Holymoorside Well Dressing

Holymoorside Well Dressing Holymoorside well dressers create traditional picture displays made of flowers and leaves each year from August Bank Holiday weekend for two weeks.

Well dressing is an ancient tradition from the Peak District of Derbyshire, England. Wells (usually springs, in fact) are decorated with a picture made from flowers and leaves pressed into clay-covered boards. Derbyshire well dressings are spread through the summer, with each village doing their well at the same time every year. Holymoorside is one of the latest (end of August), and largest. We us

e only flowers and leaves gathered locally from gardens and hedgerows. We re-use the clay and other materials. We create the well dressings on site in the open by the River Hipper on Cotton Mill Hill. The dressings are on display for two weeks starting the Saturday before August Bank Holiday Monday. Access is free at any time, and we encourage visitors to see our work, or to join in if they arrive while we are working! Construction starts one week before. Everyone gives their time for free, and any donations at the well are given to charity. Historic newspapers indicate that Well Dressing was well established in Holymoorside by 1848. Originally the Dressings were at the Whispering Well, a bountiful spring in the North-West of the village, but this was later incorporated into the municipal water supply. Well Dressing died out in Holymoorside around the turn of the century, but was revived in 1979, and has continued every year since.

The sun shone and the crowds came round to watch or join in as a group of our well dressers created a well dressing feat...
18/04/2026

The sun shone and the crowds came round to watch or join in as a group of our well dressers created a well dressing featuring Chesterfield's crooked spire. This was part of the event organised Junction Arts, with the idea of doing a well dressing and running workshops initiated by Margaret of Spital Cemetery Well Dressers. Mary, one of the Holymoorside well dressers took up the idea, and ran workshops for individuals to design and make small well dressings.
The larger dressing is now positioned by the pump in the market square and will remain there for a week.
Thanks to all who offered their support and encouragement throughout the day.

Head to Chesterfield market place next Saturday 18th April and join one of our Holymoorside well dressers as she makes a...
12/04/2026

Head to Chesterfield market place next Saturday 18th April and join one of our Holymoorside well dressers as she makes a well dressing and leads a workshop on making little well dressings.
This will be part of , a festival of free activities showcasing the artistic and creative talents in Derbyshire.
If you would like to book a place for the workshop, the link is:

Come and experience the traditional Derbyshire art of well dressing at the Derbyshire Makes Festival. Morning and afternoon workshops are bookable here.

20/01/2026

2026 will see the return of the Holymoorside Gala which will be on 30th August, so will include our well dressings.
Keep in touch with other events scheduled for that day by following Holymoorside Gala and Welldressings

We were delighted to be able to present a cheque to Blythe House Hospice Care - thank you to everyone who came to our we...
04/12/2025

We were delighted to be able to present a cheque to Blythe House Hospice Care - thank you to everyone who came to our well dressings and donated to this cause.

2025 Well Dressings! Will be on display from now until 7 September, please come along and see the results of all our har...
22/08/2025

2025 Well Dressings! Will be on display from now until 7 September, please come along and see the results of all our hard work!
Tea and cake will be available in the URC next door from 1.00 to 4.00pm Sat 23rd, Sun 24th and Bank Holiday Monday

Will you be joining us for the Well Blessing at 7pm? At 3.30pm this afternoon, we were still working on the last few bit...
21/08/2025

Will you be joining us for the Well Blessing at 7pm?
At 3.30pm this afternoon, we were still working on the last few bits (as in the photos) but they are now all done and ready for you to come and see!
They will be on show for the next 2 weeks.

This was the stage that our well dressings had reached this morning (Wednesday). Plenty still to do!
20/08/2025

This was the stage that our well dressings had reached this morning (Wednesday). Plenty still to do!

Does anyone have any blue hydrangea we could have, please? It's been a difficult year for flowers! Thanks.
20/08/2025

Does anyone have any blue hydrangea we could have, please? It's been a difficult year for flowers! Thanks.

We made good progress yesterday, one and a half days to go, but maybe we can finish today.
20/08/2025

We made good progress yesterday, one and a half days to go, but maybe we can finish today.

It's been a busy day at the Holymoorside Well Dressings today with both regular contributors and new ones, including sev...
18/08/2025

It's been a busy day at the Holymoorside Well Dressings today with both regular contributors and new ones, including several children who are making great progress with the Toy Story image.
Behind the scenes, there are more volunteers who go off to collect flowers and foliage and others who cut up leaves ready for them to be added to the pictures.

Address

Cotton Mill Hill
Chesterfield
S427EJ

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