Holy Pool, St Fillan's Pool, Killin

Grid reference

NN 350 288 (accurate position)

Six-figure easting & northing

235000 728800

Latitude

56.42261800060844

Longitude

-4.675494667615407

Altitude (metres)

170

County

Perthshire

Nearby places

St Fillan's Priory, Killin (0.61 miles)

Strath Fillan, former parish, Killin (0.61 miles)

Strath Fillan, valley, Killin (2.02 miles)

Beinn Chaluim, Killin (3.07 miles)

Coire Chaluim, Killin (3.1 miles)

Object Classification

Water

Is linear feature?

No

Notes

A disapproving record of the cult associated with this pool is found in OSA (1796) xvii, 378: 'When mad people were brought to be dipped in the Saint's Pool, it was necessary to perform certain ceremonies, in which there was a mixture of Druidism and Popery. After remaining all night in the chapel, bound with ropes, the bell was set upon their head with great solemnity. It was the popular opinion, that, if stolen, it would extricate itself out of the thief's hands, and return home ringing all the way. For some years past this bell has been locked up, to prevent its being used to superstitious purposes. It is but justice to the Highlanders to say, that the dipping of mad people in St Fillan's Pool, and using the other ceremonies, was common to them with the Lowlanders. The origin of the bell is to be referred to the most remote ages of the Celtic churches, whose ministers spoke a dialect of that language.'

Relationships with other parishes

Within Killin, parish

Within Strath Fillan, former parish, Killin (formerly)

Relationships with other places

Adjacent St Fillan's Priory, Killin

840 m distant