St Helen's Well, Maybole

Grid reference

NS 313 134 (accurate position)

Six-figure easting & northing

231300 613400

Latitude

55.38548971674623

Longitude

-4.663422092112783

Altitude (metres)

85

County

Ayrshire

Nearby places

St Murray, settlement, Maybole (1.04 miles)

Bride's Well, Maybole (1.55 miles)

Sennyglens-crosse, Maybole (2.06 miles)

St John's Cottage, Maybole (2.08 miles)

Ladycross Well, Maybole (2.1 miles)

Object Classification

Water

Is linear feature?

No

Notes

This well, now covered, is on the grounds of Milton, but also lies in proximity to Grange, and Milton possibly related to the monastic grange established here by Melrose in the 1190s, from which Grange gets its name (orig. Meibothelbeg, see Melrose Lib. nos 29, 30). The relevance is the dedication, as there is also a St Helen's Well in Melrose. Of this well William Abercrombie wrote in 1696: 'Another spring there is called St Helen's well, or by a curt pronunciation St Emus for St. Antonies well ... It is famous for the cure of unthriving children, to which at the change of the quarter especially at May-day there is a great resort of people from all quarters and at a good distance.' (Geog. Coll. ii, 4). OSNB (Ayshire, vol. 46. p. 91) is interesting on the well. The main entry states: "A beautiful spring of excellent water.-- has no medicinal properties. How the name has originated cannot be ascertained." a gloss adds, in quotes: "From the particular time of the year at which it is supposed to possess healing virtues thousands having usually bathed on first sabbath old stile, it would appear that it acquired celebrity under Pagan superstition & that the christians afterwards attached to ti the name of one of their saints" (Mr Carter's Ayrshire).

Relationships with other parishes

Within Maybole, parish