did you get my reply? It never appeared on SMR Forum for computer reasons
unknown, so I'm trying again (having written it, I'd like to get through!)
one of the best in England is at Madron Well in Cornwall, kept going by
purely 'local' practice until 10 years ago, now even more elaborate as a
result of a wave of New Age interest. Not one tree but several around a
spring which wells up to become a boggy area of about an acre. Not far from
the spring itself are the remains of an early (date uncertain) chapel or
wellhead. It's a spectacular area. About 1/2 mile north of Madron church,
which is just outside Penzance.
one of the least know and most interesting is at Swallowhead spring on the
Kennet in Wiltshire just by Silbury Hill. The tree is about ten yards form
the well. Although it has some early modern record as a well with healing
qualities, the spring's main focus is purely modern - Michael Dames book The
Silbury Treasure in the 1970s claimed it as a kind of key to the entire
Avebury landscape, and as a result it has been sanctified by various New Age
and Pagan groups (not sure which and would love to know). It's regularly
added to at equinoxes and solstices. Whether this history makes it more or
less interesting depends on your views - personally, to see a new if small
sacred site being created in the Avebury landscape is fascinating on many
levels.
I have good pics of both the above (and indeed of 'dressed trees' elsewhere
in Britain and in various far-flung bits of the globe) if your correspondent
is interested. it is indeed a quasi-'universal' practise (a term to be
suspicious of), very popular in east asian Shamanic areas for example
(siberia, mongolia, north east china). if you expand definition to include
human intervention in trees there's barely a culture that doesn't do it.
There is an exellent website on the 'holy wells' etc. I've tried a coupe of
searches to no avail, sadly - it had good information on it, not vague stuff
about holy places. If anyone has the link, I'd be grateful. Based at the
University of Bath I believe.
-----Original Message-----
From: Coleman,S,EnvServ,HistEnvInfo
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 04 October 2000 06:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Clutie/Cloutie/Clootie Trees
Dear All,
My arboriculturalist colleague here in Bedfordshire, David Alderman,
recently sent the following query around our Section:
"I am helping to research the locations of any "clutie trees".
Historically clutie, cloutie or clootie trees were those which grew near
a spring or water source and to which small cloths (or clouts) were tied
by those making a wish. Trees at the head of Barton Springs may once
have included a clutie tree but if you know of any, anywhere in Britain,
or have heard reference to such a tree or the practice, I would be
interested to hear."
I have provided David with a couple of examples in Scotland and Wales
but, although not strictly archaeological, I suspect some members of the
Forum will know of others.
Thanks in anticipation!
Stephen R. Coleman
Historic Environment Information Officer
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