The residents of Bisley's ancient springs

I needed to go to the farm shop for eggs and vegetables, and headed off at lunchtime up the hill with the sun shining brightly and a brisk wind swirling up from the Vale. Then I wandered down some old lanes to a distant farm at the head of the main valley which runs down from Bisley to the River Frome near Stroud, three miles away.

I wanted to find a vantage point to record the view from the head of the valley, but I couldn't find a way through the private land. A couple of large black cows stared at my lens curiously and I acknowledged them with a few shots. But I knew I needed to approach from a different place and at another time.

I went back towards the village of bisley and drove the back road winding round and below the old church on the hilltop. Back Lane runs past the Bisley Wells, which suddenly caught my eye,with the sun shining right on them, so I parked and walked back. A niche in a tall Cotswold limestone wall contained a huge anvil and some iron working tools with a small plaque beside it saying:
'Arthur James Davis was the village blacksmith on this site from 1918 to 1965 when he died in his 80th year'

As I took a picture, a man walked up to a workshop at the top of the wall and asked why I was taking photos. We had a long and fun chat, and Bill turned out to be the grandson of Arthur, and still lived in the house across the way as all the generations of Davis' have. He told me that the three workshops still have some of the old tools as well as fittings and horseshoes, which I thought would be good to visit and blip. But I didn't want to push my luck this time. When we said goodbye I walked ten yards further, down to the wells where two ducks were swimming in and out of the various troughs and containers through which the spring water is directed. Seven springs actually are channelled out of the hillside separately, and when they meet together to form the stream, they begin the journey downhill which has lead to the formation of this big valley through time.

I took lots of pictures, but found it quite hard to balance the exposure of the bright sunlight on their down, with the walls and the water. They were obviously used to people, and I remembered blipping ducks here once before. I liked the male's quizzical look. They weren't at all threatening, rather the opposite, as they seemed to be playing all the time.

There wasn't much room to move as cars were parked right up to the springs. As I pottered about, a woman came out drive off in one of the cars. She asked if they performing for me, and it seems that they are always here, and have a little house a few yards up the bank. That was in fact the view I blipped before of the ducks walking the path up the hill. She said they shut them in their house every night, but even so a fox got to the third duck recently, which she was obviously sad about.

It is a wonderful quiet spot and I must come back with more time. Part of my Cotswold life and places series, perhaps.

BISLEY, Seven Wells (SO 903 059).
Situated in the village of Bisley, by the side of a lane leading off the main street. The springs emerge from the hillside below the church. The structure which today surmounts the springs dates from 1863 and consists of a semi-circular stone enclosure with five Gothic arched openings from which water emerges, falling first onto a stone shelf and then into a large gravel-lined pool. The two remaining springs issue from the ends of the wall on either side of the enclosure, and flow into stone troughs. The total flow of water is considerable.

The wells today are noted for the well-dressing ceremony which takes place annually on Ascension Day. The present form of the ceremony was established in the 19th century by the Rev. Thomas Keble, who was also responsible for the restoration of the well. The ceremony is a popular local event. After a short service in the church, the vicar, a band and villagers process to the well where the well is blessed and decorated with flowers. The ceremony still has a very traditional atmosphere .