Dearest Coventina,
Goddess of wells and springs. Queen of the river deities. First worshipped in Celtic Britain, when the belief in local water goddesses was strong. When people would bring gifts to the springs and wells to express their gratitude and to pray to the river goddesses for the clean, fresh life giving water to continue to flow.
Once the Romans arrived in Britain, Coventina of the Wall continued to be worshipped and was given a high status. Her name often inscribed with the words Augusta or Sancta. At Carrawburgh in Northumberland she was given an altar at the well and many coins, vessels and other votives to her were found there.
Her gifts are of abundance, inspiration and healing. She is often pictured as a water nymph figure lying down next to a spring, pouring water from a cup, with a large leaf next to her. Some artwork from the Roman era shows in triptique form, as a three aspect goddess. Sadly there are no stories of Coventina, no myths that have lasted through time, but she remains as a memory, an ancestral wisdom of the importance of our natural waterways in Britain.
On a more personal note, Coventina is the Goddess that guides me on my artistic journey. She is reason The Coventina Press exists. If I ever feel stuck or lost, she arrives at my side. Her well is a lost place now, hidden in a field of reeds. No sign everyone worshipped her so deeply. But if you make the pilgrimage to her home in the summer months you may be lucky enough to see her presence, to feel her in the yellow flowers that guide you to the once sacred place, to sit in that wilderness and watch the trickle of beautiful clean water still coming from the ground. She is still there, and we still have so much to thank her for.
The limited edition Coventina Blue hand printed linocut is available to buy here and as a greeting card here. The Coventina Black hand printed linocut is available to buy here and as a greeting card here
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