St. Frideswide’s well is located in the small village of Frilsham, Berkshire.
This is one of the many holy wells you can find within the British Isles + a places that folk practitioners will frequent if nearby. Holy wells and springs were used for many different situations from healing to cursing.
In folk magic, we work with the spirits of these wells, from the saints to the fair folk.
St. Frideswide is an Anglo Saxon saint + it’s said that whilst she was fleeing a Mercian Prince, she fled to Frilsham + hid in a pig sty until she was safe. The location of the pig sty is now believed to be where the local church is situated.
Fridewide was believed to use the well for healing, esp healing of illnesses and in some cases within localised lore, she was believed to heal the blind to allow them to see again.
Although St. Frideswide’s well was reconstructed in 2007, it’s believed to be built on the ruins of the original well’s site.
Holy wells + Holy springs tend to be located in countryside and rural locations, some, like this well, in the middle of woodlands, others sat in the middle of fields, occasionally some will be found on church ruins or opposite + holy wells from the Roman era, would more likely be within town and city settings.
The saints you’ll find in the UK aren’t commonly known from the bible but localised saints, although there are some biblical saint locations
