{"id":234,"date":"2022-05-31T16:42:50","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T16:42:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/triskelepublishing.com\/weirdstonewalk\/?page_id=234"},"modified":"2024-11-04T11:34:18","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T11:34:18","slug":"holywell","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/triskelepublishing.com\/weirdstonewalk\/holywell\/","title":{"rendered":"Holywell"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Approximate Location<\/strong>
OS Grid Reference: SJ 8590 7786
Latitude: 53.17.52N Longitude: 2.12.42W<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is clear that, alongside the Iron Gates, there was a second way to access Fundindelve. This is made explicit in the words of the Stromkarl when he explained why the children and the dwarves could not re-enter Fundindelve after they had retrieved Firefrost and escaped the Earldelving (Weirdstone<\/em>, Chapter 15: A Stromkarl Sings<\/em>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut you will not go to Fundindelve\u2026 The hooded one sits by Holywell, and the Shapeshifter watches the gates : and to them are gathering the morthbrood.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garner, A., 1960 (1989 edition), The Weirdstone of Brisingamen<\/em>. William Collins \/ Lions. London. p145.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is confirmed when Colin, Susan and Pelis the False observe the Einheriar drinking from the well (Gomrath<\/em>, Chapter 10: Lord of the Herlathing<\/em>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey had come to a cliff-top over a valley\u2026 they were at the Holywell, and the second gate of Fundindelve.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garner, A., 1963 (1988 edition), The Moon of Gomrath<\/em>. William Collins \/ Lions. London. p81.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Holywell entrance was the place where Cadellin first rescued the children from the Svart-Alfar (this is confirmed in Weirdstone, Chapter 11, Prince of the Huldrafolk<\/em>). There are clues within the details of their flight from Saddlebole<\/a>. They charged up out of the low ground, passed the tooth-shaped rock (that was possibly the Iron Gates<\/a>) and on to Stormy Point<\/a>. At this moment they encountered hundreds of the Svart-Alfar emerging from the Devil\u2019s Grave<\/a> ahead of them (Weirdstone<\/em>, Chapter 3: Maggot-breed of Ymir<\/em>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026on their left was the grim beech wood : to the right an almost sheer slope dropped between pines into a valley. But at least there was no known danger there, so the children turned their faces that way and fled, stumbling and slithering down a sandy path, till at last they landed at the bottom \u2013 only to splash knee-deep in the mud and leaf-mould of the swamp\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garner, A., 1960 (1989 edition), The Weirdstone of Brisingamen<\/em>. William Collins \/ Lions. London. p32.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The \u201cgrim beech wood\u201d to the north-west of Stormy Point (Credit: James Wright)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The steeply sloping ground immediately to the south-west of Stormy Point that the children plunge down (Credit: James Wright)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Colin then spots a large rounded boulder and, with nowhere else to run, the children drag themselves through the mire and up onto the top. Encircled by the Svart-Alfar, they are then captured and trussed but, at the last minute, Cadellin comes to their rescue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The boulder in the swamp upon which Colin and Susan try to evade the Svart-Alfar (Credit: James Wright)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cadellin opens the entrance to Fundindelve and the Svart-Alfar flee as a result of the magical blue light which emanates from within. Colin and Susan then observe the following scene (Weirdstone<\/em>, Chapter 3: Maggot-breed of Ymir<\/em>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd as their eyes grew accustomed to this paler light the children saw standing on a path beneath a cliff some way above them an old man, taller than any they had ever known and thin\u2026 He smiled and stretched out his hand. Colin and Susan climbed down from the rock and squelched their way up to join him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garner, A., 1960 (1989 edition), The Weirdstone of Brisingamen<\/em>. William Collins \/ Lions. London. p34.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The steep slope that the children crash down lies immediately to the south-west of Stormy Point<\/a> and at the bottom is indeed a large boulder within a swamp. It is overlooked by a significant cliff-face which has the Holywell at its foot. Garner confirms this location in The Voice That Thunders<\/em> (1997, 76-77) when he notes that the boulder in the mire was originally known as the Hanging Stone and was alleged to have fallen from the cliff above in 1740.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Holywell entrance to Fundindelve where Colin and Susan first meet Cadellin (Credit: James Wright)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Holywell<\/a> itself lies immediately adjacent to the cliff and seems to have been an ancient votive well that has yielded a large cache of bent pints and coins. Nearby, Garner\u2019s grandfather Joseph recalled seeing a dead hawthorn that acted as a clootie tree<\/a> (The Voice That Thunders<\/em>; 199, 77). In the novels the well gives power to the Einheriar after they drink from it in (Gomrath<\/em>, Chapter 10: Lord of the Herlathing<\/em>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlong the path that ran past the well the Einheriar were drawn in a line, and at the well, his antlers nearly level with the children\u2019s faces, was Garanhir, the Hunter\u2026 For each rider Garanhir stooped and filled the cup from the well, and the water gleamed as the old, straight track had done at the touch of the spear, and all the marsh below shone red.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garner, A., 1963 (1988 edition), The Moon of Gomrath<\/em>. William Collins \/ Lions. London. p81.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Holywell (Credit: James Wright)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A few metres to the west, around a bend in the path, is the Wishing Well<\/a> that was probably created by the author\u2019s great-great-grandfather, Robert Garner (The Voice That Thunders<\/em>; 1997, 77).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The wishing well created by Robert Garner (Credit: James Wright)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Both the Holywell and the Wishing Well appear in the 1978 television documentary\u00a0The Writer\u2019s Workshop: Places and Things<\/em>\u00a0which was presented by Alan Garner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Locations<\/a><\/blockquote>