All images and text are Copyright 2003 Terry Faull.

So what is a Holy Well? There seems to be no agreed definition and so for our purposes this general description has been used -– a well or spring where there is a tradition of veneration or association with religious or magical experience. I have also included a few sites which do not quite fit within this definition but by their antiquity are worthy of attention. The purpose of the Project was to identify the Holy Wells, to record their current state of repair and their accessibility. It is also hoped that it will encourage more people to visit and appreciate these places which deserve protection as part of our local and national heritage.

There are many traditions associated with Holy Wells. Some were believed to have curative powers – especially for troubles of the eyes- while others held the power to tell fortunes – a bent pin thrown into the water could grant a wish – and a visit to others at certain times of the year would reveal your future and especially your marriage prospects.

 Many of the Holy Wells are in deep and beautiful countryside, often away from the main tourist haunts and mostly you will have to reach them on foot. But this is not just a guide to a pleasant day out or a study in local folk history. When visiting some of these traditional sites it is still possible to feel something of the mystery felt by those who have gone before and by your presence, to heal some of the damage done by neglect . I hope this website and the Devon  county wide book which will be published in 2004, will  foster a revival  of  the tradition of pilgrimage to our own native sacred places.