Saints in Scottish Place-Names
Funded by a Leverhulme Trust Project Grant
St John's Well, Torphichen
Grid reference
NS 972 723 (accurate position)
Six-figure easting & northing
297200 672300
Latitude
55.93279597686945
Longitude
-3.6456754971038525
Altitude (metres)
175
County
West Lothian
Nearby places
Torphichen, ~eccles Torphichen (0.28 miles)
Torphichen, parish (0.28 miles)
St Morgan's Seat, Muiravonside (1.93 miles)
Morgunessete, settlement, Muiravonside (1.93 miles)
Bathgate, parish (2.81 miles)
Object Classification
Water
Is linear feature?
No
Notes
Note proximity to the Domus de Torphehyn, of the 'fratribus Sancti Johannis Jerosolomitani' (Dunf. Reg. no. 308, thirteenth century). NMRS records (Canmore ID 47967) the well as having supplied the Preceptory of the Knights of St John. Its waters were said to have healing powers. No trace could be found in 1952 other than a slight depression i9n the ground.
Relationships with other parishes
Within Torphichen, parish
Names
1 head-name linked to this place ?St John's Well
Head name
St John's Well
Place
St John's Well, Torphichen
Certainty that this name applies to this place
Certain
The status of this name is
Obsolete
Is this a current OS form? ?
No
Is this the original referent of the place?
Yes
Is the association of this name to this object hypothetical?
No
St John's Well 1843, OS 6 inch first edn.
Historic formSt John's Well Head nameSt John's Well PlaceSt John's Well, Torphichen Certainty that this name applies to this placeCertain SourceOS 6 inch first edn. Date of citation1843 x 1882 Notes on the context of this place-nameMid to late 19th c. |
Source code
OS 6 inch first edn.
Source title
Ordnance Survey 6 Inch to the Mile, First Edition
Notes
Mid to late 19th c.
Saints in this place-name
John (ns) (certain)
John the Baptist (probable)