St. Withburga's Well

About

In 654 St Withburga set up a religious community in the town. St Withburga died and was later re-buried in the abbey church she had built. Legend records how her body was found to be uncorrupted when moved into the church. The abbey became a place of pilgrimage until the Danish invasions in 870, when it was destroyed. A century later holy places were rebuilt and Dereham fell under the control of Ely Abbey. In 974 monks from Ely visited Dereham and took the opportunity to make away with her body to bury it alongside her sisters. Legend says a spring of water came forth with purest water with healing properties. In 1752 the ruins of the tomb were repaired and converted into a bathhouse. The building was an offence to the Revd Benjamin Armstrong who records, ‘Sanction given, at my request, to pull down the ugly called the Bath House over St Withburga’s Well’. 9/4/1855.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 30 minutes