Its well dressing week here in Rowsley and the theme of our magnificent well dressing this year is Save our Swifts. Rowsley one of Derbyshire’s most important locations for swift nesting as our topography and architecture lends itself to the long swoop that swifts need to access those tiny gaps under the eaves that they love. The well dressing is particularly beautiful this year and all the more so considering the awful heat that our incredible “Dressers” had to put up with while they were working on this incredibly art work – in a barn!

Well dressing is a Derbyshire tradition that dates back to medieval times. These mosaic-like art works are painstakingly constructed on wooden frames coated in clay using natural materials like petals, tree bark and moss. They are displayed in towns and villages throughout the county, starting in early May and the last ones usually in late September. This week we also have well dressings in Bakewell. For more information on the tradition and a full calendar please click here