The Well of the Holy Rood

BB and I got soaked on the school run.   He didn’t mind too much.  He told me he was glad he had shorts on, as only his legs got wet and they would dry quickly!  I came home to finish a piece of work that I didn’t finish yesterday.  I had thought about going for a run, but with the rain and a sore foot, I didn’t bother.  Instead I went off to get a blip of a holy well for freespiral– a few days late – but better late than never.  I then did a not so quick shop in an unfamiliar supermarket and wished I hadn’t bothered.  I had only gone for a few things, and there were only two checkouts working and people with overflowing trolleys – and me with a few things in a basket.

While BB and his friend J were at football, my friend S and I went for a walk round Tranent and Prestonpans.  We were all lucky that it didn’t rain. We zoomed home for BB’s hockey, and I went off and did a few chores, and walked back round by the river to collect BB.  No kingfisher this week.

Here is the Rood Well in Stenton.  The small circular building encloses the Well of the Holy Rood and dates from the 16th century.  The conical stone roof is topped by a flowered finial which is thought to have come from the church and may date from the 14th century. A path ran from the well to the nearby church but it has disappeared.  Local legend describes the finial as a rosetted cardinal's hat, and the tenure of Biel  (see previous link) depends on the retention of the hat.  The well has been filled in, but there was water in the bottom. A nice garden has been planted roundabout the steps leading down to the well.