Folk-Lore of West and Mid-WalesDavies, Jonathan Ceredig
History
Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales
Davies, Jonathan Ceredig
Folklore -- Wales; Wales -- Social life and customs
St. Anthony's Well, at Llanstephan, Carmarthenshire, was formerly
famous for its curative virtues; and it is rather popular at the
present day as a "Wishing Well." Young men and young women resort
to the spot to wish, and are in the habit of throwing a pin into the
well as an offering to its deity or to St. Anthony, its patron saint.
THE "WISHING WELL" OF CAREG CENEN CASTLE.
About four miles to the east of the town of Llandilo, in
Carmarthenshire, are the remains of a remarkable old castle called
Careg Cenen, which stands on the summit of a solitary rock. This rock
is about 300 feet high. The most noted feature in connection with
the Castle is its underground gallery. In one part of the building
a passage terminates in a flight of steps leading down to a dark
subterranean cave of about 200, or perhaps, 250 feet long, and at the
end of this passage or cave, there is a well which is still used as a
"wishing well," more especially by young people. When I went to see the
remains of the Castle a few years ago, I also visited the subterranean
cave. After lighting a candle and descending the flight of steps, I
proceeded along this dark and marvellous passage slowly and cautiously,
as there was water in some places. After going on underground in this
manner about forty yards, to my great surprise, I heard the sound of
human voices, and saw a light in front of me; and all of a sudden I
came upon three young ladies, one from London, and two from Ammanford,
who informed me that they had intended going on as far as the well,
but turned back before reaching it, as they were afraid of proceeding
any further into the interior of such a dreary dungeon. However, when
I offered to take the lead, they followed me with joy, and at last we
reached the Wishing Well at the far end of the cave. Before we left
the spot, each one of the three young ladies threw a bent pin into the
well, wishing, I suppose that she might have her heart's desire. We
found many pins at the bottom of the well, which had been probably
left there by young people given to the practice of amorous spells.
There is also a well in the neighbourhood of Llandilo, called
Ffynon-fil-feibion (thousand men's well), respecting which tradition
states that 1,000 men fell near it.
ST. MARY'S WELL, RHAYADER.
In the "History of Radnorshire" it is stated: "On the western extremity
of the common called Maes-y-dref, is a most excellent spring of pure
and limpid water, namely, St. Mary's Well. It was heretofore a custom
for the young people of Rhayader, of both sexes, to resort hither on
Sunday evenings, during the Spring and Summer seasons, to drink this
salutary beverage sweetened with sugar."
PILLETH CHURCHYARD WELL (RADNORSHIRE).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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