Thanks, Harding - I'll check the full references and get them added.
Just a word or two about the bibliography on the HWW - it's compiled
(slowly) by me, and I know it's very incomplete as yet - although it's
about the fullest generally available on the subject nevertheless. I've got
some updates which are going to be added this very week, but if anyone knows of
any print sources which aren't included in it, do let me know.
Same goes for websites for the wells-on-the-web section. I do a trawl through
the search engines from time to time but it's slow and I'm sure there's a lot
more out there that I haven't found.
So any extra info on these would be appreciated,
Katy
On Fri, 03 Dec 1999 14:06:32 GMT Harding Arkarum <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Just a couple of bibliographical points:
>
> I noticed that in the General Reference section on the Holy-wells-web that
> the list didn't show the reprint of R. C. Hope's 'Legendary lore...' which
> was published in facsimile by Singing Tree, Detroit in 1968.
> Also, the list of wells-related books on Wales didn't list the American
> version of Milner's 'Authentic documents relating...' which was published,
> I believe in 1810.
>
> Harding.
>
>
> >From: Katy Jordan <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
> >To: Rik NA <[log in to unmask]>
> >CC: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: Holy Wells or Holy Springs
> >Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 17:07:49 +0000 (GMT Standard Time)
> >
> >
> >On Thu, 02 Dec 1999 14:49:25 GMT Rik NA <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > > > As I understood it, Holy Wells is a generic term. I have been told
> > > > > (repeatedly) that their is no such thing as a Holy Well,(in
> >Derbyshire)
> > > >as
> > > > > it is the water that is holy and not the well. Equally, there are
> >wells
> > > >that
> > > > > are baptistry's (for example Madron) which by definition one can
> >call
> > > >Holy
> > > > > Wells, as this reflects their use.
> > > >
> > > >Isn't this quibbling? A well is a place where water wells up from the
> > > >earth.
> > > >Without the water there is no well. The water is the well is holy.
> >The
> > > >structure is a well-head or well-house, not the well itself. Imho,
> > > >naturally
> > > >;-)
> > >
> > > Yup, I could not agree with you more, however the reason they defend
> >this
> > > distinction so vehemently in Derbyshire is that the Well Dressings are
> > > designed to venerate water not Wells, so despite the cries of no fair
> >from
> > > traditional Well dressing communities, people are starting to use flower
> > > boards where their is no Well, built around a bucket or whatever of
> >water,
> > > using this justification. Hence the reason for the distinction in the
> > > county. Baptistries, were mentioned just because the water is/was used
> >for a
> > > Christian purpose, as opposed to sites that indulge in divination and so
> >on.
> >
> >Oh, right - yes, I thought it was odd when I was in Tideswell back in
> >September
> >and they looked at me as if I was mad when I asked where the wells were.
> >
> >I have always vaguely discounted well-dressing as being much to do with
> >holy
> >wells, exactly because of the Derbyshire attitude you mention. And yet I
> >realise this is not consistent now that people elsewhere have made quite a
> >tradition of dressing their holy wells.
> >
> >I guess that to be a well the water should be flowing or running - a
> >'living
> >spring', no less. (There could be a journal title in there somewhere ;-)
> >
> >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > Often icons and
> > > > > saint statues are placed in wells which might also account for a
> >Wells
> > > >Holy
> > > > > status. However, overall it is not a good general term.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >Nevertheless, it's the one which has been generally used to describe a
> >wide
> > > >range of 'special' wells over the last few hundred years. I don't have
> >any
> > > >problems with that. You have to have a general catch-all term, then
> >you
> > > >define
> > > >or clarify it to explain your use of it in context. Suits me.
> > >
> > > Again true, but it is infuriating that in some counties a lot of people
> >do
> > > not understand that a Holy Well is a generic term for this sort of site,
> >and
> > > know Wells as Well, by site name, or by activity. Hence, the term albeit
> >it
> > > all we have is a bad one.
> > >
> >
> >Yes, point taken, you always have to explain that 'well' often means
> >'spring'.
> >I always say 'welling up' which gets the point across. I still like 'holy
> >well' though - it's been around a long time and has authority. e.g. I may
> >be
> >a new-fangled Information Professional, but when you get right down to it
> >I'm
> >still a Librarian.
> >
> >Katy
> >
> >******************************************************
> >Katy Jordan
> >Faculty Librarian, Engineering & Design
> >Library & Learning Centre
> >University of Bath
> >BA2 7AY
> >Tel: 01225-826826 x5612
> >******************************************************
> >The Holy Wells Web - Gateway to Waterlore
> >http://www.bath.ac.uk/~liskmj/holywell.htm
> >******************************************************
> >
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
******************************************************
Katy Jordan
Faculty Librarian, Engineering & Design
Library & Learning Centre
University of Bath
BA2 7AY
Tel: 01225-826826 x5612
******************************************************
The Holy Wells Web - Gateway to Waterlore
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~liskmj/holywell.htm
******************************************************
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