I only ever source my information from primary sources, like tithe maps and Ordnance Survey maps, and secondary sources that I know to be reliable. I never derive information from other websites or from books newer than 1950 (excepting the Victoria County History series, a very trustworthy source), as I have found that a very large proportion of modern books are errant or badly sourced. Even information that I derive from primary or reliable secondary sources is cross-referenced, if possible, with other reliable sources. When I do include some information from a source that I do not deem reliable, often for the purposes of demonstrating its unreliability, for example the Historic Environment Record for England, which is, when looked into, riddled with errors, then I make sure to state so to avoid confusion.
Another important part of my research is visiting sites myself, taking photographs of them, talking to their owners and people who may know more about them, and making a record of their current condition. All of the photographs on this website, unless otherwise stated, are mine, and I have taken a photograph of every well that I have successfully visited (now just over 250), as I believe that a photograph of a site is always much more illustrative of its condition than a written description could ever be.
Because of the wide surface area covered by the project, it is often impossible for me to access physical archives or documents, so I conduct most of my research using digital scans of historical documents or books.
This website looks in particular at the Christian medieval cult of holy wells in Britain, which is closely linked to the cult of the saints and the custom of pilgrimage. Today, "holy wells" are generally given a very broad definition, encompassing any wells associated with folklore or that possess an unusual name; however, medieval people, particularly pilgrims, would not have viewed these wells in the same way as they did Christian holy wells, and evidence shows that they treated them very differently. It is my opinion that wells described as "holy wells" today but which were not linked to the medieval Christian cult should be studied separately, and should not be classed as one with medieval Christian holy wells that were used for worship and pilgrimage. Much can be learnt about both types of well if they are looked at as two individual phenomena, which albeit often possess similar characteristics.
For a well to be included on this website, it must therefore fit one of the following criteria:
Some of the wells included on this website are not of a medieval date, but fit one of the above criteria. These sites are still of some importance as they show how the cult evolved after medieval times. In some rare cases, Christian holy wells were created after the Reformation as follies, but inexplicably became used for healing purposes; exactly this happened at St Govor's Well in Kensington Gardens, London.
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