View SE of St Augustine's Well, a Christian wishing well below the parochial graveyard & site of Cerne Abbey, Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England, UK.
View SE of St Augustine's Well, a Christian wishing well below the parochial graveyard & site of Cerne Abbey, Dorset, England, UK. Legend: Augustine came as a missionary to the local Pagan Saxons around 600. They ridiculed him, tied cows' tails to his coat, pelted him with filth & sent him up the valley. He came to this spring below the Cerne Giant hill figure, washed & blessed the water. Augustine had cursed his tormentors to have children born with tails, when this started to happen he was able to return, lift the curse, destroy their idol "Heil" & convert & baptize them in the newly created/ Christianized well. There are several versions of this story including the claim that some local people still have an elongated sternum (breastbone). Cerne Abbey was founded here in the C9th & refounded as a Benedictine house in the C10th (AD987), but little remains. The well retains a reputation as a wishing well.
Size: 4961px × 3750px
Location: St Augustine's Well, Cerne Abbas, Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK
Photo credit: © Mick Sharp / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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