Description: There was a time when small children and adults alike flocked to see the wonders created by water dripping onto a variety of objects and changing them into stone. The postcard shows just some of the items that were petrified in 'The Royal (or the 'Great') Petrifying Well' run by the Smith family of Matlock Bath, who had a Spar and Marble Works. They ran the shop opposite the well, which sold items made from Blue John and other local stone. The admission charge to the Petrifying Well was, for quite a while, 'One Penny'. (information from www.andrewspages.dial.pipex.com)