´óÏó´«Ã½

It began last week with the construction at my local church of a large wooden frame. Into this was tipped a mixture of clay, water and salt, spread evenly across the base of the frame and smoothed flat. Into the moist clay were then pressed a great number of natural materials – such as seeds, berries, pebbles, leaves, bark, mosses and above all flower petals – to create a really rather stunning picture illustrating a biblical theme. Yes, in this part of the world we are in the middle of several months of well-dressing or flower-dressing.

The only unusual thing about the picture I saw created was that it was in inner-city Sheffield, and well-dressing is traditionally associated with the villages of the Peak District. And we have a spring near our church not a well. But then Derbyshire is only just down the road and both springs and wells supply water.

The origin of the tradition of well-dressing is unknown. Some think it goes back to the country's pagan past. Others that it arose during the time of the Black Death when it was a matter of life and death to find a source of uncontaminated water. So God's blessing was sought. Whatever its origins, enthusiasm for continuing the tradition has waxed and waned down the centuries. In the nineteenth century it seems to have been celebrated in very few places. Today it's more alive than ever and this year almost every town and village in the Peak District is playing its part.

Well-dressing promotes a number of things that all faiths think important. Deciding on which biblical story to illustrate often provokes reflection on big themes of human living. Handling the materials leads to a real appreciation of the variety of flowers, of their colours and textures – good for us in a part of town where there are often yards rather than gardens. And making the pictures is never the work of a single person but is an intergenerational activity...

Show less