Doxy's pool is located on the rocky escarpment known as the Roaches in the Staffordshire moorlands, U.K. It can be found by following the path which starts between Hen Cloud and the Roaches, after about a quarter of a mile you will reach it, it is a small pool which is found 1600ft on the top of this rocky ridge.
Doxy's pool high on the Roaches, note the flowers left at the side of the pool, is this an offering to the spirit that is said to reside here? Photo by Gary Tacagni.
This strange pool never seems to dry up and the water level never seems to alter even in a really bad drought, yet it doesn't appear to have any catchment area. Some people claim that it is a dew pond but I tend to rule out that explanation because I believe that evaporation especially in hot weather would outweigh this theory. Perhaps the small artesian spring found at the eastern side of the pool provides enough water to top it up with. Another theory is that the pool is connected to another pool known as Blakemere which is about three miles away on top of Morridge moor, both pools are found to be at the same height, and both do not seem to have any catchment area so to speak of. It has been suggested that both pools are fed by an underground system and it is this that keeps both pools at a constant level.
Like Blakemere this pool is also said to be bottomless and to contain a mermaid, she is said to lure any unsuspecting traveller into the pools depths by her singing. I tend to think this legend started because an old woman who lived in nearby Rock Hall cottage by the name of Bess Bowyer had a daughter who had used to come up onto the rocks of the Roaches and sing, so perhaps this would explain how the mermaid story originated. However this doesn't explain the story regarding two women who in the 1960s decided to go swimming in the pool, according to their account some sort of huge creature emerged from its waters and scared the living daylights out of them.
One thing we can be certain of is that the pool is very ancient. On the south side of the pool can be found a cone shaped rock (libation cup?) which has a cupped shaped depression at its apex, it is thought that the pool could possibly have been man made and used in conjunction with religious ceremonies. The altar would probably have had honey and butter placed in the depression on its top and would have been used in fertility ceremonies. It is thought that the Goddess Brigit would have been associated with the religious practices that would have taken place at this spot.
The strange altar next to Doxy's pool. Photo by Gary Tacagni.
There is more evidence to support the fact that this location has been connected to fertility ceremonies because I have found an alignment which can be traced from this altar, which then intersects a man made cleft on the edge of the Roaches, it then carries on in a straight line all the way to Cluelow Cross about 3-4 miles away, this cross or pillar has been used as a Phallic fertility object where woman walk around it keeping in physical contact with it in the hope of conceiving a child.
The alignment cleft which is found on the side of the Roaches. Photo by Gary Tacagni.
Cluelow Cross the Phallic fertility shaft, this is where the alignment finishes. Photo by Gary Tacagni.
