Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/291

 Children and Wells. 255

diseases of childhood at wells, and the search for an explanation is the purpose of this paper.

The following are a few detailed examples of the cure of children's diseases at wells :

To St. Madron's Well in Cornwall children used to be brought on the first three Sundays in May, that they might be cured of rickets or any other disorder with which they were troubled. " Three times they were plunged into the water, after having been stripped naked, the parent or person dipping them standing facing the sun ; after the dipping they were passed nine times round the well from East to West ; then they were dressed and laid in St. Madron's bed. Should they sleep, or the water in the well bubble, it was considered a good omen." Strict silence had to be observed.^

The village of Barnwell in Northamptonshire probably owes its name to its wells, seven in number, in which it was the custom, in olden times, to dip weakly children (called " berns," adds the chronicler). " From whatever cause the custom was originally adopted, in the course of time some presiding angel was supposed to communicate hidden virtues to the water, and mystical and puerile rites were performed at these springs." Hence they were denominated fontes piieronini?

At Monkton, near Jarrow in Northumberland, where it is reported St. Bede was born, there is a well which bears his name. As late as 1740 it was a prevailing custom to bring children troubled with any disease or infirmity to be dipped in the well. Between each dip- ping a crooked pin was thrown into the water.^

Many children's wells are to be found in Scotland "* as well as in England.

' Quiller-Couch, I.e., 136. ^Hope, Ac, p. 99. ■■Hope, I.e., p. 109.

Medicine, London, 1883, p. 133 ; and Ditchfield, Old English Customs, London, 1896, p. 182.
 * A. Mitchell, quoted by Ploss, Das Kind, ii. 213 ; Black, W. G., Folk-