St Anthon's Day 2 part 1...

WOT A DAY, / PART 1 of 2

PROJECT: Springs and Wells of the FOD , (SAWFOD) Chapter , St Anthony's Well, Day 2.

FIRST time in 10 years I hear?

That St Anthony's Well plunge pool was emptied and fully cleared.

Thanks for the funding and support from @forestersforest Foresters' Forest Landscape Partnership National Lottery Heritage Fund Forestry England @heritagefunduk @forest ofdeanbuildingpreservationtrust

We first started three weeks ago 29th October Samhian time ish. After 6 hours of community effort, we only managed to half clear the well (alot of sticks, rocks, silt, broken glass and offerings, which we left above the well).

So DAY 2 and some extremely motivated and fit volunteers we cleared the rest (mostly silt and rocks) over 4 hours.

We had learned a lot from day 1 and thanks to Terry Hale popping to Hales to get some lifting keys we lifted the man hole (person hole?) Next to the well having heard there was a diversion ??.

There was but not a total divert and only part moved the water after Scott unblocked the pipe. The old smashed pipe down the gully sprung to life.

We also used sand bags at the source and put the diversion yellow pipe (called a soil pipe i think) across.

We used siphoning & hosepipes and tried to block (with wet suit gloves and boots spare) the springs coming in through the wall.

Then a great wheel barrow team carrying the silt laden barrows down across a gully nd to the next ridge to dump. The kids enjoyed raking it nd finding wishes for the altar above the well.

We also had fire keepers, story tellers, singers and walking club.

AND we brough a load of goodies from @theforestbakehouselonghope cos we love their stuff and their workers co-op.

Thanks to @squiff_eye for getting involved yet again and their will be more to offer.

Also thanks to councillor @thom.forester and of course the epic organisers of The Rewild Project Scott , Emma , Jasper and Wren

IN PART 2 we unveil the clear magical stone bottom and its unusual colour.

Tag us @rewildproject and also come get involved we have loads of positive stuff going on.

Which Springs and Wells in and around the FOD and Wye Valley do you know of ??

Do they need some community love??

#gloucestershire #forestofdean #wildwater #springsandwells #StAnthony #community #fullmoon #lunareclipse2021 #watersovereignty #resilience #heritage #volunteering #rewildproject #rewildurself #rewildyou #rewildpeople #SAWFOD #healing #healingwaters