to drink, to cool the milk, wash out the milk churns
or for their own domestic use. The only available
local supply to be had was at Endon, and so a
stream of carts, floats and other conveyances
travelled daily to the village to collect water.
As a mark of thanksgiving for the village’s never
failing spring of clean fresh water, Mr Thomas
Heaton, a local gentleman had the well built, at his
own expense, in the centre of the village. The water
from the spring was then brought into the heart of
the village and was more convenient for local
residents.
When the well was completed in 1845, Thomas
Heaton generously donated it to the village and the
people of Endon and vested it in the hands of eight
trustees, all local men, whose duty it was to
preserve it for the benefit of all the people of
Endon. Little did the benevolent Mr Heaton realise
what a memorial he had made for himself and the
people of Endon. Nor could he have known what
an important place in the history of the village his
well would play in future years.
When the well was handed over to the people
of Endon it was celebrated with a substantial feast.
It was this celebration, a simple tea party in 1845
which formed the beginnings of the present day
well dressing celebrations along with a simple
spontaneous act carried out by the village
shoemaker at the time, Philip Rogers, who on the
29th May draped the well with oak branches in
honour of Royal Oak Day.
The standard of this first well dressing may
have changed greatly over the years but two things
have however remained the same. Each year the
initials T. H. for Thomas Heaton and the date 1845
always appears in the centre of the floral design,
and each year the Well Dressing Queen drinks
water from the well in an act of thanksgiving for
the water supply of the village.
These days the celebrations see the village come
to life in a hive of activity for the weekend complete
with the crowning of the Well Dressing Queen in
ENDON WELL DRESSING
the afternoon and the evening on Saturday and
Monday who this year will be nine year old Lawrie
Joy Whitehead who will be following in the
footsteps of her two older sisters.
The main procession of the queen, local civic
dignitaries, maypole dancers, local school children,
guides, cubs, and scouts along with a marching
band will make their way down to the well for the
blessing after a service of thanksgiving at the
church, this will then be followed by the first
crowning of the queen on the main field. A service
will also take place attended by the queen in the
chapel on Sunday as well as a pet show on the main
field.
Throughout the weekend will be plenty of live
music, the main event taking place in the marquee
on Saturday night, there will be Morris Dancers,
singing by Endon’s Community Choir, a craft fair,
stalls, refreshments, childrens entertainment, a
flower festival in the church, a fun fair will be in
attendance all weekend, as well as a duck race and
a songs of praise service in front of the well on
Sunday evening, not to mention the popular classic
car procession on Monday.
There really is something for everyone to enjoy
throughout the weekend in this celebration of local
history, traditions and customs, certainly worth a
visit this May Bank Holiday.
Leek Life March/April 2014 23