AN ANCIENT tradition to celebrate the importance of water is being marked in Upwey this May bank holiday weekend. 

The annual Upwey Well Dressing will be installed at the famous Upwey Wishing Well tomorrow (Saturday, April 29).

Sources of pure water have been celebrated since ancient times in many parts of the world and in Britain the most famous are the well dressings in the Peak District of Derbyshire.

The Wishing Well spring at Upwey is reputedly the largest in the south of England and an obvious place to introduce well dressing to the area.

The first one was in 1986 and now it has become well established as a regular event each year over the May day weekend.

The well dressing is a picture tableau made of natural materials put onto clay covered boards which will be installed in the arches by the wishing well.

The display will be installed on Saturday at about 1pm.

There will be singing and Morris dancing as the well dressing boards are processed from the village hall to the well. All are encouraged to join in and help.

The display is expected to last for the whole of May. As the Well Dressing is in the Wishing Well Cafe garden, access is only available during the café open times – 10am to 5pm.

Each year the well dressing has a charity collection.