Well Dressed: Buxton

Just back from a very full on week in Buxton at the Sacred Waters conference. - more of that when I've got my head back and have sorted out the photos! It was intense and interesting and thankfully my bit went well! The reason that the conference was in Buxton (Peak district, England) is that a) it's a spa town famous for its waters and b) it still holds well dressings. This tradition could go back years and is really a thanksgiving ritual, blessing and thanking the water. About 80 towns and villages take part and they dress their wells at different times between May and September so you can do a well trail. The tableaux are usually done in secret and are petalled by a committee of ladies ( I spotted no chaps). First you get an enormous bit of hardboard and cover it in plaster, then you draw the design and then stick petals into it. Each tableaux can take hours of work and the detail is astonishing. I've added some close ups in the extras and the ladies at work. There are three wells in Buxton - the local school did Abba!
One of the talks at the conference was about the well dressing and the speaker regaled us with stories of when the dressing caused controversy - on one occasion the local vicar refused to bless the tableau as it depicted a green man. There was outrage from the local community and the vicar had to leave! And another depiction of Princess Diana caused so much hilarity it went viral! See extra!