SC - Treacle Well?

[Susan Fox-Davis]

Since the word "treacle" originally related to a healing substance, this is
probably a well whose waters are considered to have healing properties, naturally
[mineral content] or supernaturally [spirits or saints].  Minerals that make the
water "stinky" may also be very good for the body.  Just a guess, your mileage
may vary, etc.

Selene

Maggie MacDonald wrote:

> At 09:17 AM 12/26/00 +0000,Brigid said something like:
> > > Maggie MacDonald wrote:
> > > > Just what the heck is a treacle well that I have seen references to?
> >
> >What I didn't know, until I went looking on the web for a copy of the
> >text, was
> >that there *is* a treacle well.  It doesn't contain real treacle, of course,
> >but it is called the treacle well.  It is beside a small English church near
> >Oxford, is associated with St. Frideswide, and is reputed to have healing
> >powers.  And Lewis Carroll is known to have seen it.
> >http://www.bath.ac.uk/~liskmj/wellsweb/wellsmsc/well1999.htm
> >
> >Brighid, .sigless in VT, but still fully equipped with trivia
>
> Yes, thats the treacle well I was referring to. I probably first ran across
> it in one of those medieval murder mysteries that I'm so fond of (I don't
> remember which series, but it seems to me one of them is set at or near St.
> Frideswide).
>
> So, why would they call a regular (but stinky) water well a treacle well?
>
> Hmmmm.
> Thank you though!!
> Maggie MacD.