One of the key incidents in the book happens around a fictional village in whose surrounding fields lies a rather strange looking well. It is, by no means, a fairy tale wishing well. It is actually a rectangular patch of slimy water you could quite easily fall into were it not fenced off. For those of you who are Leicestershire locals, you might recognise it as being a literary steal - it is a replica of the well in Tur Langton which was, according to legend, used by King Charles I to water his horses on his return from defeat at The Battle of Naseby (1645). According to The Megalithic Portal the brick surround dates from 1813.
Two years ago, I was walking the footpaths around Tur Langton with my husband and daughter, Hattie, and, after quite a bit of searching for the well, we eventually found it. Its underwhelming appearance came as a big surprise and the image stayed in the back of my mind so that when I started thinking about a fictional village festival for my story, King Charles’s Well immediately popped back into my thoughts. I decided to create a village celebration called ‘Monarchy Day’ which would revolve around giving thanks for the existence of the well.
Do go and visit it if you get the chance and send me a selfie. The first three to share on Instagram with the hashtag #TheCryOfTheLake will win a voucher to spend at Kibworth Books. The well is located between Tur Langton and Stonton Wyville. The countryside around there is beautiful and maybe, lockdown rules permitting, you could stop off for a drink at The Crown Inn, afterwards.
Comentários