The unique and ever-so English tradition of well dressing is celebrated in several places, but it’s primarily associated with a handful of small towns and villages in the Peak District.
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What is well dressing?
Well dressing is an ancient practice, which typically takes place during late spring and early summer, that sees locals creating large framed pieces of art, which are then arranged around wells (and sometimes natural springs). The work traditionally takes the form of a mosaic, with images often invoking seasonal or topical scenes, usually based on a theme that varies between venues and changes each year.
What's the history behind well dressing?
The precise origins of the enigmatic tradition have been lost to time, but rudimentary well- and spring-dressing is thought to date right back to pre-Christian times, when pagan people would express gratitude for having a reliable source of drinking water during the drier, hotter months. Over the centuries the activity has disappeared and been revived several times in different places. In the Derbyshire village of Tissington, which still sees some of the most enthusiastic well dressing in the country, it’s believed to have been brought back during the Middle Ages, with locals paying thanks for clean water after they largely escaped the horror of the Black Death pandemic that raged across Britain and Europe in the mid 14th century.
Where does well dressing take place?
The tradition is strongest in the Peak District counties of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, but well dressing has been see elsewhere across the Midlands and into Southern England, including in villages and towns in South Yorkshire, Cheshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Kent.
Today, though, the Peak District is incontrovertibly the place where the custom is most commonly encountered. Peak District towns and villages where well dressing takes place in June include Ashford-in-the-Water (where six wells are traditionally dressed, and the event is combined with a flower festival), Youlgrave, Over Haddon, Bakewell, Hayfield, Bollington, Dore and Wadshelf,
When does well dressing take place?
From late spring through the whole of summer, well dressing can be seen in over 80 villages and towns across the region, where the colourful creations are a source of massive local pride. But the tradition starts in May and continues until early September.
How are the designs made?
At the beginning of the process wet clay is ‘puddled’ (a process similar to kneading bread dough), and packed into a flat wooden frame, after which the upper surface is smoothed over. The principle artist then etches the outline of the planned image, which is coloured in by contributors who traditionally only use natural materials, such as petals, berries, moss, leaves, seeds, pinecones, peel, beans and other items. (In some places, use of ribbons, beads and other synthetic items has crept in, but many villages and towns, including Barlow and Wirksworth, insist artists stick strictly to organic decoration.) Several of these finished frames are then usually put together to form a larger piece, which is placed around the well.
What happens after the well has been dressed?
Once the well has been ‘dressed’, the celebrations start. Many communities hold a blessing ceremony, followed by a village carnival, fete or festival, usually featuring other traditional shenanigans including maypole and Morris dancing. The vibrant and intricate creations last for a week or so, but then the clay starts to crack and the natural materials begin to wilt and decay, so it’s an art form that’s as ephemeral as it is eccentric.
Can I have a go at well dressing?
In some places you can observe the ‘Well in the making’ – as floral tributes are lovingly brought to life by teams of collaborators, prior to being put in place. Observing this tradition can a peaceful and cathartic spectator experience, and in some places participation is encouraged. ‘Puddling the Clay’ is a particularly enjoyable part of the process if you like mucking in and getting your hands dirty.
For more information and an updated list of well dressing events around the Peaks, see welldressing.com.
Discover more folklore and traditions
- Imbolc: All you need to know about this ancient spring celebration
- Beltane: Everything you need to know about this 'fire and fertility' spring festival
- Druids guide: who are they and what do they believe in?
Main image: a dressed well in the market town of Ashbourne, Derbyshire/Getty
