Well Dressing in Derbyshire

Well dressing is an ancient custom in rural areas in England of adorning local wells with floral decorations usually as part of a religious service in thanksgiving for an abundant supply of pure water. The speakers will be Janet and Paul Barrass giving a detailed talk on the history and technique of Derbyshire Well Dressing.

Well dressings are made using wooden frames packed with clay, in a process known as puddling. These are then decorated with natural objects including moss, beans, seeds, cones, twigs, berries and, most importantly, flower petals which give the pictures their colour and detail.