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Roads and Trackways of North Wales

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<< Our Photo Pages >> St Morwenna's Well - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Cornwall

Submitted by Rory on Monday, 29 March 2004  Page Views: 15325

Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: St Morwenna's Well
Country: England County: Cornwall Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Nearest Town: Bude  Nearest Village: Morwenstow
Map Ref: SS1980215483  Landranger Map Number: 190
Latitude: 50.910614N  Longitude: 4.564584W
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
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 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.
3 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
4

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St Morwenna's Well
St Morwenna's Well submitted by Rory : Standing on the nearest headland you can see where the water now escapes into the sea below the site of the old Holy Well. Although a long time dry I actually think the structure is in very good nick. This final iteration of a construction to house the holy waters was undertaken by the unique and enigmatic Parson Hawker, Vicar (and mystic) of Morwennstow Parish. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Holy Well / Spring in Cornwall

Rory writes: "To get to the well you park by Morwenstow parish church and then take the direct route to the coast at Vicarage Cliff. Crossing two fields you eventually meet the coastal path. At this point you turn north. After a few yards you might be able to discern the faintest line of a path leading down the very steep slope that falls away toward a sheer cliff. After a turn or two along this trail, with nothing substantial to grasp, the sight of a lush-green patch of ground below indicates the direction you have to scramble towards. I do feel compelled to say that unless the National Trust (which owns the site) have recently improved access, my assessment would be that’s it’s really not safe to climb down to the well unless you’re properly equipped for the task."
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St Morwenna's Well
St Morwenna's Well submitted by Pawl.Seimon : Vista from Saint Morwenna's Well Celtic Sea Image copyright: Hockers19, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Morwenna's Well
St Morwenna's Well submitted by KiwiBetsy : Window in St Morwenna & St John the Baptist's Church at Morwenstow, showing St Morwenna's Well. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Morwenna's Well
St Morwenna's Well submitted by KiwiBetsy : Interior of St Morwenna's Well. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Morwenna's Well
St Morwenna's Well submitted by KiwiBetsy : Access to this well is very difficult and as stated above, rather dangerous. We were told (in April 2006) that the National Trust were not now planning to improve access. The path (such as it was) was very overgrown with blackthorn and gorse resulting in severe scratches and damage to clothing. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Morwenna's Well
St Morwenna's Well submitted by Rory : This is the view south from the narrow ledge where Saint Morwenna’s Well House sits. It certainly scores less than 1 for access. (2 comments)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 775m ESE 104° Morwenstow Churchyard Cross* Ancient Cross (SS20551527)
 863m E 100° St John's Well (Morwenstow)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SS2064815298)
 4.1km NE 45° St Nectan's Well (Welcombe)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SS228183)
 5.6km ESE 101° Wrasford Moor Barrow Cemetary* Barrow Cemetery (SS2529114170)
 6.5km ENE 78° Woolley Long Barrow* Long Barrow (SS2627516605)
 7.4km S 174° Northcott Mouth Tumuli* Barrow Cemetery (SS203081)
 7.5km ESE 111° Taylors Cross Tumuli* Round Barrow(s) (SS2669012535)
 7.9km NE 51° Bursdon Moor Barrow Cemetery* Round Barrow(s) (SS2611220257)
 8.1km SSE 161° Earthquake Cist* Cist (SS22250773)
 8.9km SSE 159° Stamford Hill settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SS22750705)
 9.1km S 177° Compass Point Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SS20040635)
 9.3km NE 38° St Clare's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SS2582422541)
 9.6km ENE 64° Gorvin West Barrows* Round Barrow(s) (SS2859519471)
 9.8km NNE 29° St Leonard's Well (Hartland)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SS2486423870)
 9.9km NNE 20° Stoke Churchyard Cross* Ancient Cross (SS235247)
 10.0km NNE 21° St Nectan's Well (Stoke)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SS2363624683)
 10.8km SSE 153° St Swithin's Well (Launcells)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SS244057)
 10.8km S 170° Neet Valley stone, Bude Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS21320474)
 11.6km S 177° Higher Longbeak Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SS19950389)
 12.0km SSE 166° Marhamchurch Medieval cross* Ancient Cross (SS22300369)
 12.2km S 178° Widemouth Bay tumulus* Round Barrow(s) (SS19870323)
 12.3km S 172° Whalesborough Barrows* Round Barrow(s) (SS21020323)
 12.8km E 95° St Peter's Well (Bradworthy)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SS325139)
 13.8km NE 53° Clovelly Dykes* Hillfort (SS311235)
 14.7km ESE 121° Ugworthy Beacon Barrows* Round Barrow(s) (SS3217607440)
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Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall and Scilly, Craig Weatherhill

Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall and Scilly, Craig Weatherhill

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"St Morwenna's Well" | Login/Create an Account | 3 News and Comments
  
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Re: St Morwenna's Well by Rory on Tuesday, 16 May 2006
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To get to the well you park by Morwenstow parish church and then take the direct route to the coast at Vicarage Cliff. Crossing two fields you eventually meet the coastal path. At this point you turn north. After a few yards you might be able to discern the faintest line of a path leading down the very steep slope that falls away toward a sheer cliff. After a turn or two along this trail, with nothing substantial to grasp, the sight of a lush-green patch of ground below indicates the direction you have to scramble towards. I do feel compelled to say that unless the National Trust (which owns the site) have recently improved access, my assessment would be that’s it’s really not safe to climb down to the well unless you’re properly equipped for the task.

Saint Morwenna seems to be most famous for being the most homesick of the Cornish Saints. It was here her brother Nectan granted her final wish by lifting her up in order that she might catch a glimpse of her Welsh homeland as she drew her last breath. Even if you can’t see that far on your visit you do have before you Cornwall’s magnificent coast at its rugged best.

I would say my ambience rating would have to be on the low side, not because the setting isn’t spectacular (which it is) but because, the nereids do seem to have now departed. As has happened at Saint Cyor’s in Luxulyan preservation of this site would, in fact, serve more than anything else as a memorial to a well that once existed at this spot. Having said that, if there were a grade for poignancy St. Morwenna’s would certainly score highly by me. I find the fact that the spring withdrew quite naturally especially meaningful. The grim truth is that it is inevitable that some things will become lost to us no matter how valued they are. No matter how much I would have loved to have sampled the water in that unique setting, that experience can only be conjured up through recounted stories. Maybe a sense of loss is what this site’s about.
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Re: St Morwenna's Well by Anonymous on Saturday, 11 December 2004
I have twice uncovered this well - and it keeps getting overgrown by thorns. Would like to know who the anonymous person was. Glad to guide anyone to the well by arrangement.

Regards

Alan Rowland
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Re: St Morwenna's Well by Anonymous on Friday, 03 December 2004
Just to say my father often saw this well, as he lived nearby. He took me to see it once, but the thorns surrounding it were so vicious I never got there!. I believe it no longer has water in it. A crack in the cliffs below diverted the water. and it is much in need of restoration now.

I am named 'Morwenna' in memory of Morwenstow.
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