Madron Holy Well


Down a muddy track lined by hawthorn hedges, this natural spring has been revered since ancient times, and its waters are reputed to have magical and healing properties. In bygone days people would come here to bathe in the waters, leaving behind a strip of cloth from their clothing (known as a cloutie); it was said that as the rag deteriorated, so would their affliction. The trees around the well are still decorated with colourful cloth strips and other offerings.

Near the well are the remains of a 12th-century chapel, supposedly built on a much more ancient site of worship (the well's name is believed to derive from Modron, the Celtic goddess of motherhood). You can just about make out the chapel's old font and altar half-buried in the undergrowth.


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