Madron Holy Well and Chapel, Madron, Cornwall

LOCATION: SW446 328

Madron Well, Madron near Penzance, Cornwall

Madron well is situated about a mile to the north of the village of Madron. It’s well signed, and you can park easily before following the footpath towards the chapel and well. Sadly, the once holy well is now referred to as a ‘wishing well’ and treated as such, but don’t be put off.

We followed the well-trodden path through arches of hedgerows until we came across a ‘cloutie’ tree next to a puddle in the small stream. This is where pagans and 'new agers' engage spiritually, so we move on passed, blessing them but not stopping.

Whether this is the well I’m not sure. We did pass a tiny track leading into denser undergrowth but felt not to venture there. It wasn’t clear on the OS map but this could lead to the well.

Anyway, we wanted to find the ancient chapel so continued past the cloutie tree not sensing to stop there. Within a few yards the enclosure for the ancient chapel appears. A stone wall pens in the chapel ruins which are interesting. There is no roof, but the interior still has an altar, stones seats around the walls and the remains of a baptistry where the spring ran into the church building. A lovely pine tree now bows over the chapel and acts as a natural roof.

We sat and waited; aware the presence of God’s Spirit was evident which it hadn’t been at the stream when we passed.

The peace in the chapel is heavy and again you want to linger, which we did even though it was mizzling with rain. There was pagan activity on the altar, but we ignored this and could engage with God easily. The striking sense was of Peace, Rest, Compassion and Kindness.

I opened my hands in worship and suddenly was aware an angel had put a wafer of thin bread into my hand. I knew I was to give it to my husband for sustenance as he’d not been well. He ate it by faith. Following this I saw a small blue robed angel by the baptistry stirring the water in the Spirit realm. There is no physical water in it anymore. I was wondering what was going on but again felt this was for my husband’s health and he should by faith stand in the baptistery and receive whatever God was releasing through the ministry of this angel.

Sometimes we must take a leap of faith however strange it may seem. There’s plenty in the Bible who had to do likewise, like Naaman the leper bathing in the Jordan seven times and he was then cured of leprosy. Who are we to argue?