Lady Well, Airth

Grid reference

NS 898 865 (accurate position)

Six-figure easting & northing

289800 686500

Latitude

56.05869424443221

Longitude

-3.769897241012648

County

Stirlingshire

Nearby places

Airth, parish (0.22 miles)

St Andrew's Chapel, (episc), Airth (1.59 miles)

Bothkennar, former parish, Grangemouth (1.95 miles)

Bothkennar, ~eccles. BKX now Grangemouth (2.18 miles)

Bothkennar, settlement BKX, Grangemouth (2.18 miles)

Object Classification

Water

Is linear feature?

No

Notes

There are no remains at the site now. The minister of Airth mentions the well in the 1790s, thus: "There is a well, near Abbeytown Bridge, called Lady-Well, which is thought to be medicinal. It is supposed to have obtained that name from the holy water, in the time of Popery, being taken from it, to supply the abbacy, or catholic chapel, then at Airth. In his 'Everyday Book' (Vol. I, 1837), William Hone records attempts to suppress visits to this well by the unreformed and ungodly locals. "In 1657, a mob of parishioners were summoned to the session, for believing in the powers of the well of Airth, a village about six miles north of Falkirk, on the banks of the Forth, and the whole were sentenced to be publicly rebuked for the sin." .... The same author records further use of the well - in terms which give an interesting insight into the rituals around it in the 1750s: ”Feb. 3, 1757, Session convenit. Compeared Bessie Thomson, who declairit scho went to the well at Airth, and that schoe left money thairat, and after the can was fillat with water, they keepit it from touching the ground till they cam horm.” “Ffebruary 24. — Compeired Robert Fuird who declared he went to the well of Airth, and spoke nothing als he went, and that Margrat Walker went with him, and schoe said ye beleif about the well, and left money and ane napkin at the well, and all was done at her injunction.” “Compeared Bessie Thomson declarit schoe fetch it horn water from the said well and luit it not touch the ground in homcoming, spoke not as sha went, said the beleif at it, left money and ane nap-kin thair; and all was done at Margrat Walker’s command.” “Compeired Margrat Walker who denyit yat scho was at yat well befoir and yat scho gave any directions “ “March 10. Compeared Margrat Forsyth being demand it if scho went to the well of Airth, to fetch water thairfrom, spok not by ye waye, luit it not touch ye ground in homcoming? if scho said ye belief? left money and ane napkin at it? Answered affirmatively in every poynt, and yat Nans Brugh directit yem, and yat they had bread at ye well, with them, and yat Nans Burg said shoe wald not be affrayit to goe to yat well at midnight hir alon.” “Compeired Nans Burg, denyit yat ever scho had bein at yat well befoir.” “Compeired Robert Squir confest he went to yat well at Airth, fetchit hom water untouching ye ground, left money and said ye beleif at it.” “March 17. Compeired Robert Cochran, declairit, he went to the well at Airth and ane other well, bot did neither say ye beleif, nor leave money.” “Compeired Grissal Hutchin, declairit scho commandit the lasses yat went to yat well, say ye beleif, but dischargit hir dochter.” “March 21. Compeired Robert Ffuird who declairit yat Margrat Walker went to ye well of Airth to fetch water to Robert Cowie, and when schoe com thair, scho laid down money in Gods name, and ane napkin in Robert Cowie’s name.” “Compeired Jonet Robison who declairit yat when scho was seik, Jean Mathieson com to hir and told hir, that the water of the well of Airth was guid for seik people, and yat the said Jean hir guid sister desyrit hir fetch sum of it to hir guid man as he was seik, bot sho durst never tell him.” “These people were all 44 publicly admonishit for superstitious carriage.”

Relationships with other parishes

Within Airth, parish