Re-digging the Wells in Harrogate

Harrogate and the surrounding area have a long history associated with healing:

• In the late 12th and early 13th century, Robert Flower (1116-1218) of Knaresborough a medieval hermit chose to live in a cave on the banks of the River Nidd. Pilgrims flocked to see him during his lifetime including King John in 1216. He reputedly had a gift for healing and pilgrims came to be healed of physical ailments, for spiritual direction, or simply to be in close proximity to the home of a revered holy man.
• The fame of Harrogate as a spa town can be attributed to William Slingsby who discovered spring waters (similar to those he had drunk abroad ) in a well at Harrogate called the Tewitt well.
• Harrogate the spa town, famous for its sulphur and iron rich waters. increased in popularity during the eighteenth century when a physician called Timothy Bight claimed the spa water at Harrogate had healing properties. It was claimed that the waters of Harrogate could cure almost anything including nervous tension, gout, rheumatism and lumbago.

Roberts Cave, Knaresborough. Some of the many wells that made Harrogate famous.

• Other wells at Harrogate include a Magnesia Well which was discovered in 1895. It is located in Harrogate's Valley Gardens. Part of these Gardens is known as Bogs field where it is believed that a greater number of mineral springs come to the surface than any other known place on earth. 36 of Harrogate's 88 mineral wells are found within the gardens, with no two being alike. Perhaps the most famous of Harrogate's wells was a sulphur well known as the Stinking Spaw which is now located within The Royal Pump Room, now a museum.
• 88 springs rise within a radius of two miles of the town centre; Many were used medicinally because of their different healing properties. 

Smith Wigglesworth - a local lad

• Smith Wigglesworth, one of the premier healing evangelists in the Pentecostal movement was born in nearby Menston in 1859. While living as a plumber in Bradford, Yorkshire, and subsequent to his marriage to Polly Featherstone in 1882, they shared ministry by opening Bowland Street Mission.

Bowland Street, Bradford.   Smith Wigglesworth's Grave

  70 Victor Road (the house where Smith Wigglesworth lived as a plumber).  Wigglesworth's Grave

• Visiting nearby Leeds, he attended a "divine healing service" and became convinced from Scripture that God still heals the sick. Polly accompanied him to one of the services and received a healing herself. Wigglesworth, however, continued to suffer from hemorrhoids and took salts every day to clear his lower digestive tract. When Polly challenged him with his own unbelief, he anointed himself with oil according to the instruction in James 5:14. Instantly, healing took place and the malady never returned.
• Smith would pray and the blind would see, and the deaf were healed, people came out of wheelchairs, and cancers were destroyed. One remarkable story is when He prayed for a woman in a hospital. While he and a friend were praying she died. He took her out of the bed stood her against the wall and said "in the name of Jesus I rebuke this death". Her whole body began to tremble. Then he said "in the name of Jesus walk", and she walked. Everywhere he would go he would teach and then show the power of God.
• Through Smith's ministry it was confirmed that 14 people were raised from the dead. Thousands were saved and healed and he impacted whole continents for Christ.

Re-digging the wells of healing

• Between 1976 and 1986 the Dales Bible Weeks were held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate with times that literally shaped the church in the United Kingdom for a generation.  Many healings, salvations, and baptisms took place year after year under the leadership of Bryn Jones and his team.
• At the Dales Bible weeks In 1977 and 1978 angelic experiences were recorded in the local newspapers. One experience involved the police arriving at 2 am in the morning asking for the noise to be kept down on site due to complaints from nearby homes. On inspection of the flower hall (where the meetings were held), puzzled police could hear very loud singing, though not see anyone. Campers were all tucked up in their tents fast asleep!  Click Here for Ern Baxter's recollection

Dales Bible Week Report 1977. John Wimber in Harrogate 1985. Reinhard Bonnke 1993.

Ryan Wyatt & Derek Brown at the Harrogate Supernatural Conference 2006.

• In 1985 John Wimber held his Signs & Wonders teaching conference at the Harrogate International Centre with 2000 church leaders from across the nations.  Many people still speak of the significant shaping that took place in their lives and ministries. 
• In the 1990's Days of Destiny Bible Weeks were held on the showground by Salt & Light Ministries. At the conference centre, Reinhard Bonnke ministered at a special weekend conference. During the decade other bible weeks were held by Lifelink, New Wine and Salt & Light Ministries. 
• Today Harrogate New Life are re-digging the divine healing and supernatural wells across Yorkshire and the North of England holding the Supernatural conference in 2006 and equipping people with healing and prophetic schools. 
• Other churches and ministries are re-discovering our mission cry: "Your Kingdom Come, Your will Be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven" and that includes healing!
• In 2007 Bill Johnson pastor and author of "When Heaven Invades Earth" and "The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind" spoke at the Harrogate International Centre.  Todd Bentley Revivalist and evangelist (Fresh Fire Ministries) also spoke in Harrogate.  Both these men have great healing anointings. Both are returning to Harrogate in 2008.
• God is raising up a "nameless and faceless" generation who will step out in faith and heal the sick, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons and raise the dead.  Are you part of it?

• Watch this space - the best is yet to come!