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Well dressing (also once known as well flowering) is a summer custom practised in rural England in which wells, springs or other water sources are decorated with designs created from flower petals. The custom is most closely associated with the Peak District of Derbyshire and Staffordshire.〔(Well Dressing ), Historic-UK, accessed August 2009.〕〔(Well Dressing History ), Buxton & Derbyshire Peakdistrict, accessed August 2009.〕 ==History== The origins of the tradition are alternatively said to lie in pagan tradition〔 or in giving thanks for the purity of the water drawn from certain wells during the period of the Black Death. It has been said to have originated in Tissington, Derbyshire in 1349. Well dressing was celebrated in only one or two villages in Derbyshire by the 19th century, and in Buxton it wasn't introduced until 1840, "to commemorate the beneficence of the Duke of Devonshire who, at his own expense, made arrangements for supplying the Upper Town, which had been much inconvenienced by the distance to St Anne's well on the Wye, with a fountain of excellent water within easy reach of all".〔 〕 Similarly, well dressing was revived at this time in Youlgreave, to celebrate the supplying of water to the village "from a hill at some distance, by means of pipes laid under the stream of an intervening valley", largely due to the support of a "Miss Bowman". 〔 〕 With the arrival of piped water the tradition was adapted so that, not only wells but also taps were decorated, although the resulting creations were still advertised as well dressings.〔(1860s picture ), PictureThePast, accessed August 2009.〕 According to William Hone, writing in 1835:
The custom waxed and waned over the years. In the 1930s the Shimwell family, later of Tideswell, did much to help revival; Crichton Porteus wrote of Stoney Middleton, "The well-dressing was begun in 1936, mainly through the influence of a new schoolmaster, Mr. Oliver Shinwell (''sic''), member of a well-known family of Youlgreave dressers. Mr. Shimwell later went to Tideswell, where he has helped with a further revival" from 1946.〔The beauty and mystery of well dressing: Crichton Porteus 1949 Pilgrim Press〕 However, that book also said that by 1859 Tissington "well-dressing was established and important once more" and mentions dressing at Wirksworth in 1860 and a Maypole there in 1914. It also refers to breaks in dressing at Youlgreave (1849–69), Buxton (1912–24), Derby (1919–46), Bonsall (c1928-35) and in most dressing during the 1939-45 war. The custom has since been revived in numerous villages and small towns in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, South Yorkshire, Cheshire,〔(Well dressing in Sutton, Cheshire ).〕 and even as far afield as Much Wenlock in Shropshire and Malvern in Worcester.〔(), Malvern Spa Association].〕 Another boost to the tradition was the Festival of Britain; in villages like Wormhill where the custom appears to have ceased in the late 18th century, it was revived as part of the Festival of Britain, and has continued nearly every year since.〔 〕 A tradition of well dressing in the Malverns dates from the 12th and 13th centuries when around 5 August each year, tribute was paid to St Oswald for water cures. The tradition of well dressing continues, fostered by interest groups and activities such as arts projects.〔 〕 In 2011 well dressing was introduced to the village of Kemsing in Kent. The 2014 well dressing (right) commemorates World War I. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「well dressing」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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