WELLS
A wishing well, called “Billy Hobby’s Well,” was in the field which is now the Grosvenor Park, Chester, and a local poet sang thus in 1823—
I lov’d the tales that idle maids would tell,
Of wonders wrought at Billy Hobby’s well;
Where love-sick girls with leg immured would stand,
The right leg ’twas—the other on dry land,
With face so simple—stocking in the hand—
Wishing for husbands half a winter’s day,
With ninety times the zeal they used to pray.
Other wells round Chester were “St. Giles’ Well” at Spital Boughton, “Jacob’s Well” near St. John’s Church, “Aganippe’s Well” at Newton, and the “Abbot’s Well” at Christleton, which supplied the monastery at Chester with water. It still exists, but the others are extinct.
Another wishing well was at Gayton, and a holy well at Alderley Edge. St. Plegmund’s Well is in the parish of Plemstall (three miles from Chester). It has been customary for many years to take the water used for christenings in the church from this well.
A chalybeate spring existed in Delamere Forest, and was resorted to by invalids in the eighteenth century.
The largest well now existing is the “Synagogue Well” at Frodsham, which is close to the site of the ancient castle there, and may have been connected with it. It still has a copious supply of water, and has been cleansed and repaired, much to the detriment of its former picturesque appearance.
There is no history attached to it nor any explanation of the curious name. Major Egerton Leigh gives a fancy history of it in his Ballads and Legends of Cheshire.
No traces of well-worship exist; but up to a late period the inhabitants of Nantwich used to sing a hymn of thanksgiving at the “Blessing of the Brine.” An ancient pit, called the “Old Brine” or “Biat,” was decked on Ascension Day with flowers, and a jovial band of young people celebrated the day with song and dance. Aubrey says: “In Cheshire, where they went in perambulation, they did blesse the springs—i.e. did read the Gospel at them, and did believe the water was better.”
A remnant of fire-worship existed at Alvanley, where, on the Toot Hill, fires were made in the spring and autumn, through which the villagers jumped.