Oasis

In our home village, there is a 'Tite Lane' and there are several places that were historically known as the 'tites' - the local term for a water source. Ideally these might have been springs, though they may simply have been places where surface water collected. In any case they were known to be insanitary, and water-bourne diseases were common. The local water was also low in iodine and fluorine, resulting in cases of childhood goitre, and contributing to poor teeth

I wonder how much we have in common with this place - also on limestone, so possibly subject to the same mineral deficiency problems. Where we say 'tite', they say 'mire' - in general speech, 'swampy or boggy ground, soft mud or dirt' - so perhaps we also share doubt about the hygiene status of the water. "I'm just away to the mire to draw water" must have been less than reassuring to visitors and house guests

While we have filled in our tites - keen to discourage people from using them and endangering their health - this village has not only retained them, but restored them soon after the millenium, as a charming reward for those of us who like to stray off the roads more travelled by