St Mary's Well and Church of St Mary and All Saints, Dunsfold, Godalming
St Mary and All Saints Parish Church, Church Road, Dunsfold GU8 4LT
The lovely collection of spiritual attractions at Dunsfold sees occasional pilgrim activity, while its holy well once attracted an annual visit from Roman Catholic seminarians
Highlights
- The restored holy well of St Mary
- Ancient yew tree
- Intact 13th-century church building
Dunsfold’s holy well is a delightful place to visit, an enclave of green beside a deep and slow-flowing stream. It is secluded but not forgotten, tended with affection by the local community.
A brick and timber well-house was added to this little spring by the river Arun in the 1930s. It was dedicated by the bishop of Guildford and has been used ever since. Its quiet revival perfectly illustrates the current state of Britain’s holy wells.
Two candles stood by the well on our visit and a sprig of rosemary for flicking the water onto your companions. In times gone by, this holy source was used to treat eye complaints. Two metal covers protect the well chamber, though the water has always looked rather stagnant on our visits. Indeed, a sign points out that the murky source is unfit for drinking.
The level of water in the well is considerably higher than the water in the River Arun, which is only a meter away. Quite why the water should emerge here rather than draining invisibly into the river is a puzzle, at least to a non-geologist, but this is a common phenomenon among holy wells in Britain.
Rather incongruously, a notice on the well itself says the structure was paid for by the Dunsfold Amateur Dramatic Society. But the church up the hill seems to understand and embrace the symbolism of its local holy source.
Another notice on the well structure explains how pilgrims have visited for centuries to take a blessing from these waters – "a sprinkling of the healing grace of God." The church guidebook and other sources mention a tradition that the Blessed Virgin has appeared here to pilgrims. Without specific historical details, however, it is hard to evaluate such claims. Visions of Mary could be inferred at any medieval well dedicated to her.
The guide also records an annual pilgrimage by students of St John’s Seminary, a Catholic college in nearby Wonersh, which took place soon after the well was reopened.
Inside the church are some of the oldest pews in England, perhaps the originals installed when this 13th-century building was completed. Even more ancient is the yew tree in the churchyard, opposite the south door. At least 1,500 years old, this tree and the nearby well suggest that Dunsfold was already a pagan place of worship when the Christian missionaries first arrived. This indicates a Saxon foundation, though no trace survives of any early wooden church.
William Morris described this church as "the most beautiful country church in all England." It’s certainly worth a visit, but bear in mind that he was obsessed with late 13th-century architecture, of which Dunsfold is a sublime example.
Directions
St Mary and All Saints Parish Church, Church Road, Dunsfold GU8 4LT
W3W: trackers.stud.candy
GPS: 51.1176N 0.5752W church
W3W: able.tastes.busy
GPS: 51.1164N 0.5741W (approx) well
The church is about half a mile to the west of Dunsfold village. It is on Church Road, which comes off Hookhouse Road. It is usually unlocked during the day. To find the well, come to the churchyard gate and follow the sign downhill along the track. It is about 200m down here, easy to find beside the river.
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Tom Jones
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Tom Jones
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