St Anne's Well
Early-attested site in the Parish of Buxton
Historical Forms
- Halywell, principium aque de Wye c.1460 WWorc
- (Bukston juxta) Halywell 1461 IpmR
- Buxtone Well 1569 Portland
- duobus fontibus vocat' Sprynges alias Buckeston Wells 1572 FF
- two fountains called Spring (sic) alias Buckeston Wells 1572 Hard
- Buxtonwell 1577 Saxton
- Warme Well 1631 Portland
Etymology
St Anne's Well (local), Halywell , principium aque de Wye c. 1460 WWorc, (Bukston juxta ) Halywell 1461 IpmR, Buxtone Well 1569Portland , duobus fontibus vocat ' Sprynges alias Buckeston Wells 1572FF , two fountains called Spring (sic)alias Buckeston Wells 1572Hard , Buxtonwell 1577 Saxton, Warme Well 1631Portland . There are two springs close together, one warm, the other cold; the former and more famous is St Anne's Well. The earlier name appears to be 'holy well', v. hālig , wælla , but it has long been associated with the name of St Anne, to whom the Chapel of Buxton was formerly dedicated, v. Cox i, ii, 72. In WWorc it is wrongly considered as the source of the Wye, but there is an interesting note of the miracles associated with the well and of the nature of the water. 'Halywell …facit plura miracula faciendo infirmos sanos , et in hieme est calida velut lac mulsum .'