Well dressing festival to return to Tissington

An annual well dressing festival with roots believed to date back as far as the 14th Century is to return to a village in Derbyshire.

Tissington, which has a population of about 110 people, said its annual celebration would take place between 18-24 May.

The event normally attracts about 35,000 visitors.

The owner of the Tissington Estate said some of this year's dressings "may well" have a royal theme.

Well dressing, also known as well flowering, is practised in some parts of rural England in which wells, springs and other water sources are decorated with designs created from flower petals among other materials.

Sir Richard FitzHerbert, owner of the Tissington Estate, said: "We are really thrilled the well dressers are ready for this year, especially in the first year of our new King's reign.

"There may well be royal images in the dressings, but all will be revealed on 17 May.

"Everyone in the village enjoys the community spirit.

"The whole village contributes to the dressing, the setting up and the essential car parking duties.

"We look forward to seeing as many visitors as possible over the week."

The well dressings are collages made using flowers, petals and other natural materials. The pictures are etched in damp clay, before the outline is edged using coffee beans and alder cones.

Six teams of 20 to 30 volunteers work to decorate the wells, which are dotted around the village.

Organisers said each creation can take 300 hours to make.

They added there would be a one-way system through the village during the festival.

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