Ian Taylor
Exploring the holy wells and healing wells of North Wales - Fforio'r ffynhonnau sanctaidd a ffynhonnau iachaol Gogledd Cymru
Folklore & history / llên gwerin & hanes
More at www.wellhopper.wales
- I'm sometimes amazed that it's 10 years now since I stopped writing my Gothic Heroine blog. I still think that one day I should go back to it but how did I ever have the time. Just rereading the Christmas 2011 book recommendations! wp.me/p1Zf8W-1f
- The Millennium Cross on the site of the old Capel St Ffraid - Trearddur Bay. St Brigid's Cross at its centre. Sunny but wild with storm Bram this afternoon.
- Strange times - I don't ever remember seeing this rhododendron flowering in December before. West Cheshire.
- Escaping a cold house to the glorious warm quite of Gladstone's Library, Hawarden to write up my talk on the wells of Ynys Cybi today.
- Preparing to talk about about the traditions of the wells of Ynys Cybi / Holy Island in Holyhead next month
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- A little medieval character I found lurking in St Mary's church Nercwys yesterday
- Visiting the fascinating colourful Hundertwasser Haus in Vienna this afternoon
- Just picked up a copy of Alice Vernon's Ghosted for my weekend reading. Dark nights and autumn coming on quickly now.
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- At the Silver Well, a petrifying well, in West Cheshire this morning
- Gorgeous morning walking along the River Weaver in West Cheshire this morning in search of the Silver Well, a petrifying well near Kingsley.
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- Ffynnon Gorad This well lies on the Anglesey Coastal Path to the north of Valley. Local belief is that it was once associated with a local small monastic settlement connected to the monastery at Holyhead. More recently it was been used as a local water supply.
- Ffynnon Sadwrn / Ddu (both have been used) is close to St Mary's Church Llanfair PG Anglesey. Once a copious spring feeding a duck pond, it was destroyed in the 1840s during the building of the new railway. now only a small stone chamber covered by a grill remains, though water still flows.
- At the beautiful St Peulan's church Llanbeulan this afternoon with @friendlesschurches.bsky.social and @angleseyhistory.bsky.social
- "of natural springs there were none...but wells had been sunk. Their waters were clear & cool enough, but one never knew to what purpose these wells were sometimes put. They were deep & had the merit of keeping their own secrets. Rev T J Jones in John Ellis History of Abergele. 1948
- Had a great evening on Thursday looking at the fantastic work @friendlesschurches.bsky.social have done restoring St Doged's church at Llanddoged. Fascinating C19 update to a medieval church. Also took the chance to revisit the well Ffynnon Ddoged. wellhopper.wales/2025/05/02/f...
- A short blog post on Ffynnon Ddoged - Saint Doged's well, following on from my visit to Llanddoged yesterday. wellhopper.wales/2025/05/02/f...
- Ffynnon Ddoged, St Doged's well at Llanddoged, Conwy. Subject of a late 15th century ode claiming the well had healing powers but now covered by stone and locked tight shut
- Looking forward to visiting Llanddoged tomorrow. A few years since I was last there to find the once curative well Ffynnon Ddoged, now lost under brick and concrete
- Latest copy of @helleborezine.bsky.social journal arrived this morning. Always a joy to receive it. That's Saturday morning sorted
- Very much looking forward to seeing & hearing Penelope Trappes tonight
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- Visiting St Faglan's church Llanfaglan Caernarfon. One of the gems and my favourite of the Friends of Friendless Churches holdings. #FoFC
- Walking round Llanbeblig church Caernarfon this morning. Seeing the sorry overgrown state of the churchyard
- At Ffynnon y Wrach - the witch's well - this morning for an Open Doors event. Looking forward to discussing the history of the well
- St Patrick's cave and well, Ffynnon ac Ogof Badrig. Llanbadrig, Ynys Mon.
- St Helen's Well, Ffynnon Elen, Caernarfon. Supposedly named for Elen Luyddog, wife of Magnus Maximus. Naturalist John Ray visited Caernarfon in 1662 & recorded seeing Elen's chapel and well. It's possible the original well was closed in the mid C19 and the name was transferred to this nearby well.
- Naturalist John Ray's somewhat sceptical view of St. Winefride's well at Holywell, from his visit in 1658. "The poor and the lame visit the well more to beg and receive alms than to benefit from the use of its waters."
- Back to Ffynnon y Wrach, Holyhead on March 21st. Open Doors event.
- Handout from St Tudwen's church Llandudwen Gwynedd ca 2012 following the restoration of the holy well. These days it is overgrown and hard to find. Restorations need to be a continuous process.
- Really fancied a coffee and a National Trust cake this afternoon. Plas Newydd - closed! Penrhyn Castle - closed! Ended up at home with Tesco scones. V disappointed! #NationalTrustScones
