DESCRIPTION

The picturesque village of Tissington is situated in one of the most beautiful areas of Derbyshire. It lies above the Dove Valley, about 4 miles to the north of Ashbourne. The village is approached from one direction by a half mile avenue of lime trees and from another through a ford.

Tissington Hall, a fine mansion dating from around 1610 has been the seat for many generations of the FitzHerbert family. Sir William FitzHerbert attained baronetcy in 1783. The present owner of the Hall is Sir Richard FitzHerbert. The Hall and gardens are open to the public on advertised days and also to groups by prior arrangement. Tissington is very proud of its long tradition of Well Dressing, an ancient custom which takes place each year on Ascension Day.

The Derbyshire custom of well dressing is said to have started in Tissington, when five fresh spring wells which are situated around the village are blessed during a special service. This is a thanksgiving for the pure and ever flowing water supply from the fresh springs.

The well dressings consist of the erection of boards over the wells in the form of arches with a panel behind, perhaps 7 or 8 feet high. These boards are coated with moist clay, into which are inserted flower petals, mosses, seeds and bark from trees, in a mosaic fashion, making pictures mainly of biblical texts, along with some of conventional designs. Early on Ascension Day, the boards which have been decorated by the people of the village, are erected over the wells which remain dressed for a week.

HAND'S WELL Named after the family who for several generations lived in the farmhouse behind the well. They decorated the well for many years.

LIST of SURNAMES from the Inscriptions

ADAMS	ALCOCK	ALLEN	ALLEYNE	ALLSOP
APPLEBY	ARDGLASS	ASHTON	BAILEY	BALL
BARTRAM	BASSETT	BERESFORD	BIRCH	BOWLER
BROOMHEAD	BROWARD	BULLOCK	BUXTON	CARR
CLERK	CLEWS	CLULOW	COTES	CROFT
CROSBY	DAKIN	DAVIES	DEAN	DITCHFIELD
DOCKSEY	DRAYCOTT	ECKERSLEY	EDENSOR	EDGE
EMERY	FEARNEHOUGH	FEATHERSTONE	FINNIKIN	FITZHERBERT
FLETCHER	FRITH	GALLY	GIBBS	GLOVER
GOODWIN	GOODWIN-JOHNSON	GOULD	GREAVES	GREGORY
GRINDEY	HAMBLETON	HAND	HARDY	HARRIES
HARRISON	HEPBURN	HICKMOTT	HIGTON	HILL
HODGKINSON	HOLLAND	HUMPHREYS	JOHNSON	KIRKHAM
KNIVETON	LANE	LATHAM	LAUNDERDALE	LOWNDES
MARSH	MART	MARTIN	MATCHETT	MAXWELL
MEYNELL	MIDDLETON	MILLEARD	MORLEY	NAYLOR
NEWTON	OAKDEN	OFFICER	OLDFIELD	OSBORNE
PHILLIPS	RAWLINGS	REDFEARN	REYNOLDS	RODGERS
SCHWINDT	SLATER	SMITH	SPENCER	STADDON
STALEY	STOKES	SUMMERS	SUTTON	SWINDELL
TAYLOR	THORNTON	TISSINGTON	TITTERTON	TORR
TURNER	TWIGG(E)	UNWIN	WALWYN	WARD
WATERFALL	WAYNE	WEBSTER	WESTHORPE	WHEELDON
WHITE	WHITTINGHAM	WIGLEY	WIGRAM	WILLIAMS
WINT	WOODHOUSE	WOODWARD	WRIGHT	YATES
YENDLEY

STONE MASONS

HARDY	HOLLINS	MATTHEWS	MELLOR	SHERWOOD
SMITH	TUNNICLIFFE	WALL

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