Holy wells and springs

Watery places have always held a certain amount of fascination, especially natural springs and wells and, over thousands of years, have become sacred places of pilgrimage and sacrifice where the Gods who dwell beneath the depths ultimately decide the fate of man.

Both Bronze and Iron Age man saw water as having supernatural powers, whilst its mysterious depths were gateways to the underworld. As such, many offerings were made to appease the Gods as evidenced by archaeological finds of jewellery, plaques, coins and both human and animal remains. No doubt these places were the origin of today's wishing wells!

Discover more about these strange watery places in 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Whispers'

Beauty comes in many forms

We all revere youth and fresh faced beauty and spend thousands of pounds trying to recapture that which all too fleetingly flies away. What we often fail to realise however is that beauty is present in many forms - a well lined face - silver hair - a knarled and naked tree - a barren field of rich dark soil and the inner beauty of the soul. At this darkening time of year, when the light is fading and the earth turns to rest, rejoice and give thanks for the gifts of the crone.
The following is an excerpt from a Samhain poem in 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Whispers'. The book will tell you what happens next.

The Mermaid

Intermittent moonlight
Silvers her greying hair
And I become aware
That the woman I live with is ageing.
Upon a once perfect canvas,
Lines are worn
Where time has drawn
Its hand across her face.
I yearn for youth and beauty,
One to excite
And bring delight
To satisfy my longing......

Holy Wells

The Bronze and Iron Age people saw water as having supernatural powers, whilst its mysterious, dark depths were seen as the entrance to the underworld. People felt compelled to make offerings to the Deities, which they believed inhabited these sacred places, a fact that has been evidenced by many archaeological finds. Items such as jewellery, plaques, coins and animal and human remains have all been discovered in these watery places where springs mysteriously burst forth from the land and were no doubt the wishing wells of early man.

Springs and wells were also seen as places of healing, of communing with the Gods, of worship, of purification and divination. There was however, a darker side to some requests thrown into the waters as findings from the Celtic/Roman shrine of Sulis Minerva in Bath show, for here lay plaques that not only had for healing but many were inscribed with curses and hexes.

Perhaps little changes within the human psyche over millennia after all?