Saints in Scottish Place-Names
Funded by a Leverhulme Trust Project Grant
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
Names
1 head-name linked to this place ?St Helen's Well
Head name
St Helen's Well
Place
St Helen's Well, Maybole
Certainty that this name applies to this place
Certain
The status of this name is
Current
Is this a current OS form? ?
Yes
Is this the original referent of the place?
Yes
Is the association of this name to this object hypothetical?
No
St Helens well 1696, Geog. Coll. II
Historic formSt Helens well Head nameSt Helen's Well PlaceSt Helen's Well, Maybole Certainty that this name applies to this placeCertain SourceGeog. Coll. II, 4 Date of citation1696 x 1696 Feature named in sourcewell |
Source code
Geog. Coll. II
Source title
Macfarlane's Geographical Collections
Editors
Arthur Mitchell (Sir)
Series
Scottish History Society
Volume
2 of 3
St Helen's Well 1856, OS 6 inch first edn.
Historic formSt Helen's Well Head nameSt Helen's Well PlaceSt Helen's Well, Maybole Certainty that this name applies to this placeCertain SourceOS 6 inch first edn. Date of citation1856 x 1856 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
Helen (ns) (certain)
Helen, mother of Constantine (certain)