# Chalybeate

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{{Short description|Mineral spring with water containing iron}}
{{other uses}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2010}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Engrvspring01.jpg|thumb|"The Calybeate Spring [Tunbridge Wells](/source/Royal_Tunbridge_Wells)"|right]] -->
[[File:Mineral Stains, Rosedale Cliffs - geograph.org.uk - 1455022.jpg|thumb|Mineral stains, [Rosedale](/source/Rosedale%2C_North_Yorkshire) Cliffs – marks caused by chalybeate waters ]]
[[File:Red-coloured spring below Cascada de los Colores, La Palma.jpg|thumb|Chalybeate spring below Cascada de los Colores, [La Palma](/source/La_Palma)]]

'''Chalybeate''' ({{IPAc-en|k|ə|ˈ|l|ɪ|b|i|eɪ|t}})<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chalybeate |title=Definition of chalybeate  |publisher=The Free Dictionary |access-date=2014-10-23 }}</ref> waters, also known as [ferruginous](/source/Iron_oxide) waters, are [mineral spring](/source/mineral_spring) waters containing salts of [iron](/source/iron).

==Name==
The word ''chalybeate'' is derived from the Latin word for steel, {{Lang|la|chalybs}}, which follows from the [Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) word {{Lang|grc|χάλυψ}} {{Lang|grc-latn|khálups}}. {{Lang|grc-latn|Khálups}} is the singular form of {{Lang|grc-latn|Khálubes}} or [Chalybes](/source/Chalybes), who were a people living on [Mount Ida](/source/Mount_Ida) in north [Asia Minor](/source/Asia_Minor) and who were expert in iron working.

''Ferruginous'' ({{IPAc-en|f|ə|ˈ|r|uː|dʒ|ᵻ|n|ə|s}}) comes from the Latin word {{Lang|la|ferrūgineus}} 'of a rusty colour', from {{Lang|la|ferrūgō}} 'iron rust', from {{Lang|la|ferrum}} 'iron'.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ferruginous |title=Definition of ferruginous  |publisher=The Free Dictionary |access-date=2021-03-20 }}</ref>

==History==
thumb|upright|1860 advertisement
Early in the 17th century, chalybeate water was said to have health-giving properties and many people once promoted its qualities. [Dudley North, 3rd Baron North](/source/Dudley_North%2C_3rd_Baron_North), discovered the chalybeate spring at [Tunbridge Wells](/source/Royal_Tunbridge_Wells) in 1606. [His eldest son](/source/Dudley_North%2C_4th_Baron_North)'s physician said the waters contained "[vitriol](/source/vitriol)" and the waters of Tunbridge Wells could cure:

<blockquote>the colic, the melancholy, and the vapours; it made the lean fat, the fat lean; it killed flat worms in the belly, loosened the clammy humours of the body, and dried the over-moist brain.</blockquote>

He also apparently said, in verse:

<poem>:These waters youth in age renew
:Strength to the weak and sickly add
:Give the pale cheek a rosy hue
:And cheerful spirits to the sad.
</poem>

In 1689, a spring of ferruginous water rich in gas and tasting pleasantly was discovered by Count Lelio Piovene of [Vicenza](/source/Vicenza). Local residents called the water from this spring "Saint Anthony's miraculous water" believing it had therapeutic properties.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}} This spring, known today as the [Recoaro Spa](/source/Recoaro_Terme), is located on the outskirts of Vicenza, in northeastern Italy.

[John Radcliffe](/source/John_Radcliffe_(physician)) (1652–1714) discusses the benefits of various mineral waters in the chapter entitled "Of Chalybeat Waters" in his book ''Dr. Radcliffe's practical dispensatory : containing a complete body of prescriptions, fitted for all diseases, internal and external, digested under proper heads''.<ref>''Dr. Radcliffe's practical dispensatory : containing a complete body of prescriptions, fitted for all diseases, internal and external, digested under proper heads'', Rivington, London 4th Ed. by Edward Strother 1721 [http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:061:2-8605 Digital edition] by the [University and State Library Düsseldorf](/source/University_and_State_Library_D%C3%BCsseldorf).</ref>

[Anthony Relhan](/source/Anthony_Relhan) (c. 1715–1776), promoted the drinking of mineral waters and particularly water from the chalybeate spring in [St Anne's Well Gardens](/source/St._Anne's_Well_Gardens%2C_Hove), [Hove](/source/Hove) and published ''A Short History of Brighthelmstone; with Remarks on its Air, an Analysis of its Waters, Particularly of an uncommon Mineral one, long discovered, though but lately used'' in 1761.<!-- this is not a reference <ref>Relhan's predecessor, the eminent physician [Dr. Richard Russell](/source/Richard_Russell_(doctor)), an eminent physician, and resident of [Lewes](/source/Lewes) and [Brighton](/source/Brighton) (which are close to the chalybeate spring of [Hove](/source/Hove)) had advocated drinking seawater.</ref> --><ref name="ShortHistory">{{cite book | first = Anthony | last = Relhan | title = A Short History of Brighthelmston: With Remarks on Its Air, and an Analysis of its waters | publisher = The Philanthropic Society | location = Brighton | date = 1761 | url = https://archive.org/details/ashorthistorybr00relhgoog}}</ref> This led to a substantial increase in public interest in drinking mineral water. The town of [Enfield](/source/Enfield%2C_New_Hampshire), [New Hampshire](/source/New_Hampshire), even changed its name temporarily to Relhan because of the profound public interest in this form of therapy.<ref>[http://ead.dartmouth.edu/html/ml19.html ''The Papers on The History of the Town of Enfield and New Hampshire'' in the Dartmouth College Library], collected by Nellie Pierce, 1988</ref>{{Failed verification|date=December 2009}}

Princess Victoria, later [Queen Victoria](/source/Queen_Victoria), drank the waters every day during her stay in [Tunbridge Wells](/source/Royal_Tunbridge_Wells) in 1834. She and her mother, the [Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent](/source/Princess_Victoria_of_Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld), would pay a visit to the spring and then stroll along [the Pantiles](/source/the_Pantiles). The water contains a significant level of dissolved mineral salts, with iron and manganese contributing to its characteristic flavour.

The Spire Southampton Private Hospital in Chalybeate Close, Southampton, UK was formerly known as The Chalybeate Hospital until 2007.

==Content of the chalybeate waters from Tunbridge Wells==
thumb|The Chalybeate Spring at Tunbridge Wells
An analysis in 1967 showed it to contain (parts per million):
*[Iron(II) carbonate](/source/Iron(II)_carbonate), FeCO<sub>3</sub> 25.3
*[Manganese(II) carbonate](/source/Manganese(II)_carbonate), MnCO<sub>3</sub> 4.6
*[Calcium sulfate](/source/Calcium_sulfate), CaSO<sub>4</sub> 60.9
*[Magnesium sulfate](/source/Magnesium_sulfate), MgSO<sub>4</sub> 13.4
*[Magnesium chloride](/source/Magnesium_chloride), MgCl<sub>2</sub> 7.8
*[Sodium chloride](/source/Sodium_chloride), NaCl 57.2
*[Potassium chloride](/source/Potassium_chloride), KCl 7.3

==Notable chalybeate springs==
[[File:Quarndon 180327 4f2a74fb.jpg|thumb|This rather ornate spring well is in the village of [Quarndon](/source/Quarndon). A plaque inside the well bears the following inscription: "17th century chalybeate spring well. Once famous spa noted for medicinal waters containing iron. Visited by [Daniel Defoe](/source/Daniel_Defoe) in 1727."]]
Chalybeate springs are found in:

===Austria===
*[Muri Spring](/source/Muri_Spring), [Geopark Karawanken](/source/Geopark_Karawanken), Völkermarkt District (Carinthia)

===Australia===
*[The Chalybeate Spring](/source/Chalybeate_Spring%2C_Mittagong) at [Mittagong](/source/Mittagong), New South Wales

===Belgium===
*[Spa](/source/Spa%2C_Belgium) situated in a valley in the [Ardennes](/source/Ardennes) mountain chain, some {{convert|35|km|abbr=on}} southeast of Liège, and {{convert|45|km|abbr=on}} southwest of [Aachen](/source/Aachen) whose name is known back to Roman times, when the location was called Aquae Spadanae.
* [Malmedy](/source/Malmedy)

===Germany===
*[Bad Pyrmont](/source/Bad_Pyrmont)

===Italy===
*[Recoaro](/source/Recoaro), [Vicenza](/source/Vicenza)<ref>{{cite web |title= Recoaro Spa Fonti di Recoaro |url= http://www.italyguide.com/TERME/spas/reco.htm |work= italyguide.com}}</ref>

===Ireland===
* [Moydow](/source/Moydow) Castle, [County Longford](/source/County_Longford)
* Chalybeate Well, Garretstown Woods, Garretstown, [County Cork](/source/County_Cork)
* Merton Hall, [County Tipperary](/source/County_Tipperary)

===Poland===
*[Krynica-Zdrój](/source/Krynica-Zdr%C3%B3j)

===Romania===
*[Toplitz](/source/Toplitz)

===Russia===
*[Lipetsk](/source/Lipetsk), in central [Russia](/source/Russia)

===South Africa===
*[Caledon](/source/Caledon%2C_South_Africa), Western Cape. This spring contains the most iron of any chalybeate globally (Darley-Hartley, 1940) and is also the hottest. The thermal waters emerge from the hillside above the small brewing town of Caledoni at 48.889 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) and feed into the Bath River. The site was known to the Khoi people and was developed into a Victorian spa in the 1800s. The resort has been expanded and receives large numbers of visitors.

===Spain===
*[Lanjarón](/source/Lanjar%C3%B3n), a village in the [Alpujarras](/source/Alpujarras)<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Alpujarras, The|volume=1|page=755}}</ref>

===Sweden===
*[Ramlösa Hälsobrunn](/source/Raml%C3%B6sa_H%C3%A4lsobrunn), in [Helsingborg](/source/Helsingborg), [Sweden](/source/Sweden)

===United Kingdom===
====England====
*Alexandra Park in [Hastings](/source/Hastings), [East Sussex](/source/East_Sussex)
*Balcombe, West Sussex
*[Bermondsey](/source/Bermondsey) Spa, south-east of the Tower of London. Around 1770 [Thomas Keyse](/source/Thomas_Keyse) opened some tea gardens. With the discovery of a chalybeate spring the gardens became known as Bermondsey Spa. About 1784 Keyse received a licence to "provide in his garden musical entertainments" like those in the [Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens](/source/Vauxhall_Pleasure_Gardens). They were varied by occasional exhibitions of fireworks and the price of admission was one shilling.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Malden |editor1-first=H. E. |chapter= Parishes: Bermondsey |title=A History of the County of Surrey |volume= 4 |year=1912 |publisher=[Archibald Constable](/source/Archibald_Constable) |pages=17–24 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=43026}}</ref>
*Burton upon Trent, at Sinai Park House 
*[Chalice Well](/source/Chalice_Well), [Glastonbury](/source/Glastonbury)
*[Cheltenham](/source/Cheltenham), [Gloucestershire](/source/Gloucestershire)
*Chalybeate Kennels near [Ingleborough](/source/Ingleborough), [North Yorkshire](/source/North_Yorkshire)
*[Dorton Spa](/source/Dorton_Spa) in [Buckinghamshire](/source/Buckinghamshire): said to contain four times the iron of [Tunbridge Wells](/source/Royal_Tunbridge_Wells)
*[Gilsland Spa](/source/Gilsland_Spa), [Cumbria](/source/Cumbria)
*George Gap Spa, [Great Fryup Dale](/source/Fryup), North Yorkshire
*The Gloucester Spa, [Gloucester](/source/Gloucester)
*The Goodison Fountain at Hampstead Heath, [Hampstead](/source/Hampstead), [North London](/source/North_London)<ref>https://londonwhere.com/walking/hampstead-heath-fountains-and-flower-gardens Accessed 08/02/2024</ref>
*[Griffydam](/source/Griffydam), [Leicestershire](/source/Leicestershire)
*[Harrogate](/source/Harrogate), North Yorkshire
*[Kedleston Hall](/source/Kedleston_Hall) near [Quarndon](/source/Quarndon), [Derbyshire](/source/Derbyshire)
*[Kilburn](/source/Kilburn%2C_London), North London<ref name="BH">{{cite book |editor-last=Elrington  |editor-first=C. R. |last1=Baker |first1=T. F. T. |last2=Bolton |first2=Diane K |last3=Croot |first3=Patricia E. C. |year=1989 |series= A History of the County of Middlesex |title= Hampstead, Paddington |volume= 9 |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22637 |chapter=Kilburn, Edgware Road and Cricklewood |access-date= 2007-11-10}}</ref>
*[Lees, Greater Manchester](/source/Lees%2C_Greater_Manchester)
*[Nash, Buckinghamshire](/source/Nash%2C_Buckinghamshire) - there being a well in the High Street known locally as Chalybeate, or Bretch, Well. Local folklore suggests that the water would never freeze, even in the harshest of winters. It is now in the front garden of a private house and mostly covered over<ref>{{cite web | url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/102340112 | title=View map: Ordnance Survey, Buckinghamshire XIV (Includes: Beachampton; Nash; Shenley Church End; Whaddon; Wolverton.) - Ordnance Survey Six-inch England and Wales, 1842-1952 }}</ref>
*Nill Well, between [Yelling](/source/Yelling%2C_Cambridgeshire) and [Papworth Everard](/source/Papworth_Everard), Cambridgeshire
*The Red Well, [Knapwell](/source/Knapwell), Cambridgeshire
*Robin Hood Hills, [Kirkby in Ashfield](/source/Kirkby_in_Ashfield), Nottinghamshire
*Royal Beulah Spa [Upper Norwood](/source/Upper_Norwood), Surrey (now [London Borough of Croydon](/source/London_Borough_of_Croydon))
*[St. Ann's Well Gardens](/source/St._Ann's_Well_Gardens%2C_Hove), [Hove](/source/Hove), [East Sussex](/source/East_Sussex)
*[St. Blaise's Well](/source/St._Blaise's_Well), [Bromley](/source/Bromley), [London](/source/Kent)<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Bromley|volume=4|page=634}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter= Bromley |series= The Environs of London |volume= 4 |title= Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent |year= 1796 |pages= 307–23 |url= https://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=45479 |access-date= 2013-12-23 |last= Lysons |first= Daniel}}</ref>
*[St James Cemetery](/source/St_James_Cemetery), [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool)
*[Seend](/source/Seend), Wiltshire
*[Somersham](/source/Somersham), [Cambridgeshire](/source/Cambridgeshire)
*Sandrock Spring, [Blackgang](/source/Blackgang), [Isle of Wight](/source/Isle_of_Wight) – discovered 1811; buried in landslide in 1978
*[Southwick, Northamptonshire](/source/Southwick%2C_Northamptonshire)
*Spa Well, [Spittal, Northumberland](/source/Spittal%2C_Northumberland)
*[Stamford, Lincolnshire](/source/Stamford%2C_Lincolnshire)
*[Tunbridge Wells](/source/Royal_Tunbridge_Wells), [Kent](/source/Kent)
*[Tynemouth](/source/Tynemouth), [Tyne and Wear](/source/Tyne_and_Wear) – currently buried on Longsands beach
*[Winteringham](/source/Winteringham), [North Lincolnshire](/source/North_Lincolnshire)

====Scotland====
*[The Saltcoats Mineral Well](/source/Saltcoats), The Holm Plantation, [North Ayrshire](/source/North_Ayrshire).
*[The Brow Well](/source/Brow%2C_Dumfries_and_Galloway), [Ruthwell](/source/Ruthwell) - visited by the dying [Robert Burns](/source/Robert_Burns)
*The [Chapeltoun](/source/Chapeltoun) Burn source near [Stewarton](/source/Stewarton), [East Ayrshire](/source/East_Ayrshire)
*[Fraserburgh](/source/Fraserburgh), northeast [Scotland](/source/Scotland)
*Hartfell Spa, near [Moffat](/source/Moffat%2C_Dumfries_and_Galloway), in the upper reaches of [Annandale](/source/Annandale%2C_Dumfries_and_Galloway), [Dumfries and Galloway](/source/Dumfries_and_Galloway)
*Parson's Well, [Drumoak](/source/Drumoak), [Aberdeenshire](/source/Aberdeenshire)
*Euchan Glen, [Sanquhar](/source/Sanquhar), [Dumfries and Galloway](/source/Dumfries_and_Galloway)
*[Peterhead](/source/Peterhead)
*Heavenly Aqua Well, [West Linton](/source/West_Linton), [Scottish Borders](/source/Scottish_Borders)
*Red Well, [Whitehills](/source/Whitehills), [Aberdeenshire](/source/Aberdeenshire)
*Queen Mary's Well, [Berry Hill](/source/Berry_Hill%2C_Aberdeenshire), [Aberdeenshire](/source/Aberdeenshire)

====Wales====
*Ffynnon Goch, [Aberaeron](/source/Aberaeron), [Ceredigion](/source/Ceredigion)
*[Betws Yn Rhos](/source/Betws_yn_Rhos), [Conwy](/source/Conwy)
*[Llandrindod Wells](/source/Llandrindod_Wells), central [Powys](/source/Powys)
*[Trefriw](/source/Trefriw), [Conwy](/source/Conwy)
*[Trellech](/source/Trellech), [Monmouthshire](/source/Monmouthshire)
*[Garnllwyd farm, Llancarfan](/source/Garnllwyd_farm%2C_Llancarfan), [Glamorgan](/source/Glamorgan)

===United States===
*[Beersheba Springs](/source/Beersheba_Springs%2C_Tennessee), [Grundy County, Tennessee](/source/Grundy_County%2C_Tennessee)
*[Brandywine Springs](/source/Brandywine_Springs), [Wilmington](/source/Wilmington%2C_Delaware), [Delaware](/source/Delaware)
*[Brushton, New York](/source/Brushton%2C_New_York), a [village](/source/Village_(New_York)) in [Franklin County](/source/Franklin_County%2C_New_York)
*[Chalybeate Springs](/source/Chalybeate_Springs%2C_Alabama), [Lawrence County](/source/Lawrence_County%2C_Alabama), [Alabama](/source/Alabama)
*Chalybeate Springs in [Gadsden](/source/Gadsden%2C_Alabama), [Alabama](/source/Alabama)
*Chalybeate Springs, [Jeffersonville, Indiana](/source/Jeffersonville%2C_Indiana); Resort and spa, 1800s, destroyed and buried by the [Big Four Railroad](/source/Cleveland%2C_Cincinnati%2C_Chicago_and_St._Louis_Railway) in 1907
*[Chalybeate](/source/Chalybeate_Springs%2C_Kentucky), [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky)
*Chalybeate Spring, [Schooley's Mountain](/source/Schooley's_Mountain), Morris County, New Jersey; active resort and spa from the 1820s until the 1870s (spring source destroyed by road work in 1945)
*[Chalybeate Springs](/source/Chalybeate_Springs%2C_North_Carolina), [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina)
*Chalybeate spring and [Chalybeate Springs Hotel](/source/Chalybeate_Springs_Hotel) near Bedford Springs in [Bedford](/source/Bedford%2C_Pennsylvania), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania)
*[Licton Springs, Seattle, Washington](/source/Licton_Springs%2C_Seattle%2C_Washington)
*[Lithia Springs, Farmville, Virginia](/source/Lithia_Springs%2C_Farmville%2C_Virginia)
* [Iron Springs](/source/Manitou_Mineral_Springs), [Manitou Springs, Colorado](/source/Manitou_Springs%2C_Colorado)
*[Saratoga Springs](/source/Saratoga_Springs) in [Saratoga Springs, New York](/source/Saratoga_Springs%2C_New_York)
*[Sharon Springs](/source/Sharon_Springs%2C_New_York), a village in [Schoharie County](/source/Schoharie_County%2C_New_York), [New York](/source/New_York_(state))
*Spring Water Park in [Williamston, South Carolina](/source/Williamston%2C_South_Carolina)
*[Sweet Chalybeate Springs](/source/Sweet_Chalybeate_Springs), [Allegheny County, Virginia](/source/Allegheny_County%2C_Virginia)
*Tahama Spring, Colorado Springs, Colorado<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chalybeate Springs|date=October 30, 1880|work=Weekly Gazette|page=5}}</ref>
*[Tinton Falls](/source/Tinton_Falls), [Monmouth County, New Jersey](/source/Monmouth_County%2C_New_Jersey); still active, but fenced off by the township
*[The Greenbrier](/source/The_Greenbrier), [White Sulphur Springs](/source/White_Sulphur_Springs%2C_West_Virginia), [West Virginia](/source/West_Virginia)

==Places named for chalybeate springs==

Several places throughout the world have taken their name from similar springs, including:

*Chalybeate Springs, Alabama, Lawrence County
*[Chalybeate, Mississippi](/source/Chalybeate%2C_Mississippi)
*[Chalybeate Springs, Kentucky](/source/Chalybeate_Springs%2C_Kentucky)
*Chalybeate Springs, Georgia, Meriwether County
*[Chalybeate Springs, North Carolina, Harnett County](/source/Chalybeate_Springs%2C_North_Carolina)
*Chalybeate Springs, Virginia, Scott County
*Chalybeate Springs, Winnsboro, Wood County, Texas
*Hughes Springs, Cass County, Texas
*Sweet Chalybeate, Alleghany County, Virginia
*Chalybeate Spring Temple, [Sharon Springs, New York](/source/Sharon_Springs%2C_New_York)
*Chalybeate Street, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales, United Kingdom
*Chalybeate Street (Ffynnon Goch), [Aberaeron](/source/Aberaeron), [Ceredigion](/source/Ceredigion), [Wales](/source/Wales)

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |chapter-url=http://steve.pickthall.users.btopenworld.com/ssx1867/brighton1867a.html |chapter=Brighton, with Hove and Cliftonville |title=Kelly's Post Office Directory of Essex, Herts, Middlesex, Kent, Surrey and Sussex |year=1867 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504020318/http://steve.pickthall.users.btopenworld.com/ssx1867/brighton1867a.html |archive-date=2012-05-04 |edition=Online transcription}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj-VadBVNYQ Video footage of the Euchan Glen Chalybeate Well]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoumQ8ffst4 Video footage of the Saltcoats Mineral Well]

Category:Iron
Category:Liquid water
Category:Spa waters

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chalybeate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalybeate) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalybeate?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.