Dr Peter Hewitt (Museums Officer, D&G Council)
Dr. Peter Hewitt is folklorist, historian and author. He also works in the heritage sector as Museums Officer for Galloway, and as Intangible Cultural Heritage Officer at Museums Galleries Scotland. In addition to these roles he is also the founder of the Folklore Museums Network – a subject specialist network that helps British museums identify, display and disseminate knowledge about their folkloric material culture.
Peter says -
“Recent interdisciplinary research suggests that springs and wells are integral to our understanding of societies. These sites drive settlement patterns and supply water for everyday needs, but they are also indicators of belief systems and rituals, revealing past attitudes to nature, religion and the supernatural. Wells and springs also feature strongly in our rich story-telling traditions. In this talk, Dr. Peter Hewitt will present recent research on some significant ‘holy wells’ and springs from Dumfries & Galloway, and explore some of the findings of the recent ‘Lost Wells of Galloway Project’."