Gorrick's Spring, Stony Stratford,
Buckinghamshire
Gorrick's Spring is by a lay by on a main road,
yet it has a very peaceful feel to it, surrounded
by trees, with the water trickling from a rather
battered stone lion's head beneath the steps as
you can see.
Gorrick's (Lion's Mouth) Spring.
Mr Taylor would collect 2 cans of water from the spring every day. Mrs Taylor missed the spring water after his death, but said her sons couldn't be bothered to fetch it. Good "watercreeces" were to be found there.
(This photograph was taken in 1938 and kindly lent to us by Wolverton and District Archaeological Society. It shows the original lion's mouth outlet to the spring from which the more modern name is derived.
{ see link for photo }.
Previously it was known as 'Gorrick's Spring'. The original sculpted form of the lion's head was believed to have been made in lead and it was stolen some time later, presumably for its metal content.
On the reverse of the photograph, shown below, is noted the famous rhyme concerning the healing powers of the waters.
When "Gorrick's Spring" flows fast and clear,
Stoop down and drink for health is here;
If Gorrick's Spring should e'er run dry,
"Beware for Pestilence is nigh."
(Extract from "Romance around Stony Stratford" by R. Ewart Barley)
In an extract from her forthcoming publication, Claire Mellor describes the spring as it used to be; 'It has also been referred to as "John Gorrick's" spring. Legend suggests that it was named after a popular vagrant who frequently drank from this spring whenever he was passing by. The water is supposed to be very cold, clear and pure, indeed it is said to hold healing powers, and years ago local people would take this water away to use in medicinal purposes.
As children, we regularly frequented this place, we were of course fascinated by the water, and we would also from time to time gather watercress from the marshy area surrounding the spring, which was left at, that time very much to nature. Claire also noted that... 'the water used to run into a square shaped basin which was covered in moss'.
The basin can be clearly seen in the old photograph but it too had long since disappeared by the time the Calverton Residents' Association decided to refurbish the spring area in 1991 with the aid of an local amenity improvement grant from MKDC.)
(Extract from "Romance around Stony Stratford" by R. Ewart Barley)
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