ALTHOUGH the public rooms at the Holy Well are looking dilapidated at present, they do not deserve Cora Weaver's description (Malvern Gazette, March 24) of being reduced to "the state of the average public toilet" by visitors.

The present owners of the Holy Well and the Malvern Spa Association, in partnership with the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, have already agreed plans to fully restore the Holy Well this year as part of Malvern's Heritage Project, financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Holy Well has not suffered a sudden attack of graffiti as is suggested, nor have visitors been "doing a lot of damage" as Ms Weaver claims.

The Holy Well is an ancient healing well, where religious items, flowers and other objects have been left as votive offerings in thanks for the "miraculous" water since monks came to treat the sick here in the 12th Century.

Until recently, visitors from all parts of the world and of all faiths also used to leave prayers and wishes written on paper, pinned to a board, in gratitude for the pure water.

Only since the disappearance of this public notice board several years ago has the "religious graffiti" on the walls appeared regularly, which is regrettable.

These rather unsightly writings along the line of blue bricks are in chalk that cleans off easily.

They usually express wishes of "love", "harmony" and "balance" to the Holy Well site, hardly toilet-style graffiti, though we wish this practice would stop.

On our site visits last year we first noted that scratching symbols and a few words on some surfaces had caused minor damage and this is to be condemned, whether it is of Catholic, Jewish, Pagan or any other origin.

There is no evidence of a fire being lit and so the suggestion that "some sort of ritual" explains the presence of a piece of charred wood is mischievous. This stick could be anything; it is far more likely that a dog fetched it in, or a child than that some mysterious occult ceremony took place here.

Let's not exaggerate the meaning of these things but keep them in perspective.

ROSE GARRARD, MSA vice-chair, West Malvern Road, Malvern.