Borderlands: New Photographs and Old Tales of Sacred Springs, Holy Wells and Spas of the Wales–England Borders

Following his books on wells in Wales and Cornwall, Phil Cope journeys up and down the borderlands between Wales and England and through history, from pre-Christian times through Roman and early Christian times, the medieval Age of the Princes in Wales and on to Victorian and the contemporary period. His discoveries are recorded in striking and atmospheric photographs and are accompanied by the remarkable histories of the sacred wells that have played an important part in the culture and landscape of the region, and the legends attached to them. Wronged suitors, magic horses, Dark Age battles, the reign of King Arthur, and innumerable decapitations feature among the vividly magical tales. Richly illustrated in color throughout, the wells from Cheshire to Monmouthshire, from the Dee to the Severn, are here displayed in all their glory, be they in remote countryside or city center.