The present reprint of "Spadacrene Anglica" should arouse a keen
literary interest in its author, Edmund Deane, and in the early history
of Harrogate. As one who had the privilege of reading the original
edition of this work, belonging to Dr. Rutherford, I was struck by the
marked contrast between Deane's account of the history of the medicinal
waters of Harrogate, and that which is to be found in more recent
writings on that subject.

These modern accounts cannot be better or more authoritatively
exemplified than by taking a short extract from the article "Harrogate"
in the "Encyclopaedia Britannica."[1]

"The principal chalybeate Springs are the Tewitt well called by Dr.
Bright, who wrote the first account of it, the English Spaw,
discovered by Captain William Slingsby of Bilton Hall, near the
close of the 16th. Century...."

This paragraph, as a statement of facts, accurately sets out what is to
be found in more or less detail in the accessible literature of to-day
and will be referred to afterwards as the recognised history of
Harrogate. It has received the express or tacit sanction of the
Corporation of Harrogate and is embodied in its publications. Further a
memorial has been erected to Sir William Slingsby, the Captain William
Slingsby of Bilton Hall referred to in the above quotation, as the
discoverer of the Tuewhit Well.

Notwithstanding the complete credence that has been given to this
account for many years, I think there can be no doubt that it is
entirely erroneous, and that unmerited fame has been given to Sir
William Slingsby as the discoverer of the medicinal qualities of the
Tuewhit Well, and to Dr. Bright as the author who first wrote an account
of it.

Deane's history of the medicinal springs of Harrogate in the Elizabethan
period is to be found in the earlier chapters of his book. It is
therefore only necessary to mention here that, according to "Spadacrene
Anglica" the Tuewhit Well was _not_ discovered by Captain (or Sir)
William Slingsby, it was _not_ discovered near the close of the 16th
Century, and Dr. Bright did _not_ write an account of it. It is hardly
credible that the history as given in the extract from the "Encyclopaedia
Britannica" is actually derived from "Spadacrene Anglica." Yet such is
the case. Owing to the great rarity of the first edition of that book,
and the fact that the later editions were all, more or less, abridged or
incomplete, a series of plaus