medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Madeleine Gray <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>this all sounds a bit celtic to me. Well cults and what not.
well, i suppose it would.
some folks see "Celtic" under every bush and down every well.
>Any links with wells at the sites of martyrdom
my own ad hoc take on the matter is that sources of sweet water were rather
rare, especially from late Roman times on, especially in cities, and were
therefore good candidates for becoming "sacred", with or without the addition
of the vivifying flesh of non-putrifying martyrs.
in and around Chartres, in addition to the well in the cathedral, i know of at
least two other ones --one a still-running "source" which can be seen near the
river just outside the close of the church of St. Andre
http://www.ariadne.org/centrechartraine/abbeys/st-andre/st-andre.html
(enlarge the image)
(near the left end of the iron bridge in the third picture down; note that, in
the second picture down there is a small chapel built more or less on the site
above the spring, and some kind of architectural structure below that chapel
which might have something to do with access to the spring.)
and the other a smaller, but still-flowing "source" in what was the north
transept arm of the 12th c. abbey church of "St. Mary of Josaphat" at Leves,
just a few kilometers down the Eure from the city
http://www.ariadne.org/centrechartraine/abbeys/josaphat/1728vue.jpg
http://www.ariadne.org/centrechartraine/abbeys/josaphat/1749plan.jpg
(enlarge the image ; it's marked "9. Fontaine Notre-Dame et son canal")
(btw, the Chartres Bishop John "of Salisbury" was buried just a few feet from
this spring.)
worth noting that both of these abbeys (St. Andre was a collegial, Josaphat a
Benedictine house) are quite near/right on the river (Josaphat seems to me to
be precariously build in the flood plain), where a fresh source of sweet water
would be quite welcome, i should think.
also built quite near the river, just below the city, was the ancient
Benedictine house of St. Peter's
http://www.ariadne.org/centrechartraine/abbeys/st-peter/st-peter-eure.jpg
from a 17th c. drawing, it appears that there was some sort of "canal" which
ran through the abbey grounds, though i know of no spring there at present :
http://www.ariadne.org/centrechartraine/abbeys/st-peter/1682drawing.jpg
>Didn't we have a discussion a while ago about church artefacts being hidden
in wells at the Reformation - or was that on wells-and-spas?
i can't recall such an one on this list.
which certainly doesn't mean it didn't happen.
>I could copy your posting to wells-and-spas, if that would be OK with you,
Chris, and see if anyone came up with anything.
go ahead, knock yourself out.
don't forget to share, however.
best from here,
christopher
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