ST OSYTH'S WELL, BIERTON

I've been meaning to call here for some time so after an uneventful day at work I dropped around to Bierton for a look.

The well is named after Princess Osyth who was the niece of the Anglo Saxon King Penda who resided at Quarrendon Palace. Apparently she had been visiting Essex & had got caught up in a Viking raid where she was beheaded. Her body was on its way home when the entourage stopped to rest in Bierton and water sprung out of the place where her body lay.

The location was long associated with pilgrimages which may be the reason that the 14th Century church was dedicated to St James the Great (Patron St of Pilgrims.)

The Well itself has been restored in recent years and has been a little overdone for my taste with a large galvanised grill at the front & on the top. The water trickles out & runs into 2 small ponds which are covered in duckweed. The village pump also stands very close by.

Its quite an interesting quiet spot to sit & contemplate, whilst the traffic on the A418 buzzes by. From the well you can see in the distance the old Upper (or Lower) Icknied Way (Wendover - Aston Clinton).

Very warm day again today ..typical that I am in the office !