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Hillfort
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At the base of Worlebury hill, just north of the pier, is Spring Cove. The hillside hid a mysterious cave that was only accessible at low tides, and inside lay the Dripping Well: "a solemn place, high vaulted, with water pure and cold dripping from the roof into a crystal pool." The water was believed to be medicinal, and as is so often the case, was especially good for the eyes.
A tunnel was believed to run from the well up inside the cliff to the hillfort.
Regrettably a landslide destroyed the cave (or at least access to it) in 1861 but clear water still drips from the cliffs here. (this doesn't really agree with the info below, incidentally. Maybe it was still used. RT's information implies the well was inundated by the tide every day, but in between gave good fresh water).
Info from Paul Quinn's 'Holy Wells of the Bath and Bristol Region' (1999).
Interestingly, this seems to connect with folklore connected with the cairn: An old inhabitant of Weston told Ruth Tongue in the 1920s that the spring would always give 'fresh sweet water' as long as the fishermen threw back the first of their catch. "You look after they and they'll see you don't come to want."
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Posted by Rhiannon
22nd February 2005ce
Edited 3rd August 2005ce
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