Stepping through the old, wooden door of the Barnet Physic Well, you feel a hush fall over you. It’s not just the silence of the centuries-old building, but a sense of something hushed and ancient. This well, once a source of wonder and healing, whispers stories of a time when Londoners flocked here in their droves, seeking the cure to their ailments.
Imagine Samuel Pepys, the famous diarist, visiting the well in the 17th century. He likely wandered these very grounds, perhaps even sipping from the spring. The well was believed to cure a multitude of ailments, like general languor or difficult respiration. Pepys himself was a fan, drinking five glasses and noting in his diary how well it worked.
This well, like a living thing, has seen times of great popularity and times of being almost completely forgotten. Its waters were bottled and sold throughout London, making Barnet a buzzing hub of well-goers. And despite its decline, it was rebuilt in the early 19th century, with a grand underground chamber to collect its healing waters.
The well was even said to have the power to balance humors and temperament by causing the drinker to urinate. This sounds like a bit of a stretch, but in those days people believed in the power of humors in maintaining one’s health.
The current well house, built in the 1930s, stands as a monument to the well’s intriguing past. Although the well’s waters may not hold the magical properties they once did, the story of the Barnet Physic Well remains a captivating tale of health, history, and the enduring power of belief.