St Michael's Holy Well, Longstanton, Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted by: Dragontree
N 52° 16.377 W 000° 03.261
30U E 700966 N 5795484
An old well in the old churchyard of St Michael's in Longstanton.
Waymark Code: WM4FZW
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/19/2008
Views: 45
The Cambridgeshire Churches website describes the well:
'Before you leave St Michael, you can pay your respects to St Michael's Well. This sits in a little brick vault in the northwest corner of the churchyard. It is fed by a little spring, and has been here for a long time - the vault has been restored, but the stone lining of the well itself looks ancient. Children were baptised here as late as the 1880s, submersed in the cold water. According to tradition, the priest would not make the sign of the cross until the sun had shone through a little cross-shaped slit in the roof.
The presence of a holy well is an intriguing thing in itself. The water from such wells was held to cure wounds and disease, and drinking from a holy well could inspire the power of prophecy. Such traditions are much older than the 19th century - much older even than Christianity. Dedications to St Michael are rare in Cambridgeshire, but they are common in the west country: the warrior archangel sits high on the sacred hills, conquering the ancient gods and banishing them even from memory. All that remains is a whisper: the memory of prophecy in the waters of a well, and a cure for warts.'
Weblink for more information on this Holy well: [Web Link]
Nearby car parking: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
A photograph of the well would be appreciated to record your visit, but this is not absolutely mandatory, as long as you can describe your visit.
Do you know any more about the history of this well?. If so please let us know.