Waugh's Well

Waugh’s Well is a Victorian memorial spring on Scout Moor above Edenfield and Cowpe in Rossendale. It was created in 1866 to honour the Lancashire dialect poet Edwin Waugh, often known as the “Lancashire Burns”.

The well stands near the old site of Foe Edge Farm, where Waugh stayed with his friend Edmund Chatwood in the 1860s. The moorland setting inspired some of his writing, and Chatwood built the original stone well in Waugh’s honour while the poet was still alive.

Over time the site became a place of pilgrimage for walkers, readers and admirers of Waugh’s work. The original commemorative stone was damaged around 1900, and the well was restored in 1966 with new stonework, seating and a bronze portrait relief of Waugh.

Today Waugh’s Well is a popular walking destination overlooking Cowpe Reservoir, with annual commemorative walks and poetry readings still keeping its connection to Lancashire’s literary history alive.