<< Our Photo Pages >> Alsia Well - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Cornwall

Submitted by ocifant on Tuesday, 30 March 2004  Page Views: 19112

Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: Alsia Well
Country: England County: Cornwall Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
 Nearest Village: St Buryan
Map Ref: SW393251  Landranger Map Number: 203
Latitude: 50.068733N  Longitude: 5.644518W
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.
 4 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
 3

Internal Links:
External Links:

I have visited· I would like to visit

AnnabelleStar would like to visit

micske visited on 1st Sep 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

hoya105 visited on 1st Jun 2019 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Although it is not a long walk it is a little tricky to find. Climb up the steep stone stile from the lane and then head straight on - over a wooden stile, across a small field, a sign directs you to the next field, then head down the side of the field about 3/4 of the way to the bottomkeep an eye right for the entrance which is just a gap in the foliage - but then the beautiful well with its sweet water is before you! Very evocative and peaceful spot on the 'Mary' line..

lucasn visited on 18th Feb 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4

cazzyjane visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

JimChampion hamish ocifant Bolstered have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4 Ambience: 4.5 Access: 3.75

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by ocifant : Alsia Well, in all it's glory, tucked away in the undergrowth (Vote or comment on this photo)
Holy Well / Spring in Cornwall. This well was once of 'great repute', and used by mothers to help strengthen their rickety children. It was also used for divination, to determine when a maiden and her sweetheart may be united.

Access is not straightforward, not being signposted from the road. A 7 foot high stile over a Cornish hedge leads to a meadow. The landowner has placed a nice new sign and stile to indicate the footpath to the well, but it's still not easy to locate unless you know what you're looking for.

At the bottom of the hill, a rusty gate is hidden in the undergrowth. The well lies just beyond the gate.
You may be viewing yesterday's version of this page. To see the most up to date information please register for a free account.


Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by Bladup : Alsia Well. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by TrevorRogers : "We reinstated the fallen embankments with three hundred square feet of turf laid flat in walls pegged with wooden dowels and further reinforced with split hazel. Ten barrow loads of the fallen embankment were used to reinstate the levels to the original contours above the well. Many ferns and ivy have been planted and are doing well but the numerous other species indigenous at the well are prov... (4 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by TrevorRogers : "Returning from my break I was horrified to find not only had every scrap of ivy, several species of fern, mosses and other small plants, including the rare ivy indigenous to the micro culture of the grotto had been ripped from over half the embankments and every root dug out and a great deal of the embankment disturbed." - Trevor Rogers (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Alsia Well Before the Devastation
Alsia Well Before the Devastation submitted by TrevorRogers : Alsia Well Before the Devastation took place. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by FMd : The Virgo Bottle I am curious to know if this object was found during the restoration works of Alsia well (Cornwall) (13 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by Bladup : Alsia Well.

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by hamish : Nature is in profusion here, it is difficult to get close to the well if you want some water. It is as always lovely. (1 comment)

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by MawnanIan : This shows greater detail. One half of an old heelstone from the well can be seen in the wall outside the house. According to the landowner the other half is in the garden of his neighbour, but they won't let him have it.

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by lucasn : Alsia Well

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by cazzyjane : June 2010. Up a rather steep style, then through a field with some georgeous 'chunky' brown sheep, this little well has a wonderful magickal feel. Well worth seeking out.

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by JimChampion : August 2007. Follow the signs to the well and this is what you are looking for in the hedge to your right - an old iron gate leading through to the well itself.

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by JimChampion : August 2007. The permissive route to the well is clearly signed from the public footpath! A damp morning - see the number of snails on the signpost.

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by JimChampion : August 2007. The spring itself - to get to it you have to pass through an old iron gate and stoop beneath the bushes.

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by hamish : This is what you are looking for, hidden in the lower corner of the field you really have to be aware that it is here. There are some offerings here but not as intrusive as they were not so long ago.

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by hamish : This is from the gateway, you have to really push your way into the well environs, such a cool refreshing place to be.

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by enkidu41 : A beautiful well which has a spring rising from inside a stone-lined recess beneath overhanging hawthorn trees.

Alsia Well
Alsia Well submitted by hamish : The farmer is a very likable person trying hard to do the right thing with his land using organic methods,he is very proud of his well.For those interested the so called Mary Line passes through here. SW393251 Cornwall Nr St Buryan. (1 comment)

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.
Click here to see more info for this site

Nearby sites

Click here to view sites on an interactive OS map

Key: Red: member's photo, Blue: 3rd party photo, Yellow: other image, Green: no photo - please go there and take one, Grey: site destroyed

Download sites to:
KML (Google Earth)
GPX (GPS waypoints)
CSV (Garmin/Navman)
CSV (Excel)

To unlock full downloads you need to sign up as a Contributory Member. Otherwise downloads are limited to 50 sites.


Turn off the page maps and other distractions

Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 299m E 87° Alsia Mill Cross* Early Christian Sculptured Stone (SW396251)
 1.3km ENE 77° Pendrea Cross* Ancient Cross (SW40592533)
 1.5km NNE 13° The Carn (Boscarn)* Cairn (SW39722654)
 1.5km NNE 29° Banns Farm menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW40102638)
 1.6km ESE 114° Treverven Markstone* Marker Stone (SW407244)
 1.6km NE 46° Trevorgans Menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW4049026132)
 1.7km ENE 67° St Buryan (Village)* Ancient Cross (SW4090025674)
 1.7km ENE 67° St Buryan (Churchyard)* Ancient Cross (SW40922570)
 1.8km WSW 242° Trebehor Cross* Early Christian Sculptured Stone (SW3763824319)
 1.9km ESE 123° Treverven Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW4082323992)
 2.3km NNW 342° Treave Stonehenge* Modern Stone Circle etc (SW3869227316)
 2.4km ENE 65° Trevorrian Cross* Ancient Cross (SW41552600)
 2.4km S 183° Treen Farm stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW3906322679)
 2.5km N 2° Crows-an-Wra Cross* Ancient Cross (SW39532762)
 2.5km NNE 13° Trevorgans Cross* Ancient Cross (SW39982755)
 2.6km WNW 288° Trevear Sennen* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW369260)
 2.6km NE 56° Higher Trevenian Cross* Ancient Cross (SW41522646)
 2.6km ENE 61° Higher Trevorian* Stone Circle (SW41682626)
 2.7km NNW 340° Chycandra Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SW38522766)
 2.7km NNE 24° Lower Leah Souterrain (Fogou, Earth House) (SW405275)
 2.7km ESE 106° Boskenna Crosses* Early Christian Sculptured Stone (SW419242)
 2.8km SSE 166° Treen standing stone* Modern Stone Circle etc (SW3983722399)
 2.8km NE 54° Pridden Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW41642660)
 2.8km NNW 337° Kerrow chambered cairn* Chambered Cairn (SW38352773)
 2.8km NNE 26° Leah Well Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SW4067927578)
View more nearby sites and additional images

<< Chun Castle Well

White Hag >>

Please add your thoughts on this site

Contribute!

· NEW: I have visited
· I would like to visit
· Submit an Image
· Add a description
· Give accurate position
· Add a comment or news about this site

Cornwall in Prehistory

Cornwall in Prehistory

Sponsors

Auto-Translation (Google)

Translate from English into:

"Alsia Well" | Login/Create an Account | 8 News and Comments
  
Go back to top of page    Comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.
Alsia Well Radiation by lucasn on Wednesday, 27 February 2019
(User Info | Send a Message)
[ Reply to This ]

Alsia Well by lucasn on Monday, 25 February 2019
(User Info | Send a Message)
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Alsia Well by Ray on Monday, 18 November 2013
(User Info | Send a Message)
There used to be a second well at Alsia, in a private garden across the lane from the property which has the known and much visited well. This other well, near to the old path, was destroyed by the owner some years ago by the use of a digger. It is now considered that this other well was the correct original well of history and legend. One reason for this is that it was on relatively level ground and would have been more suitable for dancing round than the existing well which is at the bottom of a steeply sloping field.
The story that this destroyed well was the correct well is actually accepted by the current owner of the other existing well, Mr Trevor Rogers
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Alsia Well by Ray on Sunday, 23 December 2012
(User Info | Send a Message)
Regarding the postings ref. Alsia Well and Saving Alsia Well a substantial document has been prepared by 'Ray' which gives a full outline of the matter from his point of view, balancing the comments on this site. He was not given the opportunity to do this, especially when a number of meetings took place about it. 'Ray' was also accused of 'vandalism' and in one case, by an archaeologist (unidentified) even of 'premeditated vandalism'. These and other accusations were allowed to proliferate into the local community and perhaps further afield.

For anyone interested in this matter, or generally interested in Alsia Well the document can be sent to you at [email protected]. Use the heading 'Alsia Well Document' and give your name.
Thank you for your interest.
[ Reply to This ]

Saving Alsia Well by TrevorRogers on Wednesday, 03 August 2011
(User Info | Send a Message)

In a period from October 2010 until March 2011 more visitors came to the well than in any similar period since I came to Alsia, more than ten years ago. Sadly they had not come to enjoy the remoteness and tranquillity of the ancient place but to witness and commiserate over the near destruction the iconic site had suffered.

Many visitors and the societies that care for the preservations of these sites have asked that as the land owner and keeper of the well I should record this appalling incident so that it may become part of the wells history thus providing information and facts for journalist and writers.

In October 2010 I had just completed a book about Alsia and the well and decided I should take a break. An acquaintance had offered to move into the house and look after the property whilst I was away. All I asked was that he enjoy the free hospitality of the house and keep an eye on the property and my small flock of rare breed sheep.

On the evening before my departure we discussed my book. I was beginning to have misgivings about having included a reference to a rare and sacred ivy growing at the well. Was it possible that having drawn attention to the plant, visitors might be tempted to take leaves as mementos? Ray’s view was that they might do worse and take cuttings and soon there would be no rare ivy.

Returning from my break I was horrified to find, every scrap of ivy, several species of fern, mosses and other small plants, including the rare ivy indigenous to the micro culture of the grotto, had been ripped from over half the embankments. Additionally, every root had been dug out and a great deal of the embankment disturbed. ‘Just a bit of tidying’ was Ray’s only comment and his entry on The Megalithic Portal dated 3rd December 2010 is an extension of his dismissal of what had been done.

A certain amount of brushwood had also been cut back. This I had agreed he might do, but that was ‘outside’ the well site and does not form any part of this report. In fact permission to do anything other than sweep the path or remove bits from the well was never given, or never would have been given.

Early on the Monday morning after Rays departure a distraught lady knocked on my door insisting that I return with her to the well as, in her words, the well had been vandalised. What I found was that where the embankments had been defoliated, overnight rain had soaked into the loosened and unprotected earth. That directly, over the well, had turned to slurry and blocked the well to the cill level, and the water flow had diminished and was in danger of having to find another outlet, who knows where. It took half a day to remove the slurry from the well, I left the rest of the embankment where it fell.

Two weeks later with more rain, even more of the embankment came down. Myself and two volunteers, again, cleared the well. As time went by the embankment above the well, with no roots to bind it, and no foliage to shed the rain, began to collapse. It is worth noting at this point that the left hand side of the well that had not been disturbed remained as it had for centuries.
Toward the end of March a goodly attended meeting at the well with representatives of the Cornish Ancient Sites Protection Network, archaeologists, botanists, writers and pagan representatives. All deplored the sight that greeted them. A representative spoke for all. “By no stretch of imagination can this be termed tidying up, it’s vandalism, was it through ignorance or was it premeditated.”

It was a fact, Ray had signalled his ambition of finding a ruined chapel at Alsia and had sought outside help to expedite his quest. The following is an email reproduced in its entirety:

'Hi Pat and Ray,
The chapel/graveyard site is 87 feet from that box like thing at the south end of the farmers field, the people buried there date from 2000 years ago, so it’s very old I beli

Read the rest of this post...
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Saving Alsia Well by Anonymous on Thursday, 13 September 2012
    'Ray' - who still considers Mr Rogers a friend of some 12 years - understands his upset over the matter of Alsia Well, work which 'Ray' did in good faith, trying to be helpful. 'Ray' was never given the opportunity to put his side of the story at any meetings, which he knew nothing of until they had taken place and it was disturbing to him to hear accusations of vandalism etc. by people who do not know him and have never met him. He considers it a shame that the matter was aired in the local community and elsewhere when it should really have been a private one between our two selves as it was on his private land - for one reason.

    'Ray' has been interested in the ancient sites and their preservation for many years (and indeed has been a voluntary warden at a local Woodland Trust woodland for some 25 years). It is therefore most ironic that he should be seen so negatively.

    'Ray' has a statement which he would be happy to send by e-mail to anyone still interested in the matter. Two years have now passed. The statement is too long to put here. He will merely say here that Mr Rogers is in error over the question of searching for a chapel, because he was unaware of the facts pertaining this.

    He repeats here what he has stated to Trevor Rogers personally, that he regrets the trouble that it has caused him in reinstating the surroundings of the well. Other accusations, especially by others) are not acceptable. He admires Mr Rogers for the concern and interest he has in the well and its history and preservation, an attitude not all landowners have.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Alsia Well by Ray on Friday, 03 December 2010
(User Info | Send a Message)
Further to my comment above: there have been recent complaints about the clearance at this well, even to the extent of over-reaction such as "ruined" etc. The fact is that the well surroundings have been cleared of dead wood, rotting vegetation, silt and other litter.The clear stream is now seen to be flowing well and the area around the gate has been cleared because the land owner wishes to re-hang it securely. The bed of the well has also been cleared. True, some ivy and other plants have also been cleared for visibility but these will grow back. As with the countryside in general it looks bare in the winter. Absolutely no digging has taken place and no disturbance to the stone surround. It would be nice if those complaining would go and see some of the other wells in Penwith and they will find some are in a very neglected state and need attention. (Higher Kerrowe well comes to mind for example.)
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Alsia Well by Anonymous on Friday, 20 November 2009
This well is currently very clear and open to view as I have recently been clearing vegetation around it (with the landowner's permission and suggestion).
I would personally raise its condition rating to 4.
The site remains a very peaceful place
[ Reply to This ]

Your Name: Anonymous [ Register Now ]
Subject:


Add your comment or contribution to this page. Spam or offensive posts are deleted immediately, don't even bother

<<< What is five plus one as a number? (Please type the answer to this question in the little box on the left)
You can also embed videos and other things. For Youtube please copy and paste the 'embed code'.
For Google Street View please include Street View in the text.
Create a web link like this: <a href="https://www.megalithic.co.uk">This is a link</a>  

Allowed HTML is:
<p> <b> <i> <a> <img> <em> <br> <strong> <blockquote> <tt> <li> <ol> <ul> <object> <param> <embed> <iframe>
We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.