ETWALL WELL DRESSING ASSOCIATION |
40 Years of Etwall Well-Dressing - 1970-2010 The 2010 Festival was held on 15th -17th May 2010 |
LOCATION Etwall is situated on the A516, approx 6 miles south of Derby and close to the A38 and A50 |
Please note that Etwall Well Dressing Association are NOT responsible for in-accuracies that may be shown on websites linking to this
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This beneficiaries chosen for 2010 were Local Etwall Cricket Club (towards disabled facilities) Etwall Bowls Club (replacing vandalised seating) Regional Derby Kids Holidays (holiday for underprivileged children) 105th Derby Mackworth (Methodist) Scout Group (replacing camping equipment) |
What is Well Dressing? |
What is well dressing and how is it done? Well dressing involves the decoration of springs and wells with pictures made from living plants and flowers, and usually happens in the summer and early autumn. So how is a well dressed? First take a wooden board, perhaps 4 feet wide, and over an inch deep. Some dressings take several boards, of different shapes and sizes. The board(s) are taken to the local river or pond and soaked for several days to ensure that they are really wet. Then they are covered with a layer of soft, wet clay onto which the artist etches the design. The outline is the first thing to be done, followed by the 'colouring in'. The materials used vary from village to village and depend also on the time of year that the dressing takes place. For instance, a village that dresses it's well in May may use blossoms and flowers whereas later in the year, seeds and berries are used as these are more plentiful. How long does it take? A well dressing can take up to 7 days, involving a team of local people. Unfortunately, it may then only last a week or so until the clay dries out and the flowers die. Then all is put away until next year. |
Well Dressing Displays from 2010 Festival |
'This Green and Pleasant Land' by Etwall Women's Institute |
350th Anniversary of the Royal Society by Residents, Grandchildren and Friends of Mill Meadow Way |
Halley's Comet by The Bancroft Belles (and Brian) |
The World Cup by Etwall Cricket Club |
Food and Drink by The Blenheim Inn |
Welcome by Hawk and Buckle |
Celebration by 155th Derby (Etwall) Scout Group |
Centenary of Girl Guiding by 1st Etwall Brownies & 3rd Etwall Guides |
All Things Bright and Beautiful by Parents and Staff of Etwall Primary School |
Floral Displays St Helen's Church "Women of the Bible Floral Decoration" (Top) Etwall Methodist Church "Sunrise to Sunset" (Bottom) |
The above board is a “Demonstration Board” in its construction stages from the board
being laid with clay, design then placed on top of the board then pricked out
and decorated |
Having Fun with the Fire Engine from Derbyshire Fire Service (Kingsway Fire
Station |
40 Years Ago - 1970 was the centenary year of Etwall County Primary School.
To mark the occasion various activities were organised during the year and one
of these, based on an old Derbyshire custom, was the dressing of two of the village
wells. Ewall Women's Institute agreed to 'have a go' together with the Parent Teachers Association, but no one had the least idea how to set about it. Help was therefore sought from Tissington with its long tradion of Well Dressing. Pictured with the 2010 version of the design from 1970 are the starters of Etwall Well Dressing. |
External Links Please note that Etwall Well Dressing Association are not responsible for the correctness
of any web link and its content Blenheim House Inspired dining and superb accommodation on Etwall High Street The Pinxton Puppets Indoor and Outdoor Puppet Shows (Fun and Educational Puppet Making Workshops) F.H. Sargent & Sons Real meat from a real farm WI Delights Sorry Des, but could not resist, this link is only available due to weather conditions, look into the sky and you may find them flying around, or on the neck of the bottles or bottle-tops |
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Last updated 23rd May 2010 Web Designer:Graham Gobell Copyright of Articles and Content: Graham Gobell Please note: The above pictures were taken by the web designer, if you have any photo's you would like published, please email the webmaster |