The Living Stream - Holy Wells in Historical Context, 2001, 192 p., 14 ill. n.b. -

Holy wells are an ancient feature of the landscape. The author examines the archetypal motifs present in the cult of waterand traces the development of the holy well in England from its beginnings to its latter-day relevance for the pagan and environmental movements. He notes the conversion of pagan wells to Christian ones, and draws together many pieces of hitherto neglected evidence (medieval bishops harnessing popular superstitions, the violent well-rituals of Alnwick...). He relates the phenomena of the holy well to the broader context of the society around it.