MOTHER SHIPTON & THE MAGIC OF KNARESBOROUGH

Knaresborough is a wonderfully quirky and fascinating town, and as well as its unmistakable beauty, it is rich in some pretty strange history. 

 The famous Prophetess Mother Shipton and of course the Petrifying Well which turns things to stone are certainly that!

Mother Shipton (Ursula) was born in 1488 in the cave by the well during a violent thunderstorm. Separated from her young mother, Ursula even from a young age had a large, crooked nose, bent back and twisted legs – just like a witch - and was ostracized by her peers. It is hard to imagine how lonely she must have been.   

She spent her time at the cave studying flowers and herbs and making remedies. She also predicted the future and became a famous Prophetess across England, making her living telling the future, with lots of accurate predictions, including the end of the world which will come when Knaresboroughs low bridge falls for the third time and is why the pub by the bridge is called the Worlds End!

The Petrifying Well was (unsurprisingly) believed to be magic, and Knaresborough folk believed that if they touched the water they would turn to stone just like the objects that had fallen there.  They also said the side of the well looked like a giant’s skull.  

The Petrifying Well is one of Englands oldest tourist attractions and even today the well has a mystical appeal, so we can only wonder how fascinated – and a little bit scared - people must have been hundreds of years ago. 

With a wonderful story of a real “witch” plus an amazing natural phenomenon that literally turn objects into stone, Mother Shiptons Cave  is well worth a visit! With activities planned all week for Halloween it should be spookily fun for everyone.

You will never see anything like it again!