St Fillan's Well, Comrie

Grid reference

NN 708 231 (assumed location)

Six-figure easting & northing

270800 723200

Latitude

56.38349022451271

Longitude

-4.092730122041412

County

Perthshire

Nearby places

St Fillan's Chair, Comrie (0 miles)

St Fillan's Hill, Comrie (0.06 miles)

St Fillan's Chapel, Comrie (0.36 miles)

St Fillans, settlement Comrie (0.95 miles)

Dalchonzie, settlement Comrie (2.16 miles)

Object Classification

Water

Is linear feature?

No

Notes

OSA recorded in 1794 (xi, 181): 'This spring, tradition reports, reared its head on the top of Dun-Fhaolain, (FILLAN'S HILL), for a long time doing much good; but in disgust, (probably at the Reformation!) it removed suddenly to the foot of a rock, a quarter of a mile to the southward, where it still remains, humbled indeed, but not forsaken. It is still visited by valetudinary people, especially on the 1st of May, and the 1st of August. No lower than 70 persons visited it in May and August 1791. The invalids, whether men, women, or children, walk, or are carried, round the well three times, in a direction Deisval, that is, from E. to W. according to the course of the Sun. They also drink of the water, and bathe in it. There operations are accounted a certain remedy for various diseases. They are particularly efficacious for curing barrenness; on which account it is frequently visited by those who are very desirous of offspring. All the invalids throw a white stone on the saint's cairn, and leave behind, as tokens of their confidence and gratitude, some rags of linen or woollen cloth. The rock on the summit of the hill, formed, of itself, a chair for the saint, which still remains. Those who complain of rheumatism in the back, must ascend the hill, sit in this chair, then lie down on their back, and be pulled by the legs to the bottom of the hill. This operation is still performed, and reckoned very efficacious. At the foot of the hill, there is a bason, made by the saint, on the top of a large stone, which never wants water, even in the greatest drought. And all who are distressed with sore eyes must wash them three times with this water.' NMRS discusses the tradition that the spring on top of St Fillan's Hill is the original one, the name being transferred to the other one. See NMRS for description of both sites and evidence of cult. Note that Mackinlay records the well as 'St Fillan's Spring, at the hill-foot', though he refers to its 'mysterious change of site' (1893, 81)

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/

Relationships with other parishes

Within Comrie, parish

Relationships with other places

Adjacent St Fillan's Chair, Comrie

Adjacent St Fillan's Chapel, Comrie

Adjacent St Fillan's Hill, Comrie