<< Our Photo Pages >> Chadwell Spring - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Hertfordshire
Submitted by thorgrim on Saturday, 06 May 2006 Page Views: 18215
Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: Chadwell SpringCountry: England County: Hertfordshire Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Nearest Town: Ware
Map Ref: TL349136
Latitude: 51.804774N Longitude: 0.044847W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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Sacred Spring in Hertfordshire
Chadwell means "cold well" and is quite ancient. Chadwell Spring is an amazing source of water. It rises in a circular basin 20 yards across and yields up to 4 million gallons daily! It is the source of the New River, which is neither a river nor a canal. It is in fact, a 40 mile long aqueduct that was dug in the 17th century. Work commenced in 1605 and the channel followed the 100 foot contour to Islington in London. The water was gravity fed, but later when many loops were cut off, pumping stations were required. The New River still delivers water to the modern ring main of London.
From HOLYWELL: St Chad's Well is located between Ware and Hertford. It can be seen from the A1170 connecting Ware to Hertford. Look for a small gateway on the right if travelling from Ware. The Chadwell is down this path, at the nearby house here one should ask permission to view the site.
It would appear that, rather than being associated with the Mercian missionary and patron saint of springs, it is a derived from O.E ceals for ‘cold’ spring, for in the middle ages, the site was called 'chaldwelle' or 'caldewelle'. The name St. Chad's Well, only appears from 1727. Its water was said to be good for eyes.
Records show that in the 13th century the Monks of Waltham were induced by Philip of Hertford to improve the water supply, doubtless for local use. This may have been one of the wells used.
However, it was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, 1605, that an Act of Parliament was passed for the conveyance of any water from any part of Middlesex or Hertfordshire to be directed to the city Chadwell was the main source.
The spring arises in this large stone lined pool, and joins the flow from Amwell, into the New River towards London. Around the pool are the stone monuments.
An interesting piece of folklore is connected with both this site and Amwell. Recorded by William Vallens in the ‘Tale of Two Swannes’ (1589) and referred to by Cussans, it relates how the two sites were connected by an underground tunnel. It states:
‘A tale there is deliver’d unto us,
from hand to hand, how that a haunted ducke,
Diving within this chalk-well head or hole,
Was forced underneath the hollow ground,
To swimme along by wayes that be unknowne,
And afterward at Amwell Spring
(they say)
Was thrown up featherless and bare.’
This is a common folklore motif, and is often connected to mysterious caves and legends of secret tunnels. However, it has also been connected to holy wells. For example there is said to be a tunnel between Guildford Castle and St Mary’s Well, Farnham, both in Surrey. This was supposedly traversed by a goose, who also like the above tail appeared a little worse for wear the other end!
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