Originally called “The Dropping Well”, it was opened to the public back in 1630. This is a drawing of the spring from the 1750’s. As centur...
Originally called “The Dropping Well”, it was opened to the public back in 1630. This is a drawing of the spring from the 1750’s. As centuries went by, people began noticing some strange things happening to anything that came in contact with the water from the spring. The items would seem to become petrified, or turned to stone. Because of this, many people felt that they too would turn to stone if they came in contact with the water.
The spring is also said to have been home to an ancient evil that came in the form of the daughter of a prostitute. According to the legend, Mother Shipton (also known as Ursula Southeil) was born in the cave by a local prostitute. Oh, and people also though she was the devil! Her physical hideousness was said to be proof of her demonic origin. Legend also says that she predicted the Spanish Armada, Great Fire of London in 1666, and the invention of cell phones!
Even with that fascinating story, most of the attention that the spring gets is because of the properties of the water. The water from the spring actual contains large amounts of soluble limestone. When the water touches something, the limestone deposits start to build up. Overtime, it effectively turns everything in its path into stone. People have been hanging items under the limestone rich water for decades. A man’s top hat and a women’s bonnet from the 1850’s are still there to this day.
Someone even left a bicycle under the water to let it be turned to stone and reclaimed by nature.
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