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<< Our Photo Pages >> St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock) - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Shropshire

Submitted by TimPrevett on Saturday, 30 October 2004  Page Views: 11139

Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock) Alternative Name: Wimperis Well, Whymperis Well
Country: England County: Shropshire Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Nearest Town: Much Wenlock
Map Ref: SO625988
Latitude: 52.585703N  Longitude: 2.554916W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
1 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
2 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
3

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St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock)
St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock) submitted by TimPrevett : The well housing viewed from the lane, with broken black gate at the front. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Holy Wells or Sacred Springs in Shropshire

Two locations in Much Wenlock attributed as the site of St Milburga's Well, an ancient spring possessed with healing properties, and the ability to help young women find out whom their husband would be.

The first site is off Barrow Street, near the Guildhall - signs to a small plant nursery sometimes mark the street. The well is a little way down on the right hand side. Black railings enclose where once the water was at near ground level, with steps down inside, to an opening from where once the water flowed. A small stone top left marks "St Milburga's Well". Inside is dry with rubble and cobwebs.

The other site is further to the south east on Barrow Street, near the bottom left of St Miburga Row, and is marked as "Whymperis Well". This has flat Victorian well housing, fronted by a door that could easily be opened, with a several feet drop into a dry interior, and what appears to be monastic / ecclesiastical rubble strewn around. A very helpful woman in the tourist information & museum said that there are many variant spellings among locals; the most popluar is "Wimperis Well".

In 1913, all the wells were drained into the sewers. Long term flooding problems in the town necessitated this action. The town sits within a bowl, which was prone to flooding. There are some taller chimneys in the town - illustrating the fact that the town used to put its fumes higher up to help escape the town's bowl.

If you should be lucky enough to be in Much Wenlock when the Tourist Information and Museum is open, do pay a visit. It is well worth it.

A figure in the museum has puzzled archaeologists and historians, and could point to the well's earlier history. Some feel it could be a Romano-British deity, others a mediaeval artefact. Consensus of opinion and evidence escape the debate.
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St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock)
St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock) submitted by TimPrevett : A figure in the museum has puzzled archaeologists and historians, and could point to the wells' earlier history. Some feel it could be a Romano-British deity, others a mediaeval artefact. Consensus of opinion and evidence escape the debate. Picture taken with permission, and slightly blurred due to no flash used. (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock)
St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock) submitted by TimPrevett : Within the well; we would have been underwater here before the wells were drained. See main entry for more details. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock)
St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock) submitted by TimPrevett : The interior of the well also known as Whymperis Well; this looks like ecclesiatical rubble. Too far down and too many spiders to investigate further! See main entry for more details. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock)
St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock) submitted by TimPrevett : The alternative site of St Miburga's Well, also known as Whymperis Well. This door can be opened, with quite a drop into the housing. See main entry for more details. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock)
St Milburgas Well (Much Wenlock) submitted by TimPrevett : The interior of the well, from where the water would have flowed before they were drained. Does not look so special when viewed from this angle. See main entry for details. (Vote or comment on this photo)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 1.1km N 349° Holy Trinity (Much Wenlock)* Ancient Cross (SO623999)
 1.1km NNW 344° St Owens Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO622999)
 6.6km SE 137° Morville Cross* Ancient Cross (SO6695893875)
 7.7km SW 234° Mogg Forest Hillfort* Hillfort (SO5621194262)
 8.4km NW 304° Stevenshill* Hillfort (SJ556036)
 9.1km NW 309° Cove Coppice* Barrow Cemetery (SJ555046)
 9.4km WNW 282° The Frog Well Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SJ53340084)
 9.5km N 3° The Wrekin* Hillfort (SJ630083)
 9.6km N 9° Willow Moor Barrow Cemetary* Barrow Cemetery (SJ640083)
 12.2km W 269° The Lawley (Northern)* Hillfort (SO50289863)
 12.6km SSW 193° Giant's Shaft Standing Stone (Menhir) (SO595866)
 12.6km SSW 193° Abdon Burf* Hillfort (SO59508660)
 13.1km W 264° The Lawley (Summit)* Hillfort (SO49459745)
 13.6km ESE 102° St Peter's Well (Worfield)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO758958)
 13.8km NNE 12° St Margarets Well (Telford) Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SJ656123)
 14.6km NE 42° Castle Farm* Hillfort (SJ724095)
 14.8km SSW 192° Clee Burf* Hillfort (SO59338433)
 14.8km WSW 256° Caer Caradoc Round Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SO48059529)
 14.9km SSW 199° Nordy Bank* Hillfort (SO576847)
 15.2km WSW 256° Caer Caradoc (Church Stretton)* Hillfort (SO477953)
 15.5km WSW 251° Hope Bowdler Hill* Cairn (SO47779389)
 15.9km ESE 120° Burf Castle Hillfort (SO76279085)
 16.3km E 97° Chesterton Walls* Hillfort (SO78679668)
 16.6km W 260° Castle Hill (Shropshire)* Hillfort (SO461959)
 16.8km NW 306° The Burgs* Hillfort (SJ48950873)
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