Glastonbury's Red Spring Collection Points

At Chalice Well Gardens, the water emerges not as a single dramatic gush but through a series of controlled outlets and channels within the garden.

The spring is a chalybeate (iron-rich) source, and as the water reaches the surface, dissolved iron oxidises on contact with air. This process forms iron oxide deposits, which coat the stone channels and give the water its characteristic reddish hue.

The Lion’s Head is the most recognisable controlled outlet within the gardens. Water issues directly from the carved mouth into a shallow stone basin before continuing into the garden channels. 

A simpler outlet outside the paid garden entrance allows the same spring water to be collected freely. This is a practical, street-facing spout set into stone, typically used for filling bottles.

Compared to the Lion’s Head, the structure is minimal.