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The water of life
Douglas Young explains the tradition of well dressing and its links to Christianity
A VISIT TO TISSINGTON in the Peak District of Derbyshire is a relaxing and refreshing day out at any time of year. The village of about 150 people is spread out around the Tissington Estate where the most interesting tradition of well dressing started. This custom goes back to 1349 after the Black Death had swept across Derbyshire with devastating consequences. However, the villagers of Tissington escaped the plague and attributed that to the pure water running in their wells. So, the following year they dressed the wells on Ascension Day in thanksgiving to God for their pure water. Some people would say that the wells were dressed before this as some sort of pagan ritual, although no records have been found to support this view. What we do know is that the custom from 1349 onwards was a Christian festival of thanksgiving to the God who created the water and provides for all our needs.
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