There are some subjects which I keep coming back to repeatedly, albeit with large gaps in time between each article. Notable among these are the posts in which I have attempted to enumerate the wells which exist in the county of Angus. Instead of adding new information as it emerged to an initial piece, I did an updated list of wells in separate articles. My last attempt at counting up all the wells in the county - An Updated Hand-List of Angus Wells - was as long ago as 2017.
Some updates in the list now are because I have come across Colin Gibson's booklet Folklore of Tayside, published by Dundee Museums in 1959, and though most of the wells in his list in this publication were already known to me, some were not, so I have incorporated his information into my existing list, updated below. Wells from his list which were not previously in my list have been noted in red.
Some of these wells may be duplicates under different names. While there are almost certainly some wells still missing from this list , I am confident that what is presented here is the fullest list yet published of known wells from the county of Angus.
I have also found the following interesting article which was published in the Montrose Review on Friday 11 May, 1928, which details some information about the use and name of the Coral Well of Forfar. Whether this information is in fact correct is a matter of conjecture:
The antiquarian mind of Forfar was some years ago interested in the discovery of the old stocks used for the punishment of offenders in past centuries. The offenders so detained and exposed to public obliquy were mostly of the male kind. Branks were applied to women who were quarrelsome, also to witches. Forfar has such a set of branks known as the 'Witches' Bridle.' In those early days witches were more often burned, and the place for this gruesome penalty of trafficking with the Evil One is known as the 'Witches' Howe'.
Yet there was another way of dealing with refractory women, and that was by ducking. It might seem that the Loch was a suitable place for such immersion, but it was usually found more convenient in various times to dig a water-hold beside which was erected a beam like a see-saw with a chair at one end over the hole, in which seat the virago was roped and soused into the water intil her temper was properly cooled, or, in the case of witches, until they were drowned. This hole in Forfar may have been what is called the 'Coral Well', situated in the Little Causeway, on the opposite side of the lane running past the Queen's Hotel.
The designation 'coral' appears to be a corruption of 'quarrel', from the fact of quarrelling women being dipped there. No doubt, in later times, after the ducking period and before the gravitation water supply, the old hole was found useful for providing the domestic water in the vicinity. Hence the name Coral Well, instead of Quarrel or Coral Hole. By Act of Parliament , 1567, incontinent as well as quarrelsone women were to be dipped but witches were to meet the more serious fate of ducking until they were drowned. The Coral Well of Forfar seems the place where the wicked women dreed their weird.
But were such places, if they were used to punish witches, also used as wells? Did fresh water flow into them if they were artificial constructions? This applies to a couple of supposed wells in the list.
List of Angus Wells
Aberneathan Well, two miles NW of Kirriemuir, near Castlehill Wood. Possibly from the Pictish personal name Nechtan, either St Nechtan or King Nechtan?
Agricola Well. At Castleton, Eassie, a reputed Roman site; supposed to have been named by locals after the Roman general, but more probably given the name by a local antiquary.
[Auchterhouse], healing well near the Kirkton of Auchterhouse.
[Balmossie Den], near Broughty Ferry.
[Balnaboth, Cortachy], near chapel ruins.
Barrel Well, Brechin.
Batties Well, north of Haughead, Arbirlot.
Battle Well, Battle Drum, Montreathmont Moor, Brechin. See blog post 15 April 2016 (‘Wells Once More’).
Beardie’s Well, Brechin. A well which was on the north side of the Nether Wynd in Brechin, supposedly the property of the Earls of Crawford. This well was therefore supposed to be linked with Alexander, the 4th Earl of Crawford, one of whose nicknames was Beardie.
Bell’s Witter, Clach of Glentaire, Clova.
[Benvie] Well haunted by the White Lady since plague times. The well, at one time, was called 'The Medicine Well', though this may not have been its 'official' name. See blog post 29 December 2014.
Blackshank Well, near Aucharroch, Kingoldrum. Marked as ‘chalybeate’ on maps.
Blind Well, Kingoldrum. One of the earliest attested wells in the county. This name appears in a document of 1458 from Arbroath Abbey and has the equivalent Gaelic name Tybyrnoquhyg. Adam Watson thinks this refers to water ‘out of sight due to vegetation’. The later form of the name was Tipperwhig, though the English and Gaelic names may not in face be equivalents, in which case there is a chance that Tybyrnoquhyg/Tipperwhig comes from Tobar na Cubhaig, well of the cuckoo.
[Bowhale Well?], Hill of Fernyhurst, Glenisla.
Bradwell, Kettins. Warden, Angus or Forfarshire, vol 4, points out that there is a charter dated 1292-3 in which a charter of about 1292-3, in which Hugh of Over, Lord of Ketenes, granted ‘his well in his lands and Abthenage of Ketenes, called Bradwell, with its aqueduct bounded, and servitude of watergage" to the Abbey of Cupar’. This was also called Bride’s Well, near the Stoneye Cottages to the east of the Dundee - Coupar Angus Road. The water travelled to the Abbey by an aqueduct and fed into ponds containing fish.
Bra Well, Stracathro. According to Alexander Warden, Angus or Forfarshire, volume 5, this was also known as Braul’s Well and St Brude’s Well. But it had been ‘drained long ago’. It seems more likely the name is derived from St Bride or St Rule than Brude, though the latter presents more intriguing possibilities. Name mutated in later years to ‘braw’, as in ‘good’.
The Burnhead Well, Dundee. (Corner of Calendar Close and Seagate, near present Commercial Street.)
Camperdown or Cammerdown Well, Dunnichen. This was renamed after the late 18th century naval encounter won by Duncan of Lundie. It was originally St Causnan’s Well (there was a St Causnan’s Chapel nearby.) Causnan again is a colloquial form of Constantine. Local dignitary George Dempster took it upon himself to give the spring its new name following the battle.
Camp Well, near the site of supposed Roman site at Campmuir, Kettins.
Cardinal’s Well, Hillend, south of Lownie Hill, near Dunnichen. Local tradition says it was named after Cardinal Beaton, who favoured this spot. The cardinal is also associated with many castles in Angus. It was said that the water from the well was conveyed for some special use at Arbroath Abbey, which makes no sense as there was an abundant source of water closer to the abbey. However, it may reflect a lingering, if muddled, tradition of the special powers inherent in the water here.
Carlin Well, Craigton of Airlie. Now vanished and named after the Cailleach, the Old Hag of Scottish Folklore. Adjacent is Carlinwell Farm.
Cartyheugh Well, Kelly Den, St Vigeans.
Cattle Well, Lochmill, near Kirriemuir.
[Caterthun Fort], Gallows Wood, Lethnot and Navar parish.
Cauld Water Well (also called the Cat Craig Well and The WishingWell), Monifieth. See blog post 15 April 2016 (‘Wells Once More’).
Chapel Well, north-east of Whitemire, Aberlemno.
College Well, St Michael’s Mount, Brechin.
Coral Well, Forfar.
Corryvannoch Well, on the slopes of Mount Blair. The most famous healing well in Angus where pilgrimages would be made and sick children carried.
Cowgait Well, Dundee. Situated at the corner of Murraygait and Cowgait.
Craig Well, Lundie.
Crew Well, near Auchtertyre, Newtyle. See blog post 15 April 2016 (‘Wells Once More’).
The Cross Well, Dundee. See above.
Cuttle Well, the Den, Kirriemuir. One of the more conspicuous and best loved wells in Angus, it has been damaged in recent times by land slips and is ripe for restoration.
Docken Well, Scad Cairns, Glen Quharity. Also called Dockan Well, Docan Well, Docken Wall.
There is a nearby East Docken Well (also on the slopes of Cat Law). Border of Lintrathen and Kingoldrum.
The Dog Well, Dundee. (Murraygate, Dundee, but fed by the Lady Well to the north.)
Dripping Well, Arbroath. Adjacent to natural-arch called the Castle Gate, Arbroath cliffs.
Droustie’s Well, Lochlee, near the home of the Dark Age saint who lived in Glen Esk. Also, more formally known as St Drostan’s Well. It was located in a field named ‘Piper’s Shade’ and cured all sorts of diseases. When some jealous healers poisoned the well some locals stones them to death and buried them in a circle around the spring.
Duckladge Well, Black Hill, Lintrathen.
Dundas Well, site of Boath Chapel, Pitlivie Moor, Arbirlot.
[Edzell Castle] Edzell. Near old baths.
Falcon Well, Glen Quharity.
[Finavon Hill], site of fort, Oathlaw.
[Fish Street] Dundee. Opposite Shore Terrace.
God’s Well, south-west of Swirlburn, Arbirlot.
Golan Well, Auchenchapel, Glen Isla.
Golly Well, Milton of Carmyllie.
[Hangie’s Well, Cargill. This is a dubious example, cited by Andrew Jervise in Memorials of Angus and the Mearns, in that Cargill is in Perthshire and not Angus (so we won't count it), though Jervise states that it may have been in Angus once. The well was on the property of a local hangman and, when it was excavated, a large number of human bones were found here. So good a tale that we forgive the Perthshire-ness of the location.]
Groggy Well, Liff. Place-name sometimes marked on older maps as Crookywell. ‘The site of this old croft,’ says A. B. Dalgetty in The Church and Parish of Liff, ‘is still marked by two old ash trees about 400 yards of the Whitelawston cottages. The fine well supplies water to these houses.’
Hassock Well, west of North Whitehills, Forfar.
Hays Well, Arbroath.
Helly Well, east of Shelterfield, Arbirlot.
Hen Well, east of Finavon Hill. Note nearby place-name Henwellburn.
Hogg’s Well, west of Fairy Knowe, Dunnichen
Holy Well, Balnaboth, Cortachy. Near ancient church ruins.
Holy Well, Broughty Ferry.
Hore Well, Lundie.
Horse Well, Smithton Hill, Lundie.
Iron Harrow Well, south of Hayston Hill, Tealing.
Jenkin’s Well, in Balrownie Wood, Menmuir.
Jenny’s Well, Arbroath. Near the Montrose Road, at the north end of Fisher Acre. Also a place-name.
King’s Well, east of Fallaws, Carmyllie.
King's Well, Dumbarrow Hill, Dunnichen.
King’s Well, Newtyle, north-west of Newbigging. No known legendary association with any kings, but there is a string of Macbeth associations through Strathmore. See blog post 15 April 2016 (‘Wells Once More’).
[Kirkden Well] renowned for reducing swelling in feet and legs. See blog post 15 April 2016 (‘Wells Once More’).
Knellock Well, Gallows Hill, Inverarity.
Lady Well, Auchterhouse.
Ladle Well, Arbroath. Possibly once Lady Well?
Lady Well, near Rosehill, Lunan Den, Brechin.
Lady Well, Dundee. See above.
Lady Well, Farnell.
Lady Well, Glen Isla. Filled in during 19th century. See blog post 15 April 2016 (‘Wells Once More’).
Lady Well, Chapelton, Menmuir.[Note also the place-name Ladlewell, east of Forfar: possibly another corruption of Lady Well?]
Lammer Well, south west of Newton Hill, St Vigeans.(Same as Lanuner Well?)
[Logie-Pert] well in kirk-yard, used to treat sores.
Lunan Well, Lunanhead Forfar.
McComie’s Well, south of Creagan Caise, Glen Isla.
Madie's Well, on the banks of the Lunan, Kinnell. Nearby was Madie's Heugh. Possibly a corruption of parish patron St Maelrubha (or otherwise Magdalen?).
Maid’s Well, Drumhead Plantation, Rescobie. Possibly connected with St Triduana who once reputedly lived here.
Martin’s Den, Logie-Pert. Used to treat scurvy. See blog post 29 December 2014.
Marywell, Craig parish (anciently Inchbrayoch), close to the coastal village of Usan.
Mary Well, Kirriemuir. Recalled in the local name Marywell Brae.
Mary Well, Lintrathen, adjacent to The Mary Well Park, a field name.
Mary’s Well, near Meikle Tullc, Edzell.
Mary’s Well, Marywell village, St Vigeans.
Matty’s Well, Panbride.
May’s Well, south of Dunnichen Moss.
McComie's Well (and chair), south of Creagan Case, Glenisla.
Medicine Well, Idvies, also known as Medicie Well.
Medicine Well, Montrose. This was, for a short spell in the 18th century, a fashionable spa.
Meg Blair’s Well, Lochlee.
Minrie Well, Glen Clova. In the Ordnance Survey name book of the mid-19th century the Minrie Burn, north of Cairn of Bairns, is noted and a this well, ‘About mid-way and a little east of this Burn there is a very strong Chalybeate Well, celebrated in the locality...’
Monk Mudie’s Well, Carmyllie. See blog post 15 April 2016 (‘Wells Once More’).
Monk’s Pool, Kirkton, Lochlee.
Monk’s Well, Kelly Den, St Vigeans.
Monk’s Well, Glen Isla, Corryvannoch.
Mossy Well, Arbroath.
Murdiewell, Glamis, place-name.
Murleywell, Eassie, farm name.
Naughty Well, Kinnell. Is this a delightful colloquial corruption of an older name (Nechtan)? The well was close to the ancient chapel of Bolshan.
Neil's Well, near the kirk of Kingoldrum. Note nearby place-name Kennyneil.
The Nethergait Well, Dundee.
Nettle Well (and Nettlewell Hillock), south of Cornescorn, near Edzell.
Newton’s Well, Glen Isla.
Nickie’s Well, Witchwood, St Vigeans.
Nine Maidens’ Well, Bracken Bruach, Auchterhouse.
Ninewells, Dundee. Close to the River Tay, on the west of the city. Now commemorated as the name of the largest hospital in the region.
Nine Wells, Finavon. On the hill above the old kirk. A burn trickles down from the spot.
Nine Maiden’s Well, Forfar. Located in the vicinity of Craig O’ Loch Road.
Nine Maiden’s Well, Kirkton of Strathmartine. Near the kirk, this is importantly in the vicinity of the folk-tale of Martin and the Nine Maidens.
Nine Maiden's Well, Cortachy. Near the church.
Nine Wells, Glamis. The supposed home of the Nine Maidens, in Glen Ogilvy, was located within Glamis parish.
Nine Wells, close to Peallock Quarry, Lunan.
Nine Wells, Oathlaw (latterly Finavon parish).
Nolt Loan Well, Arbroath.
Our Lady’s Well, Edzell.
Our Lady’s Well, Glenisla. (The church was dedicated to St Mary.)
Our Lady’s Well, Milton of Carmyllie.
Our Lady’s Well, Oathlaw (Finavon).
The Overgate Well, Dundee. East of the corner of Tally Street; relocated in 1828 to the south-east corner of Mid Street.
Pater Well, near Deerpark Cottage, Kinnaird.
Paterlochwell, near Cottarward, Dunnichen.
Peatmire Well, Black Wood, Arbirlot.
Peter’s Cauldron, Guildy Den, Panbride.
[Priest’s Stone well], Newbigging, Lethnot and Navar.
Purdie’s Well, near Ochterlony, Rescobie.
Queen’s Well, Glenmark, Lochlee. Re-named in honour of Queen Victoria, but originally named Tobar na clachan gualaich, the well of the white Stone.
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| Queen's Well |
Raistane Well, Kingoldrum. This well is also mentioned in a document of Arbroath Abbey, 1458.
Reiden's Well, Red Den, Farnell. (Andrew Jervise, Memorials of Angus and the Mearns, i, 85 states that this was the scene of the ballad 'Young Reiden'.)
Rosamond’s Pond, near Kinnaird Castle.
Rude Well (or the 'Red Wallie'). This was on the site of later Lady Balmain Street in Montrose. Connected with local sites relating to the Holy Rood, such as the Rood Mill. The burgh fair was also named after the Holy Rood.
St Aidan’s Well, Fern.
St Aidan’s Well, Kirkton of Menmuir.
St Andrew’s Well, East Hillhead, Monikie.
St Andrew’s Well, south of Londrum Earn Scar, Lintrathen.
St Anthony’s Well, Auchterhouse. On Henderson Hill, marked as ‘disused’ on modern maps. See blog post 29 December 2014.
St Bride’s Well, Kettins. (Kettins church also dedicated to St Bride.
St Bride’s Well, Templeton, Newtyle. See blog post 29 December 2014.
St Clement’s Well (also called Bischop’s Well or Saint’s Well). See above.
St Columba’s Well, Shielhill, Kirriemuir. (In J. G. McPherson's book Strathmore Past and Present (1885), p. 226, this is mentioned as St Colm's Well.)
St Fergus’ Well, Glamis.
St Francis’ Well, Dundee. Also known as Gray Friar’s Well. See above and blog post 15 April 2016 (‘Wells Once More’).
St German’s Well, Kinblethmont. See blog post 15 April 2016 (‘Wells Once More’).
St Innen’s Well, Fern. Located in a place named Wellford.
St Iten’s Well, Menmuir. The name is probably a corruption of Aidan, the patron of Memuir parish.
St John’s Well, east of the Temple, Roman Camp, Guynd.
St Kane’s Well, Ardestie, Monifieth.
St Laurence, Edzell. (Edzell church dedicated to this saint.)
St Madden’s Well, near Cleikhelm, Airlie. Also called St Medan’s Well.
St Martin’s Well, Bridgend, Lethnot.
St Martin’s Well, St Martin’s Den, Logie. Famous for curing scurvy.
St Mary’s Well, Arbroath.
St Mary’s Well, Bridgend, Lethnot. Situated at the foot of the hill near the manse. Silver coins and other unspecified 'votive offerings' were found in this well (in the 18th or 19th century?).
St Mary’s Well, Oathlaw. Near the top of the Gallow Path, near Oathlaw.
St. Mary’s Well, Gallow Path, near site of chapel, Rescobie.
St. Martin’s Well, St. Martin’s Den, Logie.
St Mary’s Well, Rescobie.
St Medan’s Well, Kingoldrum. (The church was also dedicated to this saint.)
St Medan’s Well, Glamis.
St Medan’s Well, Oathlaw (latterly Finavon).
St Murdoch’s Well, West Drum, Brechin.
St Ninian’s Well, site of chapel, Whiting Ness, Arbroath.
St Ninian’s, Mains (formerly Strathdichty).
St Ouret’s Well, Brechin, on the North Esk near the Stannochy Bridge. This is a name without parallel. Paul T Hornby notes similarites to a similar Basque surname and the Gaelic word ùruisg (https://megalithix.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/st-ourets-well/), but its uniqueness and lack of documentary parallels means this is very much a mystery.
St Peter's Well, Tealing.
St Ringan’s Well (or St Ninian's Well), Arbirlot, on the south bank of the Rottenraw burn about a third of a mile downstream from the farm of Kellyfield. Later covered by a derelict wind pump.
St Sinavy’s Well, or Sunny Vie, near Mains Castle, Dundee. See blog post 29 December 2014.
St Trodlin’s Well, Rescobie. Named after Triduana.
St Vivian’s Well, near Vane Castle, Fern.
[St Vigean's Chapel (ruin) well] Arbirlot.
Scots Well, near Stripe of Droustie, Lochee.
Scotston Well, Little Scotston, Auchterhouse.
Seggie Well, west of Guynd, Carmyllie.
Silver Hill, St Vigeans. Note place-name Silverwells.
Sinruie Well, Kirkden (formerly Idvies). Corrupted from St Maelrubha. The well was also known as St Malrubh.
Smellie's Well, Dundee. To the west of the burgh. (Smellie's Lane still exists.)
Sod’s Well, east of Grange of Conon, St Vigeans.
Springwells, St Vigeans, place-name north of Silverwells.
Starney Bucket Well, near Kinnaird. Associated with the satantic earl of Southesk.
Tannie's Well, Kinnell. Another well whose name may be a corruption of an older name.
The Timber Clach, place-name in Glen Isla. May possibly derive from An Tiobair Chlaich, the well of stones, though there is not currently a well here. (Place-names in Much of North-east Scotland, Adam Watson, London, 2013.)
Tobar a Chinn, Glen Isla. Well of the Head.
Todcairn Well, Glen Esk.
Tothel Well, West Mill, Dunnichen. (Or Lothel Well?)
The Tottler, Milton of Conon, Carmyllie.
Well of Bowhale, Glen Isla. From Gaelic buachaille, herdsman.
Whey Wells, north of Leytack, east of Eastside wood, Pinderachy, Fern.
Whitewell, Arbroath. Name of a farmhouse in the north of the parish, a short distance south of Tarrybank.
Witch’s Pool, Meikle Mills, Kirriemuir.
Wormiehills Well. Well and place-name near Arbroath.
Further Work
As I have mentioned, there are doubtless further wells to be discovered by those who have the time and inclination to go looking for them. Unfortunately, as I am at the opposite end of the country, that would not be me! A further persual of manuscript sources and maps awaits the intrepid Angus well explorer, whoever she or he may be in the future!
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