleton by Youlgrave | | Thursday | 29th May 2008 | | Saturday | 24th May 2008 | Monyash | | Saturday | 31st May 2008 | | Sunday | 8th June 2008 | Cressbrook | | Saturday | 14th June 2008 | | Sunday | 8th June 2008 | Marston Montgomery | | Monday | 16th June 2008 | | Saturday | 14th June 2008 | Flash | | Thursday | 19th June 2008 | | Saturday | 14th June 2008 | Wyaston and Edlaston | | Saturday | 21st June 2008 | | Saturday | 14th June 2008 | Whitwell | | Saturday | 21st June 2008 | | Sunday | 15th June 2008 | Penistone | | Wednesday | 25th June 2008 | | Saturday | 21st June 2008 | Youlgreave | 01629 636341 | Thursday | 26th June 2008 | | Saturday | 21st June 2008 | Kniveton | | Thursday | 26th June 2008 | | Saturday | 21st June 2008 | Litton | | Sunday | 29th June 2008 | | Saturday | 21st June 2008 | Tideswell | 01298 871615 | Sunday | 29th June 2008 | | Saturday | 21st June 2008 | Mayfield | | Friday | 27th June 2008 | | Saturday | 21st June 2008 | Derby | | Thursday | 26th June 2008 | | Saturday | 28th June 2008 | Whaley Bridge | | Saturday | 5th July 2008 | | Saturday | 28th June 2008 | Hope | | Sunday | 6th July 2008 | | Saturday | 28th June 2008 | Bakewell | | Monday | 7th July 2008 | | Wednesday | 2nd July 2008 | Peak Forest | | Wednesday | 9th July 2008 | | Saturday | 5th July 2008 | Wessington | | Monday | 7th July 2008 | | Saturday | 5th July 2008 | Hathersage | | Sunday | 13th July 2008 | | Saturday | 5th July 2008 | Chapel-en-le-Frith | | Sunday | 13th July 2008 | | Saturday | 5th July 2008 | Buxworth | | Sunday | 13th July 2008 | | Sunday | 6th July 2008 | Buxton | | Sunday | 13th July 2008 | | Friday | 11th July 2008 | Dronfield | | Friday | 18th July 2008 | | Friday | 11th July 2008 | Dronfield Woodhouse | | Friday | 18th July 2008 | | Friday | 11th July 2008 | Millthorpe | | Saturday | 19th July 2008 | | Friday | 11th July 2008 | Holmesfield | | Saturday | 19th July 2008 | | Friday | 11th July 2008 | Cutthorpe | | Sunday | 20th July 2008 | | Saturday | 12th July 2008 | Aston on Trent | | Sunday | 13th July 2008 | | Saturday | 12th July 2008 | Pleasley | | Wednesday | 16th July 2008 | | Saturday | 12th July 2008 | West Hallam | | Friday | 18th July 2008 | | Saturday | 12th July 2008 | Over Haddon | | Sunday | 20th July 2008 | | Sunday | 13th July 2008 | Hayfield | | Monday | 21st July 2008 | | Thursday | 17th July 2008 | Upper Langwith | | Sunday | 20th July 2008 | | Saturday | 19th July 2008 | Heage Windmill | | Sunday | 20th July 2008 | | Saturday | 19th July 2008 | Heath | | Sunday | 27th July 2008 | | Saturday | 19th July 2008 | Ault Hucknall, Glapwell and Rowthorne | | Sunday | 27th July 2008 | | Sunday | 20th July 2008 | Gee Cross | | Sunday | 27th July 2008 | | Saturday | 26th July 2008 | Stoney Middleton | | Monday | 4th August 2008 | | Saturday | 2nd August 2008 | Bradwell | | Monday | 11th August 2008 | | Wednesday | 13th August 2008 | Barlow | | Wednesday | 20th August 2008 | | Thursday | 14th August 2008 | Great Hucklow | | Monday | 25th August 2008 | | Thursday | 21st August 2008 | Taddington | | Saturday | 23rd August 2008 | | Thursday | 21st August 2008 | Holymoorside | | Friday | 29th August 2008 | | Saturday | 23rd August 2008 | Eyam | 01433 630599 | Saturday | 30th August 2008 | | Saturday | 23rd August 2008 | Foolow | | Sunday | 31st August 2008 | | Saturday | 23rd August 2008 | Wormhill | | Sunday | 31st August 2008 | | Saturday | 30th August 2008 | Wardlow | | Sunday | 7th September 2008 | | Monday | 8th September 2008 | Hartington | | Monday | 15th September 2008 | | Saturday | 13th September 2008 | Chesterfield | 01246 345777 tourism@chesterfield.gov.uk | Saturday | 20th September 2008 |
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