Well Dressing

The Taddington Well Dressing 2010

Every year we welcome people from all over the world to our Well Dressing and Flower Festival. This year's theme is Celebration in its widest sense including festival, Church and our personal lives and talents.

There are events throughout the week, catering for a range of ages.

The annual Well Dressing and Flower Festival is to be held this year between the 21st and 28th August.

What is well dressing?

The supply of water was very important in the high limestone areas of the Peak District where water would normally seep away through fissures in the underlying rock and there are few streams. Villages grew up around wells formed from springs.

Adorning the wells with flowers appears to have evolved as a way of giving thanks - hence Well Dressing. This tradition, which was peculiar to the limestone areas, is known to be at least 300 years old but may go back to pagan times.

A well dressing display is made from flower petals and other natural materials pressed into a damp clay base within a wooden frame. The design is pricked into the clay base and the natural materials are used to fill in the picture.

Visitors are welcome to see how the dressing is done during the week before well dressing (opposite the Queens Arms).

The main well dressing board is displayed in the churchyard during well dressing week. The actual well (known as the the High Well) is situated above the village and is decorated to the designs of local children.

Across the A6 is the hamlet of Priestcliffe which also has a fine well but this is not decorated.

A pamphlet showing how to get to the wells is available from the church.

How to get to Taddington

Taddington is halfway between Buxton and Bakewell, at the highest point on the A6. Access into the village is well signposted at the bottom and top of the dual carriageway by-pass.

There is also access from the A515 Ashbourne to Buxton road, through Monyash or Chelmorton.

Proceeds

Proceeds from the well dressing and events will go towards restoring the clock in St. Micheal and All Angels Church as well as for village and worldwide causes.

2010 Programme

The full programme of events is available here
Car Parking is available for free in the churchyard

Toilets are located in the churchyard

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