Chadkirk well dressing 2024
Chadkirk’s well dressing took place on Saturday 27 July. Hundreds of people attended and, while the weather wasn’t its best, it kept mostly dry. The day was a great success and raised hundreds of pounds for Chadkirk.
The well dressing is Chadkirk’s largest community event. It centres around the blessing of the ancient well – a tradition which likely began in the late 1700s, although it is based on the veneration of wells, which took place for many hundreds of years before that.
Above photos courtesy of Gavin Sturgeon of Doghaus Creative, based in Romiley.
Running up to the day, our volunteers create the floral designs used to dress the well. This begins with a collaboration of ideas – this year’s was to celebrate Chadkirk’s industrial past. Designs are created first in pencil; then they are coloured as a reference for those who will create the panels. However, it is the availability of specific flowers, more than anything else, which dictates the final colours of the designs.
Damp clay is placed into wooden panels – it is damp so that the plants can live for as long as possible, and to allow them to be pressed easily into the panels. The pencil designs are placed over the panels, and pins are used to ‘trace’ the design onto the panel by creating pinpricks where the lines are. This provides an accurate framework within which to place the flowers and seeds which make up the design.
Finally, the flowers are pressed into place. The whole process takes a few days. The volunteers work incredibly hard; the work takes place within the chapel and members of the public are welcome to come along, visit, and join in.
Early on the day, volunteers place the panels around the well – on a specifically made framework, built around the well’s sloping ground.
Above photos by Peter Labrow
The well was blessed by Father Gregory Hallam, from St. Aidan's Orthodox Church, Manchester, accompanied by Stockport’s Major, Councillor Suzanne Wyatt. The Mayor was held up in traffic (well, it is Romiley!) so the blessing began before her arrival.
Above photos by Peter Labrow
Entertainment was provided by the Stockport Silver Band, Stockport Ukulele Players and Stockport Morris Men. There were stalls selling locally grown plants, second-hand books, cards, paintings, crafts and Chadkirk Comfrey Oil. Local community groups also took part; there was a making and crafting stall and, of course, a tombola!
It takes a lot of work to organise and run the day. Volunteers are on site from early in the morning, dressing the well, setting up gazebos, setting out the stalls, putting out road signs, preparing refreshments and so on. The road is closed for the blessing and the team uses walkie-talkies to manage the crowds and the traffic. All of the money raised goes to the Friends of Chadkirk and is used to provide entertainment on open days and for projects to help maintain and improve the Chapel, garden and estate.
