Holy Wells - Ancient Penwith | Cornwall

The Cornish word for a spring is Venton or Fenten. Most Cornish holy wells were dug and built in medieval times, sometimes at the site of a spring or by digging down to a water vein. But many existed before that, whether or not modified by humans.

Ancient water sources were to play an important role in the semi-shamanistic early Christian period of Cornish saints, who continued a holy well tradition going right back to the earliest times.

One archaeological problem is that some ancient wells and springs were upcycled in medieval and later times, obliterating evidence from earlier periods of use.

The notion that springwater can have special properties that heal and bring blessing is regarded by many as charmingly superstitious – it’s just H2O. We generally ignore the minerals, biochemicals, microvolt-level bio-electronic charge and the magic factor-X that give some waters their special properties, tastes and therapeutic virtues.

The ancients valued springs, locating settlements nearby. The early Christian use of holy wells has its roots in the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Springs and their issue were a gift of the Great Mother. A good spring was a key asset in any patch of land.

Springs have been key water sources for centuries, not just for clean and fresh water but also because the water is charged, and the atmosphere around a spring is often rather special, holy. To the ancients, water was really important – without it there is no life. The early Christians who created many of the holy wells simply adopted customs from earlier times.