White Wells: Magic Waters Dip
The cache, a small green screw-capped tube, is hidden on the west side of this famous historical establishment, which attracts numerous daily visitors - except maybe when the weather is bad. A flag flying above the building indicates refreshments are available at the small cafe.
To reach the cache location: park at the White Wells parking area which has free parking for some 8-10 cars off Wells Road @ N 53 55.131 W 1 49.571 and follow the wide track heading south up to White Wells.
This is an easy 2-step multi:
Step 1: go to the east end of the building where @ N 53 55.016 W 1 49.295 you will find 2 plaques on the wall - one on the restoration of the bath-house and one about a world-famous tune. From the information on these you will find that:
The bath house was restored between 1972-197A
The Wells was officially opened to the public on 1B May 197C
The hymn tune acknowledged on the larger plaque was used as the basis for Yorkshire's most famous song "On Ilkla Moor Bah't 'At". The name of the tune has D letters.
The plaque was unveiled of the E0th anniversary of the reopening of White Wells to the public
Four people are named at the foot of the plaque of whom F were White Wells residents
Step 2: the cache can be found at . . .
N 53 55.(F-2)(E-3)(C-2)
W 1 49.BA(D-6)
This facility started in 1703 as an open air spa bath, later baths were enclosed and a single plunge pool survives today.
The original open air bath situated to the rear of the Spa Cottage, was built under the direction of the landowner Peter Middleton (~1655-1714). In 1791 two baths were built by Robert Dale, which were enclosed by walls on three sides but not roofed over.
Dale placed an ad in the Leeds Intelligencer of 26 April 1791 which made claims that the medicinal properties of the 'Spaw' could heal 'bad eyes, tumours and sores, scrophula and 'all cases where the spine is affected.
In 1793 a young visitor to White Wells, Anne Harper, the 9 year old daughter of local butcher William Harper, drowned in the spa bath. There is a memorial plaque dedicated to her inside the building.
The plunge pool inside the Spa Cottage is used on 1 January each year to welcome in the New Year and is noted as the most popular day of the
year for plunging with usually over a hundred plungers throughout the day.
However, if it is quiet enough in the cafe the bath gate can usually be opened if visitors wish to plunge at other times of the year. Plungers must use their own bathing costumes and towels and the activity is undertaken at their own risk! There is no charge for plunging, but plungers can obtain a certificate to mark the occasion and throw some loose change into the bath (see Gallery photos).
Although the water has no significant mineral content it is the coldness of the water which stimulates the circulation.
White Wells was instrumental in establishing Ilkley as a spa town. A number of large hydros were built in the area during the 19th century where people could come to 'take the waters', believing all manner of aliments could be cured. Charles Darwin visited Ilkley in 1859 and is believed to have taken a nippy dip at White Wells.
Two legends surround White Wells. The first is that in the 1700s, a shepherd boy gashed his leg on a rock on the moor and, after bathing it in the water of the well, his wound miraculously healed within a few days.
The second is of a day in 1820 before the bath houses were roofed over, when the attendant at White Wells, William Butterfield, arriving early to open up the doors, found that the key turned round and round in the lock and seemed to melt. On managing to force the door open he was astonished to find a group of fairies frolicking by the water. When he surprised them, the tiny figures dressed in green disappeared over the wall and into the moorland heather!
Links for White Wells - see:
herefor information on the history and wonders of hydrotherapy
here for a short video on local wells and hydrotherapy establishments
here for a fascinating blog page on White Wells and
here for a piece on the visit of Charles Darwin to the wells and see also . . .
here for a heritage walk taking in White Wells and the surrounding moorland.
Links for the famous tune - see:
here for comprehensive information including the lyrics and an interpretation of the Yorkshire dialect used
here for a short video on the fascinating history and meaning of the song
here for an amazing parody version of the song by Bill Oddie in the style of Joe Cocker's 'With a Little Help from my Friends,
here for an stirring instrumental version by the Grenadier Guards,
here for an impressive Rossini-style version played by the Scarborough Spa Orchestra
here for a contemporary version of the song and . . .
here for a compilation of train horns playing the chorus notes!
Strangely I was unable to find a simple solo version of the song sung properly - ie. with the correct (probably Halifax) accent! There are many other versions sung incorrectly.