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England
Hilda's WellSacred Well
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Saint Hildas well is situated in the church yard of Saint Hilda in the village of Hinderwell which is said to be a corruption of Hilda's Well. The village was recorded in the Domesday book as Hindrevvelle. The well is supposedly where Hilda stopped to chill a while whilst travelling to become Abbess of Whitby. It's a pretty well and was restored in 1912. The water looks very clear. It is "dressed" by the local children once a year. |
Posted by fitzcoraldo13th April 2002ce |
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"Then Whitby's nuns exulting told, How to their house three barons bold must menial service do; They told how in their convent-cell A saxon princess once did dwell, The lovely Edelfled; And how of thousand snakes, each one Was changed into a coil of stone When holy Hilda pray'd - Themselves, within their holy round, Their stony folds had often found." Marmion, canto ii Sir Walter Scott. Ord comments on this " Sir Walter like all true antiquarians, had large faith. "These miracles" he says, "are much insisted on by all ancient writers who have occasion to mention Whitby or Saint Hilda. The relics of the snakes which infested the precincts of the convent, and were at the abbess's prayer not only beheaded but petrified, are still found about the rocks and are termed by protestant fossilists Ammonitae" The History and Antiquities of Cleveland J.W. Ord 1846 |
Posted by fitzcoraldo 7th October 2002ce |
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"The custom of giving names to wells and fountains is of remote antiquity, being common alike to earliest idolaters, to Jews and to Christians. In papal times, if a well had an awful situation, as at Rosebury; if it's waters were clear, and medicinal, as at Hilda's-well, it was the custom to dedicate it to some saint by name. To such an extent did this species of idolatry prevail, that it was forbidden in the canons of king Edgar A.D. 960, also in the canons of St. Anselm A.D. 1102. Notwithstanding, it prevailed without intermission till the Reformation, when many innocent customs and harmless superstitions were wholly extirpated because they savoured of popery." The History and Antiquities of Cleveland J. W. Ord 1846 Republished by Patrick & Shotton 1972 |
Posted by fitzcoraldo 6th September 2002ce |
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Pat O'Halleran's SiteAnother page from Pat O'Halloran's excellent site |
Posted by fitzcoraldo 13th April 2002ce |
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