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All the United Kingdom England London Barnet Physic Well

Barnet Physic Well

A mineral spring that became all the rage in 17th-century England.

London, England

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Barnet Physic Well   GeographBot
  Snowdrop68 / Atlas Obscura User
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  Steve 55 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Water from this natural spring were long believed to have healing and therapeutic powers during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. It was believed that drinking from the well could balance the drinker's humors and temperament by causing them to urinate.

The well became so popular that its waters were actually bottled and sold across London. Barnet was on the verge of becoming a spa town because of the water's popularity. Samuel Pepy, a famous diarist in 17th-century England wrote about drinking multiple glasses when he visited the well. However, the well's popularity declined toward the end of the 17th-century. In the early 1800s, that popularity resurfaced after the well was rebuilt, with an underground arched chamber, however, it failed to hold the grips of the public. 

The wellhouse that stands today was constructed during the 1930s. The interior is more modern, having been refurbished with displays about the history of the well and the surrounding area. 

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Water Wells Health

Know Before You Go

Barnet Museum runs free monthly openings of the Physic Well, opening times and dates are advertised on their website.

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zxcvbnm

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Steve 55, Snowdrop68

  • Steve 55
  • Snowdrop68

Published

August 25, 2019

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  • The name is Samuel Pepys - the 's' is missing
Barnet Physic Well
Well Approach
Barnet
London, England, EN5 3DY
United Kingdom
51.648025, -0.218978
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