White Wells is a spa bath located on Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire, England. Built around 1700 by landowner Peter Middleton as an open-air spa bath, the site was developed further in 1791 when Robert Dale built two baths enclosed by walls on three sides but not roofed over.
In an advertisement placed in the Leeds Intelligencer in 1791, Dale claimed that the medicinal properties of the 'Spaw' could heal 'bad eyes', 'tumours and sores', 'scrophula' and 'all cases where the spine is affected'. These claims were made while the baths remained open to the elements.
The site also holds a somber history. In 1793, Anne Harper, the nine-year-old daughter of butcher William Harper, drowned in the spa bath. A memorial plaque dedicated to Harper remains inside the Spa Cottage.
Today, a single plunge pool survives inside the cottage. It is used to welcome in the New Year, which is noted as the most popular day of the year for plunging. A cafe also opens at the site on weekends when the flag is flying.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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