The development of Wye in the 13th century appears to be closely linked to its religious and commercial activities, particularly those surrounding the well of St Eustace and the wine trade. The contemporary historian Roger of Wendover (died 1236) recorded an event in which Eustace, the Abbot of Saint-Germer-de-Fly, travelled to England (around 1200) and performed miracles. Sent by Pope Innocent III around 1200 to promote the Crusades and discourage Sunday markets, Eustace’s preaching at Wye was significant.
According to Wendover, he blessed a spring near Wye, which was said to cure blindness, lameness, and other ailments. He advised a woman afflicted by demons to drink from the spring, resulting in her expelling two large black toads that transformed into black dogs and then into asses before vanishing. The supposed miraculous cures at the well of St Eustace (at Withersdane just outside Wye) and its subsequent reputation for healing suggest that Wye became a site of pilgrimage.
The well remained significant for many years and even as late as the 1930s had a reputation for eye cures, though changes in the water table have since turned it from a clear spring into what today more closely resembles a murky pond.
The fact that Wye was granted a market charter in 1225 by King Henry III indicates recognition of increased economic activity, possibly linked to religious tourism. The presence of pilgrims and visitors may have necessitated additional infrastructure, such as lodging and other commercial services, which contributed to the village’s prosperity.