A short distance from the village of Trellech, in a field beside the road to Tintern can be found the most famous healing well in Monmouthshire. Known as the Virtuous Well it is built in the form of a rectangular chamber with semi-circular apse shaped ends and in the rear wall is an arched recess containing a basin-like receptacle into which the healing water flowed. On each side of this container are smaller recesses, possibly to hold drinking vessels or offerings from the many pilgrims who used to come here hoping for a cure. The stone surround was probably constructed in the 18th century.

It was originally known as St Anne’s Well, which derives from Annis, the Celtic goddess of rivers, wells, magic and wisdom., but when Christianised It became the well of St Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary.

Just one sip of the well’s contents will give a clue to its fame because water so unpleasant to the palate must surely be good for one! It is in fact, rich in iron, and like the waters of Bath and Cheltenham was once highly praised for its curative powers. Pilgrims from miles around used to make their way to Trellech in order to receive the benefits of this spring water, so it must be realised that it was the well that was considered virtuous and not the visitor who drank from it.

Traditionally it is one of nine wells stemming from four iron-rich springs and each one was claimed to cure a different ailment. One writer in the 16th century claimed that if the water was drank on an empty stomach in the morning it would cure ‘scurvy, collick and distemper.’

In the 18th and 19th centuries the well was considered of special benefit in the treatment of eye ailments, and for treating ‘complaints peculiar to women.’ Pebbles were placed in the water, and the number of bubbles which rose indicated whether a cure would be granted. If many bubbles appear, then your wish will be granted, but if only a few then you will be disappointed.

There is a folk custom for the period around Beltane, which is the traditional Gaelic May Day festival, marking the beginning of summer. It involves the tying of ribbons and shreds of clothing to hawthorn trees, especially where they grow beside sacred wells. This is still done at the Virtuous Well and these decorations are said to be gifts for the fairies. Even today it reflects a continuous belief in the medicinal properties of the spring water.

On the east side of Abergavenny in the aptly named Holywell Road is a stone trough set into a low wall. This part of the town was once known as Prior’s Well and the Holy Well which was sometimes corrupted into Hole-in-the-Wall. Springs flow into the trough and long ago this well, which is said to have healing powers was the water supply for the Benedictine Priory. In those days it would have been situated in a field, which was part of the land owned by the Priory. The horse trough was constructed by Mr Foster, an Abergavenny builder and nearby Fosterville Crescent is named after him.

In 1950 Francis Jones undertook a comprehensive survey of holy wells in Wales and his book The Holy Wells of Wales lists a total of 1179 and he found that 437 of them are named after saints and 369 are said they possess healing powers. People once took such matters very seriously and would travel great distances in order to visit an appropriate well in order to be cured of their complaint or in the hope of bringing about some change in their luck and future prosperity.

A remarkable way to obtain a cure for an ailment can be found in the floor of the chancel of Holy Trinity Church, Christchurch near Newport. It is an inscribed stone which at one time was believed by some people to have miraculous healing powers. This fourteenth sepulchral slab, seven feet long and three feet four inches wide is known as the Colmer Stone because it covered the grave of John Colmer, who died in 1376. Following the restoration of the church after devastating fire in 1877, and when disaster struck again on November 5th 1949, the church was twice restored and the stone was moved to its present position in the south chancel chapel.

Engraved on the stone are the effigies of John and Isabella Colmer, who are commemorated in an inscription around the four edges of the stone. It reads: HIC JACET JOHANNES COLMER ET ISABELLA UXOR EIUS QUOR AIABUS PPICIETUR DEUS AMEN.

‘Here lies John Colmer and Isabel his wife who (both) died in the year of our Lord 1376, upon whose souls may God have mercy. Amen.’

Isabella is dressed in a long, tight-waisted gown, her hair neatly braided and John wears a cloak, thrown back to show his belted tunic and dagger. A beautifuly florated cross separates husband and wife.

Research has not revealed the identity of this John Colmer or his connection with the parish. The name was an uncommon one, though it does occur among the rich merchants of the port of Bristol in the 15th century.

Many years ago the tombstone was thought to have miraculous healing powers on the Eve of Ascension Day. It became the custom for parents to leave their sick children lying all night on the stone in the hope of them being cured by the morning. On Ascension Day Eve in 1770 no less than 16 children were laid upon the stone. Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the western Christian liturgicall calendar. It is dedicated to the Christian belief in the trinity – Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Richard Gough’s ‘Camden’ (1789) states that in 1774 eight persons visited the stone. Donovan, who visited the church in 1603, wrote at some length on ‘the ancient monument preserved here, whose miraculous virtues in the cure of all disorders, on a certain day of the year, is credulously believed amongst the country people.’

Ascension Day in 2025 was on the 29th of May which is 40 days after Easter or the sixth Thursday after Easter and the last day that Jesus was seen by his disciples before ascending to Heaven. It is known as the Feast of Ascension or Holy Thursday, as it always falls on this day of the week.