The Well on Wych Fold, next to the Grapes Hotel, is known as Booth's Well.
Around 1821, Ralph Booth, Jonathan Harrison and John Cheetham, local gentlemen, built a trough and laid pipes to it. By 1865 the pipes had corroded but with the help of public donations were renewed. In celebration of the restoration of the supply, the well was "dressed" with garlands of flowers. The ceremony was repeated almost annually until 1878.
In 2000 the local Women's Institute revived the practice and Gee Cross Well Dressing is now an annual event. More about this can be found on the Tameside Local History Forum website. You can also check out my own photographs of the 2006 Ceremony.
The 2008 ceremony will take place on the 20th July.
Reflected in the glass on my photograph above is the top of Knott Lane.
My other ABC-Wednesday W posts this week are ~~ Wakes Weeks at Old Hyde ~~ Wreck of the Riverdance at Ackworth born, gone West ~~ Windsurfer at Sithenah
To visit more ABC-Wednesday W posts go to Mrs. Nesbitt's Place.
12 comments:
great W nice pic
I love historical posts.
Very interesting.
Thanks for visiting mine.
Gary
Bodge's Bulletin
how interesting..
Wonderful names again. Always enjoy the histoical snippets you have.
Like Babooshka, "Louis" enjoys the history here!
Stroll over to San Francisco Bay Daily Photo where "Louis" invites you to step right up to the Wheel of Life!
I have stood there and admired this many times dress in flowers or not it is a stunner. As for the reflection of Knott lane. the house on the corner was once a Barbers complete with the red and white pole from when Barbers would bleed you with leeches. The chap who owned it and cut my hair back in the early 1960s was called Johnny Graham.. he got to cut all my brothers hair before me and my younger brother also.
Alway had sweets to settle us youngs ones down at that time.
Interesting post.
Andrea
Well, well, well...very interesting! I enjoyed catching up with your past posts.
Come to Cheltenham for a sample of Greece.
Great post and info Gerald.
Very interesting Gerald. We have a Grapes Inn not far away.
By the way I notice on your blog roll Middlesbrough is spelt incorrectly. It was mis spelt when the railway station first opened and the spelling has remained ever since.
Nice shot and very interesting post, Gerald.
Great post and story. Its really neat to see different traditions renewed.
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