The well

Many villages have a well - but the well in North Marston is a bit special, with a fascinating history.

It all dates back to John Schorne - the rector of the church from 1282. One very hot summer, the village was suffering a great drought. According to history, Schorne struck the ground with his staff and a spring of water gushed out, thus saving the village.

The water was reported to be holy and was alleged to cure gout, a painful disease of the joints that typically starts in the foot. At the time, the pain was described as the devil in the boot - and, for this reason, the holy water’s curative powers were likened to taking the devil out of the boot. Indeed, this is how Schorne was shown in images following his death in 1314. It is widely believed that this is the origin of the Jack-in-the-box children's toy.

The spring became a holy well, and by the 1400s pilgrimages to North Marston were the third most popular in England. Whilst we don't see quite so many visitors today, the well still stands in Schorne Lane, with the water literally causing the devil to arise out of the boot when the water is pumped. Well worth a visit!