Found on the south-side of the stream a few hundred yards northeast of the aptly-named ‘Holywell Farm’ and highlighted on the early Ordnance Survey maps of the region, this once important sacred site is today, according to local folk, little more than an overgrown muddy patch, visited by very few and hard to see underfoot. It was described, albeit briefly in Leonard Jacks’ (1882) beautiful work, where he told that, “About a mile from the house is to be seen a holy well, a place of interest, which is undoubtedly connected with the past history of the place.”
In medieval times, the manor of Winkburn was the seat of the religious Order of the Knights Hospitallers, otherwise known as the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, to whom Bob Morrell (1988) professed this well to have been dedicated. He described there being a small structure around the water source, wondering whether it may have been a bath of sorts to convey water to the nearby house, but remains of this can no longer be seen. It would seem that a good ground survey of the site is required, at the end of Winter when all the vegetation has fallen back, to see if the waters can be recovered and the Holy Well brought back to life for local people. Fingers crossed! 🙂
Folklore
The water from St. John’s Well was said to be good for sore eyes. The religious celebration day of St. John is traditionally around June 24, usually overlaying earlier summer solstice celebrations.
References:
Jacks, Leonard, The Great Houses of Nottinghamshire and the County Families, W. & A.S. Bradshaw: Nottingham 1882.
Gover, J.E.B., Mawer, Allen & Stenton, F.M., The Place-Names of Nottinghamshire, Cambridge University Press 1940.
Morrell, Robert, Nottinghamshire Holy Wells and Springs, Nottingham 1988.
Acknowledgements:Huge thanks for use of the Ordnance Survey map in this site profile, reproduced with the kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Highlighted on the early Ordnance Survey map of the region by the appropriately named ‘Holywell Farm’, this once important sacred water source would seem to be little more than a muddy patch nowadays. Not good. Its cold waters were reputedly good for curing skin diseases such as scurvy, along with aiding in the affliction of rheumatism.
Local folklore attributed the site to have once fed some Roman baths, but this idea seems to have been a diluted version of it once, historically, supplying some baths a few hundred yards east, albeit in the 19th century and not way way back in Caesar’s days! Of course, the waters of the well would have been used in ancient times, but we have no archaeology or unbroken traditions telling us such things. It was last known to be used as a local water supply in the 1920s. The fact that the spot where it used to run free is still sometimes boggy means that it could be re-animated with a bit of effort from local people.
References:
Morrell, Robert, Nottinghamshire Holy Wells and Springs, Nottingham 1988.
Acknowledgements:Huge thanks for use of the Ordnance Survey map in this site profile, reproduced with the kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Hiding away in the Title Deeds of the Willoughby Family of Wollaton, written around 1280 CE, a somewhat lengthy entry on land ownership around the parish of Cossal, showed there once existed a little-known St. Helen’s Well: long since lost it would seem. The account, known as the “Quitclaim (of) William son of Adam le Gaoler,” cited the following information:
“Release by William, son of Adam le Gaoler of Nottingham, and Beatrice (his wife) and Agnes (heirs once of Adam de Cossale in Nottingham) to William de Barre and his wife Dionise [Denyse] of all claims to toft and croft with all its appurtenances, with 10 seliones of arable land with appurtenances in various parcels and sites in town and territory of Cossall; the toft and croft lie between land of Dionise on each side; 3 seliones lie together on Brochisale, 2 lie on Elrinstubbe between land of Robert de Marisco and William Baret, 2 lie on Smalethornchis between land of Henry and Robert son of Adam, 2 lie a square furlong ‘quarentelam’of the spring of St. Elena between land of Stacy le Greyne and Nicholas de Marisco and 1 selione lies on le Westfeld between 2 boundaries.”
A few years later in an early 14th Century Feet of Fines there is another mention of the well, which gave a slightly better description of its whereabouts. It mentions items known as ‘sellions’, which are strips of arable land. The account told of,
“two selions lying together at St Helen’s Well between the land of the church of St Katherine of Cossale on one side, and the land of the said Eustace on the other side, abutting at one end on the croft that Walter Talpe holds, and at the other end upon the north conduit…”
This indicates that the well was close to the village—perhaps even within the village itself. On the early Ordnance Survey maps of Cossall, several wells are shown, and any one of them could be the St. Helen’s Well in question. Does anyone know which one is the forgotten holy well of the village…?
Folklore
St Helen’s feast day is August 18.
References:
Gover, J.E.B., Mawer, Allen & Stenton, F.M., The Place-Names of Nottinghamshire, Cambridge University Press 1940.
Morrell, Robert, Nottinghamshire Holy Wells and Springs, Nottingham 1988.
Acknowledgements:Huge thanks for use of the Ordnance Survey map in this site profile, reproduced with the kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.
The precise whereabouts of this holy well—in the aptly-named Holywell Wood—is hard to pin down. It was first recorded in the Dukery Records of 1232 as Holywell Dale and the woodland that owes its name to the site was recorded on the 19th Century Ordnance Survey maps (right). Bob Morrell (1988) added the site to his survey of Nottinghamshire holy wells, but he was unable to locate it and its position remains elusive. One account suggested that it marked the line of an ancient boundary—which would place it on the western side of the present woodland. It’s alternative name, the Allenwell, may suggest a dedication to St. Helen. I add the site here in the hope that a local antiquarian might be able to locate it. Please let us know if you re-discover it!
References:
Gover, J.E.B., Mawer, Allen & Stenton, F.M., The Place-Names of Nottinghamshire, Cambridge University Press 1940.
Harte, Jeremy, English Holy Wells – 3 volumes, Heart of Albion press: Wymeswold 2008
Morrell, Robert, Nottinghamshire Holy Wells and Springs, Nottingham 1988.
Acknowledgements:Huge thanks for use of the Ordnance Survey map in this site profile, reproduced with the kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Found barely 12 inches east of the Tormain (7) carving, this ‘cup-marked stone’ is another somewhat dubious design in the Tormain cluster, but which I’m adding here for the sake of completeness. It’s designated as authentic by the Scottish Rock Art Project—but I’m not convinced. Consisting of just two cup-marks, Romilly Allen (1882) was the first to notice them and described them respectively as, “one 1 inch in diameter and the other 1½ inch across.” The smaller of the two, I’m pretty sure, is geophysical in nature.
Stone Circle (destroyed): OS Grid Reference – NN 857 489
Archaeology & History
In an early essay on the rock art around Aberfeldy, Hugh MacMillan (1884) remarked on what he thought was a tumulus on the southern slope above the town and where a large old petroglyph once lived. Subsequently (MacMillan 1901), in his beautiful artistic foray through upper Tayside, he revised his earlier remarks telling that:
“On the side of a high, tree-covered hillock, rising up abruptly behind the central part of Aberfeldy, called the Tullich, there was once a Druidical circle, one of the huge stones of which, called the Clachmore, forms part of a garden wall on the old military road passing along its base.”
The circle was mentioned in Mackay’s (1954) excellent work, albeit in the past tense, and he could add no more to it other than his memory of the whereabouts of the Clach Mhor (as it was more accurately known), on which were numerous cup-markings. (Note: the grid-reference to this site is an approximation)
Folklore
In bygone times the people of Aberfeldy observed the celebration of Samhain, the old pre-christian New Year’s Day—a.k.a. Hallowe’en—on November 11th. Interestingly for us, “bonfires were numerous and there was always a great blaze on the Tullich,” said Dr John Kennedy. (1901) Considering the small area of The Tullich, it would be unusual if such festivities did not have some relationship with the stone circle. Samhain relates primarily to the passing over of the dead in the cycle of the year: the spirits of the ancestors moving through the worlds. If this circle had such a relationship with the bonfires, it may have been a ring cairn and not a free-standing stone circle.
References:
Kennedy, John, Old Highland Days, Religious Tract Society 1901.
Mackay, N.D., Aberfeldy Past and Present, Town Council: Aberfeldy 1954.
Two or three yards from the impressive Tormain (1) carving you’ll see this elongated stone, cracked into three separate pieces. Its sloping southeastern section is possessed of a single cup-marking, an inch or two across, which, if you found it anywhere else, you’d just shrug your shoulders and walk on by. It’s only due to this stones proximity to the more impressive carvings that it’s received any attention (ordinarily I wouldn’t even have added this to the database). It was first noticed when Romilly Allen (1882) visited the area. The Royal Commission’s (1929) survey of Tormain Hill mentioned “a single cup on one boulder,” but didn’t specify which of the three examples up here they were referring to.
Royal Commission Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland, Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in the Counties of Midlothian and West Lothian, HMSO: Edinburgh 1929.
Cup-Marked Stone (dubious): OS Grid Reference – NT 12908 69669
Also Known as:
Tormain ‘F’ (Allen 1882)
Archaeology & History
Tormain 6 (left of centre)
On the small rock right next to the plain Tormain (7) cup-marking is this, the least impressive and least likely candidate as an authentic cup-marked stone. Its existence was first added to the Tormain Hill cluster by Romilly Allen (1882) following his visit here. The carving has been maintained as the real deal, even by the Scottish Rock Art Project, but I have severe doubts as to the archaic nature of this marking. It seems to be geophysical in nature and there are innumerable marks such as the one found here that I’ve dismissed on my countless petroglyphic excursions over the years. I’d like to be wrong though. (the “carving” is so unimpressive that I didn’t even waste time taking a decent photo of it —so my apologies to those who wanted greater image clarity) When the Royal Commission (1929) surveyed Tormain Hill, they mentioned “a single cup on one boulder,” but gave no indication which of the three single cup-marked stones they meant.
Royal Commission Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland, Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in the Counties of Midlothian and West Lothian, HMSO: Edinburgh 1929.
Follow the same directions to get to the Tormain (1) carving, but take a few steps backwards from it and it’s on a small flat earthfast stone to your right (west). You’ll see it.
Archaeology & History
Tormain bullaun stone
Just a stride or so away (north) from the dubious Tormain (2) cup-marking we find a much more likely prehistoric contender in front of us. It’s notably different from the others on the hill in that it possesses a very large wide and deep ‘cup mark’ which, if it was found in Ireland, would undoubtedly be classed as a bullaun stone. That was the first thing I exclaimed to myself when I clapped eyes on it! A bullaun can be a man-made or natural hollow or basin cut into outcropping rock, boulders or small portable stones and used for various pragmatic and ritual purposes – many with traditions and folklore attached. Sadly, no such folklore is remembered here.
There are four other smaller standard sized cup-marks, at various distances from the primary bullaun, one of which may be Nature’s handiwork. They were illustrated by the great Romilly Allen (1882) when he first wrote about the carving. One of the cups may have a faint carved line running from it, but this would require the attention of the computer imagery dudes to confirm or deny this. It wasn’t seen by Allen, who simply said of it:
“The carvings on it consist of a bowl-shaped depression, 6 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep, and four cups near it varying in diameter from 1 to 1½ inches.”
Tormain 3 carvingTormain 3 (with 1, 2 & 7 marked)
The fact that bullauns possess a number of practical uses implies the large ‘bowl’ may have been used in a pragmatic sense for something, with the proximity of the impressive Tormain (1) carving just yards away almost appealing for ceremonial association of one form or another. We find similar bullaun/petroglyph associations at a number of other recognized rock art sites: the Mixing Stone in North Yorkshire being just one example. Large bowl-shaped hollows have been used in some cultures like mortar and pestles to macerate herbs, used in medicines and paints, both of which may have been applicable here.
Best approached from Ratho village, head up Main Street towards Bonnington Mains. Shortly after the last road in the village (Halicroft Park, on the right) a small line of trees appears on the left and about 250 yards on a footpath takes you therein. Follow this for 250 yards (it runs parallel to the road) and the path then slopes uphill alongside the field. Go all the way to the top (roughly 500 yards) where the small copse of trees crowns the summit. On the ground there are a number of both small and medium-sized flat earthfast stones. You need to walk to the one at the end, just where the hill begins to slope back down. You’ll find it!
Archaeology & History
Tormain Hill, or the hill of stones (Harris 1996), has an interesting cluster of petroglyphs on its top, with this one in particular being the most impressive. It’s the southernmost stone in what’s been designated as a cluster of eight carvings—although we need to be slightly sceptical of one or two of them. Not this one though!
Regarded by Ron Morris (1981) as being “one of the best cup-and-ring designs in Scotland”, it was first mentioned by John Smith (1874) who visited the site with the local farmer James Melvin, who’d discovered the carving some years earlier. Initially he only noticed cup-markings, but when he visited the place with the pioneering rock art researcher Sir James Simpson, upon “removing the shallow soil or turf from the rock on the summit of Tormain Hill” this impressive multiple-ringed design came to light: “one cup (and) four concentric circles .”
A few years later another rock art pioneer, J. Romilly Allen (1882) visited Tormain and found quite a bit more upon this hill. This particular carving, he told,
Allen’s 1882 sketchTormain ‘A’ site (Allen 1882)
“is much the finest and most remarkable in every way. It is the most southerly of the whole group, and is a piece of natural rock projecting from the side of the hill about 9 inches above the turf, and measures 4 feet 3 inches long by 2 feet 3 inches wide. Its upper surface is flat, of oval shape, and slopes slightly towards the hill. It is intersected by two parallel cracks of natural formation. The sculptures consist of twenty cups varying in diameter from three quarters of an inch to 2 inches in diameter. Seven of the cups are surrounded by a single ring, and one by four concentric circles. These latter are not complete, but form loops round terminal cups. Three of the cups with single rings are arranged in the form of a triangle. In addition to the cups and rings are two long grooves, one cutting off the corner of the stone, and the other parallel to one of the natural cracks.”
Beckensall’s 1986 version
More then forty years later the Royal Commission (1929) dudes visited the Tormain stones. It had become so overgrown by then that only two of the eight carved stones were visible: “but a search beneath the turf revealed the other sculpturings,” they told. It would seem that they chose a bit of a grey day when they came here as they told how the carving appeared “so much worn that the concentric rings are, in particular, difficult to follow.” So they did a rubbing of the stone—a common practice of rock art students over the last century or two. In doing so they were able to discern the following:
“The boulder is fractured in two places by natural agencies, but it shows traces of twenty cup-marks, varying from little more than half-an-inch to fully two inches in diameter, and there are two separate gutters. Seven at least of the cups are surrounded by single rings, and in two instances the rings are connected by shallow gutters to simple cup-marks. The largest cup-mark on the stone is encircled by one complete ring with three additional concentric arcs linking up four of the other rings. Another group consists of three cups, each surrounded by a ring, which are closely set in the form of a triangle, with three other smaller cup-marks in close proximity.”
Impressive stuff! In more recent times the site has gained the attention of fellow rock art explorers like Kaledon Naddair, Stan Beckensall and others—but we’re still none the wiser what it means!
Its position in the landscape was probably an important element. Pinus sylvestris (the ley-hunter’s favourite tree) grows spaciously, as it is wont, atop of the hill and, in bygone centuries, would have been much more prevalent before farming enveloped the land hereabouts. It was likely clear of trees on top of Tormain when the stone was carved, giving uninterrupted 360° views of the hills, high and low, as far as the eye can see. The legendary prehistoric Cairnpapple Hill stood out due west from the carving and other notable hilltops in the Pentlands would have had mythic relevance. Sadly, all oral tradition has long long faded and so whatever narratives that were told here have long ago been lost. It strikes me as a tribal gathering place: a moot hill perhaps. The bullaun stone adjacent to this fine carving would be a receptacle for paints, herbs, elixirs to be macerated and used by the people….
Check it out. Have a feel of the place. But spend a few hours here and listen to the wind…
Beckensall, Stan, Rock Carvings of Northern Britain, Shire: Princess Risborough 1986.
Beckensall, Stan, British Prehistoric Rock Art, Tempus: Stroud 1999.
Feachem, Richard, Guide to Prehistoric Scotland, Batsford 1977.
Hadingham Evan, Ancient Carvings in Britain: A Mystery, Garnstone: London 1974.
Harris, Stuart, The Place-Names of Edinburgh: Their Origins and History, Gordon Wright: Edinburgh 1996.
MacLean, Adam, The Standing Stones of the Lothians, Megalithic Research Publications: Edinburgh 1977.
Morris, Ronald W.B., “The Cup-and-Ring and Similar Early Sculptures of Scotland; Part 2 – The Rest of Scotland except Kintyre,” in Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society, volume 16, 1969.
Morris, Ronald W.B., The Prehistoric Rock Art of Southern Scotland, BAR: Oxford 1981.
Royal Commission Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland, Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in the Counties of Midlothian and West Lothian, HMSO: Edinburgh 1929.
