http://www.newfreebooters.com/figgy-dowdy-pudding-and-well boats, events, people & equipment - through the eyes of Mike K-H Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:18:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://www.newfreebooters.com/figgy-dowdy-pudding-and-well/comment-page-1#comment-513 croc Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:51:47 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=153#comment-513 Carn Marth in Cornish means Marks cairn or litteraly translated "pile of stones". This is all guess work but I think Figgy Dowdy is probably a mutation of the Cornish "fleghes dowr", as the well was used to "christen" childrens dolls, fleghes dowr means "Childrens Water", I am willing to bet on the Margery Daw name as well, the hill has a reference to Mark which is a mutation of Margh, the Cornish word for horse, Daw being mutated from dowr (water). After climbing the near 800ft hill horses would have needed water hence "Horse Water". Maggy figgy is probably a later mix of the two names, wells are venerated in Cornwall as having special powers( you will still find ribbons hanging on trees near wells) I was brought up believing they must not be desecrated, maybe the well was locked as taking water from the well for horses was thought of as disrespect to the well spirit? Carn Marth in Cornish means Marks cairn or litteraly translated “pile of stones”. This is all guess work but I think Figgy Dowdy is probably a mutation of the Cornish “fleghes dowr”, as the well was used to “christen” childrens dolls, fleghes dowr means “Childrens Water”, I am willing to bet on the Margery Daw name as well, the hill has a reference to Mark which is a mutation of Margh, the Cornish word for horse, Daw being mutated from dowr (water). After climbing the near 800ft hill horses would have needed water hence “Horse Water”. Maggy figgy is probably a later mix of the two names, wells are venerated in Cornwall as having special powers( you will still find ribbons hanging on trees near wells) I was brought up believing they must not be desecrated, maybe the well was locked as taking water from the well for horses was thought of as disrespect to the well spirit?

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