Page 18 - The Flickering Cauldron Magazine - June 2022

Today, the water is no longer used by the local villagers, and owing to its often inaccessibility, it does not get the same visitors as the Cloutie trees nearby, especially as many mistake the spring below the trees as the Well. The Well, therefore, has become sacred in its own right.
Moving on to the beautiful Chapel.
The Madron Chapel now roofless is quite a dinky little rectangular building, and in its day one can imagine how pretty it was.
A large altar stone sits at the eastern end of the Chapel with the benches down the side and the Well sitting in the south west corner. Water for the Chapel's Well was sourced and channelled from the Holy Well further down.
Built around the 12th Century, the Chapel is thought to occupy the site of a much older Celtic wooden structure from the 3rd Century. To date, this older structures purpose is unknown.
This wonderful Chapel has been long used by both Pagans and Christians, with until recently local methodists also using the site for an open air service on the first Sunday in May, whilst local Pagans also use the chapel to honour Mother Earth.
Local records reveal that in 1640 a cripple by the name of John Trelill came to the Chapel Well to bathe, to ail
his pain and cure his disability.
He bathed once a week for three weeks in May. He then rested and slept on a mound nearby called St.Maddern's Bed (the location of which has been lost in time). Consequently, he was cured of his disabilities.
Thereafter, the site was much visited and revered.
Children were brought to the Well, stripped and plunged three times into the water, against the Sun, or clockwise to restore their ailments, but it is not clear whether this ritual was performed at the Chapel Well or the Holy Well.
The recurrence of the number three in all these rituals and the month of May have not gone unnoticed.
The number three was a sacred number to the ancient Celtic people, and the beginning of May was the time of their Beltane festival.
Visiting the Chapel is peaceful, a place of beauty, and you can feel the ancient energy that surrounds it.
The Chapel is a listed historical building, so please do be respectful. Do not leave any litter or take any souvenirs. Then hopefully this wonderful site will be available to visit for a long time to come and not closed to the public.
External view of Chapel
18 | The Flickering Cauldron® Magazine - Madron Holy Well & Chapel