Her traditional birthplace was the cave that bears her name, on a slope above the River Nidd opposite Knaresborough and within a few paces of the Petrifying Well. According to popular legend, Mother Shipton was a Yorkshire witch, born in the cave, who prophesied about future events in the form of poems. The water travels through a band of porous rock,called an aquifer, in order to reach the … It is notable that after the repeal of laws relating to witchcraft in 1736 Mother Shipton’s image began to transform from the archetypal witch, to a more benign prophetess, depicted with scrolls instead of familiars, and much less warty about the nose. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Notable examples of petrifying wells in England are the spring at Mother Shipton's Cave in Knaresborough and Matlock Bath, in Derbyshire. For hundreds of years (and well into the nineteenth century) the cunning woman or cunning man was an integral part of village life in England. Feature Articles – Mother Shipton: prophetess or witch?
Then, in 1630, King Charles I sold the land that the well sits on to Sir Charles Slingsby.
Around the world thoughts shall fly Visitors also noticed that the side of the well looked like a giant’s skull. There are some important rules to follow when making a wish, so please read them carefully first. Probably the most historic and valuable item is a shoe left by Queen Mary when she visited in 1923. Posted by Lenora in General, History, Legends and Folklore, seventeenth century, Supernatural, Witchcraft, English history, history, Knaresborough, Mother Shipton, Nostradamus, Petrifying Well, seventeenth century, tourism, witches, Yorkshire. By chris 論 – Own work, CC BY 3.0. That she did exist in the capacity of a local cunning woman, and that a folk-memory of her endured until Sir Henry’s day allowing him to appropriate her for his own purposes. In eighteen hundred and eighty one.”. (2) Wikipedia/Mother Shipton I love it. She was particularly good at locating lost or stolen property. The Cave and Well are open to the public, you can find details of how to arrange a visit on the Museum website: http://www.mothershipton.co.uk/.
By then the well was so famous that Slingsby started charging visitors for guided tours around it.
At one time this property was believed to be a result of magic or witchcraft, but it is an entirely natural phenomenon and due to a process of evaporation and deposition in waters with an unusually high mineral content.
Could it be co-incidence that only 11 years after he begins this commercial venture, a book of prophecy linked with the well is published? Larger porous items (large teddy bears and clothing) take six to 12 months. And accidents fill the world with woe. She is most famous for her prophecies, many of which came true during her life time. Her fame grew beyond her locality when her prophecies were published in 1641. More recently, people have left teddy bears, kettles, and even a bicycle in the petrifying well, with similar results. As Mother Shipton’s notoriety grew, so did the fame of the petrifying well. Mother Shipton’s is a beloved Knaresborough landmark and England’s oldest visitor attraction, open since 1630. As Mother Shipton’s notoriety grew, so did the fame of the petrifying well. (1) Extract from ‘Yorkshire Legends and Traditions’ by Rev. He remarked that the well was known for its healing properties and was regularly visited. The Dropping Well, Image by Chris (click image for copyright info). A later version of her life and predictions ‘The Life and Death of Mother Shipton’ was published in 1684 by the unfortunately named Richard Head.
I have visited Mother Shipton’s cave on numerous occasions and would recommend it to anyone.
As Mother Shipton’s notoriety grew, so did the fame of the petrifying well.