The village of Elmsett was once home to a dropping well.
- Credit: CHARLOTTE BOND
It’s the curious case of the lost well of Elmsett, a magical spring which – like Mother Shipton’s Cave – had the power to turn objects to stone. North of the village church is a stream and close by was a slope where a mineral spring once bubbled to the surface and was famed for its medicinal properties. It was also noted that it caused cystallisation of objects
In the National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland of 1868, Elmsett’s curious well was mentioned: “There is a dropping well in this parish, the water of which is said to possess a healing virtue for certain complaints.” The well came from limestone rock and produced “fibrous crystallisations”.