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<< Our Photo Pages >> Upwey Wishing Well - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in England in Dorset

Submitted by TimPrevett on Monday, 29 March 2004  Page Views: 23390

Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: Upwey Wishing Well
Country: England County: Dorset Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
 Nearest Village: Upwey
Map Ref: SY661852  Landranger Map Number: 194
Latitude: 50.665476N  Longitude: 2.481024W
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
 5 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
 3

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I have visited· I would like to visit

RedKite1985 visited on 24th Apr 2023 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 5

AngieLake have visited here

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by TimPrevett : The gorgeous setting of Upwey Wishing Well. See the main entry for details. I have tested the water for ailments of the feet - a badly sprained ankle dipped for about 10 seconds on 5 occasions. Wonderfully refreshing cold flowing water to swollen and bruised tendons, but have had nothing miraculous! This view looks downstream. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Holy Well / Spring in Dorset

A well in a beautiful setting. Fantastic spot. The location is not listed in the sites and monuments record, but the local church guide recognises the pre-Christian significance of the life giving flow.

A small sub-tropical style garden and circular well housing give the outflow of water a most inviting setting. Access is through the tea rooms, though I felt unsure if access can be had when they are closed. I believe there is no admission charge, but donations are welcome.

The well is quickly located by following the short path straight out of the tea rooms, and bearing right. Sometime last century, some Derbyshire Ladies moved to the area and started a tradition of dressing the well, as per Derbyshire custom.

Parking can be had near the 13th Century Church of St Laurence, which is also worthy of a visit. A green man, and relatively recent discovered painted Tudor Roses (one of only four locations in the country, apparently) await those who visit.

There is a stone in the wall between the Church and Wishing Well which is different than all the wall built upon top of it, which I regarded as 'suspicious'.
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Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : This charming vintage postcard of Upwey Wishing Well has no acknowledged photographer or copyright, and the stamp has been torn off, taking the Post Office's rubber stamp's date with it. Posted in Weymouth, it was addressed to 'Miss Compton, 60 Clarendon Road, Notting Hill, London, W.' and reads: "Dear Sister, You must really come here next summer and drive out to this lovely spot and have a wish... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : An old photo of Upwey Wishing Well taken at the turn of the century (?), showing how the surrounding area has changed. Here the church is visible on the other side of a lane, and a long branch of a tree (or is it the tree itself?) bends across towards the right-hand wall, above the two young women (or children?) sitting on the well. There is a gate behind them, which seems to be the only access.... (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by TimPrevett : Gorgeous here, it really is. The water from the well is partially diverted and channelled through well looked after gardens which are a tonic for the soul. Taken on iPhone SE. The well has a lovely restaurant which has reliably served for a number of family meals over the years, too. 24th July 2018. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by TimPrevett : Gorgeous here, it really is. The water also comes up away from the well housing with quite some force - this is after a couple months without rain. Taken on iPhone SE. The well has a lovely restaurant which has reliably served for a number of family meals over the years, too. 24th July 2018. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by TimPrevett : Close up. Taken on iPhone SE. The well has a lovely restaurant which has reliably served for a number of family meals over the years, too. 24th July 2018.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by TimPrevett : Close up. Taken on iPhone SE. The well has a lovely restaurant which has reliably served for a number of family meals over the years, too. 24th July 2018. iPhone SE photo.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by TimPrevett : Little Egret - Well Dressing - a couple months after being made, so it is far from its best. The dressings are set in clay, so after a couple months of being baked, it's not doing that bad. The well has a lovely restaurant which has reliably served for a number of family meals over the years, too. 24th July 2018. iPhone SE photo.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by TimPrevett

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : This is for Tim P. He mentioned the big red roses in the church next to Upwey wishing well..(St.Lawrence's I believe). Did you also see the Green Men, Tim?

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : Showing the curved pavement on the left of the well, and the castellated wall above the panels.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : Looking up the out-flowing channel, under the modern-day concrete lintel, into the well.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : Looking down into the basin of the well... not much to see but reflections of the trees above!

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : Looking back 'upstream' by the first little waterfall, past the pool to the wishing well. The gardens are to the right here.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : Upwey wishing well from the side, showing the poster and other displays, and the voluntary collection box.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : This poster on the wall near the wishing well explained the history and methods of Well-Dressing. [May 08].

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : The central panel with the farmer and his hut. [Well-Dressing 2008].

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : A close-up of the Stonehenge panel of Well-Dressing at Upwey on 13th May 08.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : I was thrilled to see the subjects chosen for 2008's Well-Dressing. [I later visited Maiden Castle, and Stone 16 at Stonehenge is in the right foreground here!]

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by AngieLake : Upwey Wishing Well and its 2008 Well-Dressings on 13th May. L to R: Stonehenge, Hut and Farmer ploughing [behind pillar], Maiden Castle, and far right, the children's Mammoth.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by TimPrevett : A stone I thought to be 'suspicious' near the Upwey Wishing Well, with a much more recent wall built on top of it. This lies in the wall between the Wishing Well Tea Rooms and the Church of St Laurence.

Upwey Wishing Well
Upwey Wishing Well submitted by TimPrevett : The gorgeous setting of Upwey Wishing Well. See the main entry for details. I have tested the water for ailments of the feet - a badly sprained ankle dipped for about 10 seconds on 5 occasions. Wonderfully refreshing cold flowing water to swollen and bruised tendons, but have had nothing miraculous! This view looks to the well dressing, in 2005 featuring Lord Nelson & HMS Victory. (1 comment)

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 1.3km ENE 61° Ridgeway Hill* Barrow Cemetery (SY672858)
 1.4km N 7° Upwey Ridgeway* Barrow Cemetery (SY66298659)
 1.9km ENE 74° Bincombe Down* Barrow Cemetery (SY679857)
 2.0km N 359° Ashton Farm Bowl Barrows Barrow Cemetery (SY66088717)
 2.0km NW 319° Ridge Hill* Barrow Cemetery (SY648867)
 2.0km W 278° Friar Waddon Hill Barrow Cemetery (SY641855)
 2.1km ENE 67° Winterborne Came 18b (Bincombe) Cairn (SY680860)
 2.7km NNW 331° Eweleaze Barn* Barrow Cemetery (SY648876)
 2.8km NW 305° Great Hill (Martinstown)* Barrow Cemetery (SY638868)
 2.8km ENE 67° Came Down* Barrow Cemetery (SY687863)
 2.8km E 100° Bincombe Barrows* Barrow Cemetery (SY689847)
 3.0km NNW 340° Four Barrow Hill* Round Barrow(s) (SY651880)
 3.4km NNE 13° Maiden Castle (Dorset)* Hillfort (SY66908846)
 3.4km NNE 14° Maiden Castle Causewayed Enclosure* Causewayed Enclosure (SY66938848)
 3.4km NNE 14° Maiden Castle Bank Barrow* Long Barrow (SY66928850)
 3.6km N 6° Maiden Castle Long Barrow 1 Long Barrow (SY66518879)
 3.7km ESE 112° Chalbury* Hillfort (SY695838)
 3.8km WNW 296° Bronkham Hill* Barrow Cemetery (SY62678688)
 3.8km N 353° Clandon Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SY65638900)
 3.8km E 81° Whitcombe 1* Long Barrow (SY699858)
 3.9km N 10° Maiden Castle Linear Earthwork Misc. Earthwork (SY66798902)
 4.0km NE 36° Herringston Bowl Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SY68478842)
 4.0km N 7° Maiden Castle Barrow Cemetery* Barrow Cemetery (SY666892)
 4.0km N 7° Lanceborough Enclosure Misc. Earthwork (SY66658920)
 4.1km NE 37° Herringston Long Barrow* Long Barrow (SY68548844)
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"Upwey Wishing Well" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Re: Upwey Wishing Well by AngieLake on Sunday, 22 May 2005
(User Info | Send a Message)
Wish I'd seen this! I was only a mile away from here yesterday, and didn't know it existed. (Driving from the gorgeous little village of Sutton Poyntz to Dorchester, via Came Wood, to look at Maumbury Rings.) What a shame - it looks lovely. Very topical design, too!
Derbyshire's colourful Well Dressings are well worth travelling to see. Maybe the quality varies, as does the quantity of the wells, but the five at Tissington were *very* beautiful on 4th June 2003, when I last visited. (It's already too late to see Tissington's this year, as they were on view from 5-11 May - so dates must vary from year to year.)
The mind boggles at the patience required to apply all those individual petals and seeds, etc.. Each village's period of display is short, as the flowers, petals and seeds dry out and die in four or five days as their clay base dries out.
This week (according to my 'Well Dressing Dates 2005' leaflet) you can see them at:
Etwall (21-23); Ashford-in-the-Water (21-29); Endon (28-30); Wirksworth, and Brackenfield, (both 28-31); Middleton-by-Youlgrave (28 May-4 June) and Monyash (28 May-5 June).
There are 19 in June, 37 in July, 7 in August and 4 in September. So - if you're visiting Arbor Low, say, next weekend, why not take in a Well Dressing too?... or come back later in the summer and enjoy!
(Picked up my leaflet at the Derby City Tourist Information Centre, next to the Assembly Rooms, Tel:01246 345777/8. [Derby is usually 01332 ......... !] Leaflet gives web address: http://www.derbyshirethepeakdistrict.co.uk)
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