The Folklore of Wells: Healing, Wishing, Divining, and Cursing

Fabulous Folklore with Icy

Archaeological evidence reveals a close relationship between people and the spiritual world back to the Bronze Age, often enacted through water. Springs often reveal ritual deposits, such as those found at the head of the Seine. It’s unsurprising that humans would continue this water-based relationship via wells.

For some scholars, wells had either a patron deity or a guardian spirit, which was later replaced by a saint or angel. For example, there is a suggestion that the Celtic water goddess Alauna became St Helen.

But wells took on multiple functions, used to heal, curse, make wishes, and even divine. And, of course, people used them as a water source.

Let's take a look at some of these wells across the British Isles in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore.

Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/folklore-of-wells/

Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/

Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595

Fabulous Folklore Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/fabulous_folklore

Enjoyed this episode and want to show your appreciation? Buy Icy a coffee to say 'thanks' at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick

Pre-recorded illustrated talks: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick/shop

Request an episode: https://forms.gle/gqG7xQNLfbMg1mDv7

Get extra snippets of folklore on Instagram at https://instagram.com/icysedgwick

'Like' Fabulous Folklore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabulousfolklore/

Find Icy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/icysedgwick.bsky.social

Tweet Icy at https://twitter.com/IcySedgwick