Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Mother Shipton's Cave and the Petrifying Well

Mother Shipton's Cave and the Petrifying Well

Once thought to be the mysterious work of a witchy prophetess, a well with unusual properties turns objects into "stone".

England

Added By
Rhiannon Holmes
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrifying_well
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrifying_well
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrifying_well
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrifying_well
Petrifying well from above   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrifying_well
Mother Shipton’s Moth   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Shipton
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
An angel carved from a fallen tree   stevenimilne / Atlas Obscura User
  AdOYo / Atlas Obscura User
Statue in Mother Shipton’s Cave   Jooniur
Various objects undergoing petrification   stevenimilne / Atlas Obscura User
Carved wooden angel   stevenimilne / Atlas Obscura User
Hammer a coin into an old tree for good luck   stevenimilne / Atlas Obscura User
A doll petrified by the well   stevenimilne / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Mother Shipton was said to be a witch and an oracle, predicting doomsday horrors and disasters that were to befall the Tudor reign, with each morbid forecast recited in prose.

Allegedly born as Ursula Southhell in a cave in the forests of Knaresborough, she was associated with all kinds of tragic events and dark doings in the area, including the bewitchment of a nearby well that turned objects into stone.

ā€œThe world to an end shall come In eighteen hundred and eighty one.ā€

-Mother Shipton

Taking the post-humous credit and blame for many strange happenings throughout the UK, Australia and the U.S. throughout the 17th, 18th, and even the 19th centuries, Mother Shipton left quite a legacy. Besides several published editions of her prophecies, her name graces pubs, and her effigy and statues are used by fortune tellers. A moth whose wings appear to bear the image of a hag's face was named after her, and a caricature of her is believed to be one of the first adaptations of the British Pantomime dame (a type of British drag act).

One of the mystical secrets of Mother Shipton has been solved by modern science. The well nearby her dwelling that petrified objects left in its waters has been something of a visitor's attraction since 1630, making it one of the oldest tourist spots in England. Once thought to be the work of witchcraft, it is now known that the water that can turn thing like teddy bears, hats and other random items into ā€œstoneā€ within 3 to 5 months is due to the natural process of evaporation and an unusually high mineral content.

The park containing Mother Shipton's Cave and Petrifying Well now has a gift shop, a picnic area, a wishing well, and of course a walk along the river to see the items, consisting mostly of children's toys, hung beneath the soothsayer's petrifying waters at the well.

Related Tags

Water Natural Wonders Caves Ecosystems Nature

Know Before You Go

The park is located on the west side of the River Nidd, which is on the opposite side of the river from the centre of Knaresborough and from the train station, and the park can be accessed from near Knaresborough High Bridge (to the north of the rail viaduct).  The entrance has parking available, although that parking is only for the attraction and not for people who want to visit the city afterwards.  Both the train station and several bus stops are located within a short distance of the entrance.

The path running the length of the park is only one mile long and should be easy for most people to walk.  However, the paths to the attractions have stairs, and while the stairs contain twenty-five steps  or fewer,  the locations may still be inaccessible to wheelchair users or other people with mobility impairments.  Visitors with pushchairs or prams will need to leave those things at the bottom of the steps.

Dogs are welcome in the park except in the playground.  However, dogs need to be kept on a lead at all times.

Community Contributors

Added By

rhiannonholmes

Edited By

marla m ww, Dark Nebula Deluxe, AdOYo, Rachel...

  • marla m ww
  • Dark Nebula Deluxe
  • AdOYo
  • Rachel
  • stevenimilne
  • Collector of Experiences
  • jooniur

Published

March 19, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.top10ten.co.uk/weird-and-wonderful/1246-6-mother-shiptons-cave-and-petrifying-well-yorkshire.html
  • http://au.totaltravel.yahoo.com/listing/597011/united-kingdom/north-england/vale-of-york/harrogate-knaresborough/mother-shiptons-cave/
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrifying_well
Mother Shipton's Cave and the Petrifying Well
Harrogate Rd
England, HG5 8DD
United Kingdom
54.008713, -1.474846
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Conyngham Hall Pet Cemetery

Knaresborough, England

miles away

Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag

Knaresborough, England

miles away

Turkish Baths Harrogate

Harrogate, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,219
Stories 145

Nearby Places

Conyngham Hall Pet Cemetery

Knaresborough, England

miles away

Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag

Knaresborough, England

miles away

Turkish Baths Harrogate

Harrogate, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,219
Stories 145

Related Places

  • The cave entrance is unassuming.

    Oracle, Arizona

    Peppersauce Cave

    An off-the-beaten path cave with an underground lake.

  • Ein Avdat pool and waterfall.

    Be'er Sheva, Israel

    Ein Avdat

    A magical oasis in the middle of the Negev Desert.

  • Ash Cave.

    Logan, Ohio

    The Caves of Hocking Hills State Park

    Rare recess caves fill this unbelievably beautiful Ohio park.

  • Kong Lor Cave.

    Laos

    Kong Lor Cave

    A boat ride through utter darkness, lit only by headlamps, reveals an emerald green pool locals believe is sacred.

  • Underwater at Cenote Angelita

    Chumkopó, Mexico

    Cenote Angelita

    A flooded Mexican cave that hides a river beneath the water.

  • Blue Hole Fly Over

    Belize

    Great Blue Hole

    A massive underwater sinkhole made famous by Jacques Cousteau.

  • Falmouth Springs

    Falmouth, Florida

    Falmouth Springs

    The so-called "world's shortest river" is actually a window into a cave.

  • Los Tres Ojos

    Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic

    Los Tres Ojos

    This trio of Dominican cave lakes comprise a colorful biosphere of natural life.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.