Washington sentinel., 1899-02-25
Holy Wells.
Royal AEagaziNs.

far famed well OF St. KeYne, near
Looe, Cornwall, St. Key IA, or St,
Keyne, the tutelary saint, is sup
posed to have cast a spell over the
spring. According to early writer's,
she was a pious virgin OF British
Blood Royal, being the daughter |
OF Bragonus, Prince of Brecknock |
shire, and lived about A. D. 49o-
There is a popular tradition con-
cerning this we'll that whichever of
a newly m arried couple first drinks
a draught from the spring, he or
she, as the case NAV be, obtains
and holds the supremacy. An
amusing story connected with this
tradition is worth recording. 1t is
said that many years ago, after a
quiet wedding at the parish church
(Which, by the way, is about a
mile distant from the well), the
bridegroom was observed to rush
hastily away. After some little
time had elapsed, he returned, look
ing rather untidy, but nevertheless
happy-as if he had accomplished
some great object. He met the
bride in the porch and she natur"
ally asked where he had been, TO
which he iovtully replied; "To the
| Well Of St. KeYne." The bride
had, however. outwitted him, and
after calling him"a regular duffer," "
told him she mad taken a bottle Of
the water to church!
If tradition may be relied on,
George Ill. must have had a weak
ness tor visiting holy wells; at least
such appeared to be the case when
he was staying at Weymouth.
The wishing Well" at Upwey IS
said to have been visit ID by him
every morning. The legend con-
cerning this spring is that to"wish"
one must first drink Of the water,
wish, and then throw a little water
over the lett shoulder. 1t is par
ticu arly stated that it must be the
left shoulder, but wherefore the
writer does not know. It's not on
record whether or not his Royal
Highness carried out these instruc-
tions. Another we'll which is
stated to have been frequently
visited by King George and his
family when sojourning at Wey.
mouth is Fortune Well, situate
in the village of the same name.
The water Of St. Telca's Well near
Ruthin, is famous for the cure of
epilepsy, and numbers of sufferers
80 L-,vrLk kt,skLar ~ s,v,sae -
bathe in its clear water. Before
leaving the spring 1t is usual Tor
the patient to throw a coin into
the sparkling water, and then walk
away from the well backwards,
slowly repeating the Lords Prayer
He then retires into the church
near by, where he spends the night
in PRAYER, and by daybreak his
cure is supposed to be effected.
The most famous oil English holy
wells is said to be S.. Winifred's S
in Cheshire. Certain Christians
still make periodical pilgrimages
here, so that it is sometimes known
as the English Lourdes." Like
number Of the Cornish wells
this one is seen to be within a small
, chapelry, which was built over the
| spring in the fifteenth century bI
{ the Countess of Richmond, mother
/ Of Henry VII. Tradition says
that the saint was murdered or
this very spot by rejected lover
about the year 500 AID, and thai
ever since that time the spring has
/ been found to work miraculous
cures.
The well at Harbledowu bears
the name Of the Black Prince. One
is accustomed to associate the
noble warrior with all that is besi
ana bravest, and noblest; it there
fore comes as somewhat of a shock
to realize that he was a leper. II
was in this we'll that he used tc
; bathe in order to cure his leprosy
, Hence the waters have always beer
considered to possess wondrou,
! curative properties, and have beer
, sought after by all manner Of sicl
/ pilgrims. Here, too, the pilgrim!
{ washed their feet before entering
{ the city OF Canterbury.