Holy Well Fest

Reffley Spring

Freespiral has a lot to answer for, that's all I can say ...
It occurred to me that I could spice up my well-worn trip south with a bit of a holy well trail to add a little interest and to help occupy my mind and see me through my A17 resistance. I had wanted to stop at Robin Hood's well which I have often wondered about as I've gone up and down the A1 ... but I had passed it before I had the chance to stop.

I pushed on and thought that if it was still daylight I would seek out Reffley Spring ..... ahhh, the joys of the dodgy suburbs of Kings Lynn on a wet February Friday afternoon. I started my search at the school but soon felt uncomfortable wandering around, I asked a few people, got some suspicious looks and then a woman said that her dad had taken her there when she was little and pointed into the woods.  So, off I went, got a bit lost, asked someone else who pointed towards the bushes and so I uncomfortably tried to look purposeful as I skipped over the dog shit and dubious detritus until I found the site that you can see here. Well worth it, as you can see! However, I will say that it has an absolutely fascinating history which includes a secret society - the Sons of Reffley, an obelisk, a few sphinx, celebrations of Bacchus and Venus,  a great sounding ritual which involved a Punch made from the wonderful waters (probably give that a miss now) and Brandy, and to top it all the Reffley Spring Cantata, a musical pageant .... bloody marvellous. Who would have believed it looking at this sorry spot now. Yet again .... all very Ozymandias.
More info here.

As if that wasn't enough, I made my escape from the delights of South Wootton and headed onwards to Hunstanton (extra) to the remains of St.Edmund's chapel. It was late by the time I got here and the site of St.Edmund's wells is rather uncertain but apparently when St.Edmund rolled up on the coast to become king of the East Angles he landed and fell to the ground in prayer and 12 springs rose up of such sweetness that the spot became known as Honestantun (Honey stone town) and the waters were well known for their healing powers.