Chalice Well

"I will have a drink from the spring that runs red with the healing blood of Christ."

- Seigfried Dieterhoffmann

The Chalice Well is a historically significant well located in Glastonbury, England. According to legend, Joseph of Arimathea once kept a vessel containing some drops of the blood of Christ at the site, and the waters, which have a slight reddish hue, are supposed to have a healing quality.

By the 1940's, the well and its accompanying garden became part of the grounds of a Glastonbury school. Edwina Cheltingham was familiar with the plants of the garden, and led botanical tours of the site.

In March 1945, the annual Holy Grail lore conference attracted the Nazi agent Dieterhoffmann and his son, Seigfried. They approached one of the lecturers, Professor Henry Jones, Sr., for information about the Spear of Longinus and Jones recognized that they were Nazis. After summoning his son to help him, the Joneses, along with Jones' assistant, Brendan O'Neal plotted to question Seigfried. The elder Jones wrote a note to meet him alone at the Chalice Well at sundown.

Seigfried arrived at sunset, and not finding the professor, proceeded to drink from the well, and prayed for cleansing and purity. As he drank, he wondered piously about the nature of the spear -- and was granted a vision of the spear, in a throne room of knights and warriors. The elder Jones' arrival released him from his vision. Jones confronted Seigfried about his Nazi association and Hitler's ambitions for the spear, but the naive Seigfried knew nothing and tried to flee. O'Neal appeared and tackled him, and the younger Jones questioned him about Dieterhoffmann's whereabouts. The German youth fought off O'Neal and Jones and continued to profess ignorance of the location of the spear head.

Dieterhoffmann arrived with his gun and several toughs, and captured the Joneses and O'Neal. With Kurt and Jorge roughing up Jones before tying him and O'Neal up, Dieterhoffmann explained that his son had been intentionally cloistered to prevent him from knowing about the more sinister aspects of the Nazi regime in the war. Dieterhoffmann also revealed his plan to use the spear to restore German supremacy, and Otto Nehrkorn arrived and unveiled the spear tip, which he had brought. With his plot unveiled, Dieterhoffmann felt that it was time to kill his captives.

The arrival of Miss Cheltingham's nighttime tour group of schoolgirls forestalled the Nazi's plans. The botanist confronted Dieterhoffmann, threatening that he was trespassing on the school grounds, while some of her girls, like Sally, tried to make the handsome Seigfried's acquaintance. Cheltingham also whispered to Indiana Jones to meet her at the Lady Chapel later. With the Nazis distracted and unable to show their weapons with so many witnesses around, Jones made an attempt to run off. Nehrkorn followed him, and secretly released him, allowing Jones to punch him to make his escape look convincing.

As Dieterhoffmann focused on keeping the elder Jones under control by furtively drawing his pistol, O'Neal began loosening his bonds. Indiana returned, knocking Dieterhoffmann over. The Nazi's gun went off, and the bullet broke the spear tip into halves. One half fell to Seigfried, and the other fell to O'Neal. The Joneses and O'Neal escaped as the Nazis were loathe to fire through Molly and the other screaming schoolgirls.

Appearances

 * Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny