Faith

St Ann's, Nottingham. Synonymous with gun crime, it might be considered by some as far from a spiritual epicentre as you can get.

But in stark contrast to the area's modern day reputation, the supposed 'gun crime capital' of the UK was once revered by peasants, Kings and lepers alike as a holy pilgrimage.

People from all over the country flocked to the St Ann's well, which was located on the site of the former Gardener's Pub, in pursuit of the sacred cleansing properties the waters were believed to possess.

When the pub's car park was excavated in the 1980s, significant archaeological evidence was uncovered to support this.

The name of the district itself, St Ann's, alludes to its former glory – St Ann is traditionally believed to be Jesus' grandmother, Mary's mother.

Jon Hay, a former teacher at The Beckett School and a parishioner at St Augustine's Church, has recently visited schools in Nottinghamshire to raise awareness of the area's holy heritage.

"The spring in what we now call St Ann's became a place of pilgrimage, particularly after King Henry IV. People would come from all over England."

As a central royal palace, Nottingham Castle was often frequented by various kings of England. It wasn't unusual for them to visit the well during their stay.

"The Kings of England spent a lot of time in Nottingham. It's more than probable that the Richards went to St Ann's Well… King Henry IV certainly went on pilgrimage, because he was a leper. The cleansing waters were said to... miraculously [cure] skin diseases."