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Suzanna Thelwall's avatar

I really look forward to these well stories every Sunday, they make me so happy 🙏

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RockyLives's avatar

I was in Newcastle-upon-Tyne last week and, inspired by this series, I visited St Mary's Well in Jesmond. It's a holy well down a wooded lane in a pleasant suburban neighbourhood, although I wouldn't be surprised if many of the people who live nearby have no idea it's here.

About a hundred yards along the lane you can step through a gap to find yourself in a gloomy hollow about 20ft across, surrounded by trees and a wooden fence.

A channel leading to the well source has been constructed of stone at some time in the past. On the day I was there there there was a smallish pool of water speckled with a confetti of early autumn leaf falls. Carved into the stone above the source is the Latin word 'gratia' ('thanks').

Despite being in the middle of a busy residential area, when I stepped into the hollow I felt as if I had entered another world. Everything was silent and dark, with a damp odour. I'd be tempted to say it felt spooky, but perhaps what I mean is 'different'.

This is a Marian well (like Derrycrag) and although there is no shrine here, there were offerings that were clearly recent.

An internet search tells me the well is linked to the nearby chapel of St. Mary, which was once one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in the UK. However, although the chapel dates to the 12th-century, the well supposedly dates to only the 17th-century, which I find a little surprising.

The well is Grade II listed, which means it is protected by law, and I found that there is a local 'friends' support group: https://www.stmaryswell.org

I spent about half an hour there and said a prayer to the Holy Mother before departing.

I will try to add a couple of pictures but I don't know whether the site permits this, so I apologise if they don't appear.

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