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Eyam Well Dressing
Well Dressing and Traditions
Well dressing is a unique Derbyshire tradition, originating in Pagan times, and is the art of decorating wells or springs with flower parts and natural materials set in clay on an upright wooden board to produce a fabulous colourful picture. It is a form of thanksgiving for being provided with a continuous supply of pure water.
Most of the well dressings have a religious theme, with each well being blessed at the beginning of the week long display. Village residents volunteer their services to take part in the laborious ‘puddling’ and ‘petalling’ processes which often takes a week to carry out, sometimes with shifts operating well into the night. However it is a valuable way for villagers to socialize each year, often with a competitive rivalry existing between villages to produce the most attractive well dressings.
In Eyam the well dressing ceremony coincides with Wakes Week and the annual Carnival, and is generally held at the end of August. Two main wells are decorated, one at Town Head and the other at Town End.
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