I was born and brought up on the outskirts of Sheffield near to the Peak District and well dressings were just something you had every year.  It was only when I went out into the wider world that I discovered that they are not that widespread, in fact I am sure some of you are wondering what on earth I am talking about!!  They are common in many of the villages and towns in Derbyshire in the summer and are well worth a visit if you are in the area at the time of the well dressing.

Well dressings are decorations placed next the the well in villages each year, usually around the time of the village fete in the summer.  They are made entirely from natural materials, usually flowers and leaves, but other things such as rice and lentils are also used.  They are painstakingly hand made by volunteers and some of them are breathtaking in their scale and complexity.

I plan to photograph as many as possible next year, but for this year I visited two of the three well dressings in the village of Dore.  One is made by the local guides troop and is placed by the well near the village centre.  The second is placed by the well on the village green.  There was also a third one this year but I missed it!

Here are a few photos showing the amazing work of these volunteers.  Enjoy!

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