Stories of Women and Water
Coming soon…
Coventina is a new project about women and their connection with water by photographer, swimmer and all-around water-lover Kate Weybret.
Kate first came across Coventina’s name in Sharon Blackie’s book If Women Rose Rooted. Her name stuck in Kate’s mind even though she is mentioned only once. Further research about Coventina revealed she is a Romano-British goddess of wells, springs, and water, with an ancient shrine dedicated to her along Hadrian’s Wall where, according to animist teacher Sam MacLaren, the Pretani, the people native to what we now call Britain, likely revered the spirit of water itself before the Romans imposed their own gods and goddesses onto sacred places.
Naming this project after Coventina is Kate’s way of honouring the spirit of water and the women who care for it. Through this project, she hopes to raise awareness of the sacredness and necessity of water to our lives and celebrate the women who act as custodians and protectors of it. If water calls to you, please get in touch with your story.
What is Coventina?
Meet Kate
I’ve been in and around water my whole life. Growing up in the Central Valley of Northern California, scorching summers meant endless hours in the river or pool. I could swim before I was two, and my first job was as a lifeguard. Wherever I’ve lived since – by the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, along the Danube and now near the Thames in London – water has been the thread running through my life. In the summer of 2025, I realised I wanted my work to do more for people and the planet, and so I have merged my first two loves: water and photography. I’m embarking on a project to tell stories of women and water. If water calls to you, too, I would love to hear your story.
