St. Peter’s and St. Helen’s Wells, Barmby-on-the-Marsh

In her ‘County Folk-Lore Volume VI – Examples of Printed Folk-Lore Concerning The East Riding of Yorkshire (1911)’, Eliza Glutch refers to the following two references for the healing wells of Barmby-on-the-Marsh.

‘In this village are two extraordinary springs of sulphuric and chalybeate water de-nominated St. Peter’s and St. Helen’s wells. . . . Both of these wells, within the last six years, have been wantonly filled up, and the site is only known by a few of the villagers.’ – Allen, vol. ii. p. 380.*

‘Here are . . . two springs called St. Helen’s and St. Peter’s wells, and said to possess medicinal qualities.’ – White, pp. 311, 312.**

St Helen’s Well is thought to have been in the churchyard of the Grade II listed St. Helen’s Church. St Peter’s Well was said to have been close by. Among the diseases they were meant to be able to help resist was cholera.

*Allen. A New and Complete History of the County of York (3 vols.) by Thomas Allen. London : L T. Hinton, 4 Warwick Square, and Holdsworth & Hall, 18 St. Paul’s Churchyard 1829-183 1.

** A Month in Yorkshire, by Walter White.