An ancient custom that's only found in or around the borders of Derbyshire. Well dressing might date back to the Celts, or perhaps even earlier, but what exactly is it? At its simplest, well dressing is the art of decorating springs and wells with pictures made from natural materials. But this doesn't explain how well dressers make such intricate and detailed pictures using only flowers, berries, leaves ... Last year, Chesterfield's well dressing used dried chamomile flowers, peppercorns, rowan berries, laburnum pods, thistledown and melon seeds, as well as other dried and fresh plants and flowers. Find out how a well dressing is made by watching the well dressers at work. After claying the board, work will begin on outlining and ‘colouring in’ the design. Dried materials such as straw, alder cones and peppercorns will be used early in the week. Rowan berries will add some colour on Wednesday but fresh flowers won't be added until Thursday as they will be the first to fade. Our theme in 2016 was the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter and featured Mrs Tiggywinkle, Gemima Puddleduck and Mrs Josephine. Venues Pavements Shopping Centre (next to Massarella's) (S40 1PA), 9.30am – 4pm ‘Crooked Spire’ Church Porch (S40 1XJ) 10am – 4pm Nearest Tourist Information Centre Chesterfield (Tel: 01246 345777/8)