Old Trees

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"Aye - and what with the well/spring right near the church in Alton Barnes - and several other instances of well/yew/church (and likely pre-church usage of said sites) proximities - makes me wonder if there was once a connection... Hmm..."

Lots of connection, North Stoke church situated on the Lansdown slope (Bath) has a strong 'spout' of water that tumbles down by the side of the grave yard, the church might even have roman foundations, its right next to a villa, so if it was explored you could probably go back to its celtic pagan origins. There is a strong relationship between water and religious practice - pagan or christian..
And, by the river Avon at the bottom of the hill, there is a saxon cemetery, bronze age burial mound, and the church nearby is reputed to have a 'pagan temple' - probably a roman shrine by the river....
And, just on the outskirts of Bath, a stream that Rhiannon knows well, had a pair of celtic spoons (presumably for baptismal purposes) found nearby and 'stones' were also marked on oldmaps next to the stream....
history, religion, water flow together through time ;) Celtic saints would have baptised at the wells and the churches would then be built, but I bet the so called saints were in the business of 'taking over' the shrines of the pagans and stamping there own authoritive god in the place of the old gods......

Yay! Glad it's not just me! And I knew it wasn't, anyway - just like to point out these links at any available opportunity... ;o)

mos wrote:
Celtic saints would have baptised at the wells and the churches would then be built, but I bet the so called saints were in the business of 'taking over' the shrines of the pagans and stamping there own authoritive god in the place of the old gods......
Yup! And where did the idea for baptism come from, I wonder - and where did "holy water" originate? Bet it wasn't always tap water that'd been blessed by the vicar!

BTW, Moss - your mate June never got back to me about her trip to Wells - have you heard from her at all?

G x