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Lost Secrets - an adventure during Neolithic times

Roads and Trackways of North Wales

Roads and Trackways of North Wales

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh) - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in Scotland in Scottish Borders

Submitted by Anne T on Thursday, 05 March 2020  Page Views: 3127

Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh) Alternative Name: Tam Lin's Well; Tamlanes Well
Country: Scotland County: Scottish Borders Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Nearest Town: Selkirk  Nearest Village: Carterhaugh
Map Ref: NT43742681
Latitude: 55.531761N  Longitude: 2.892865W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
5 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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Anne T visited on 27th Feb 2020 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5 Tamlane's Well, Carterhaugh: A delightful spot, next to the single track B7039, parts of which aren’t terribly well defined (and we ended up in a very large farmyard, having taken a wrong turn!). The well is located right by the road, in a small grassy area just to the south of a large set of the Carterhaugh farm buildings/barns, although separated it by a dry stone wall. Whilst the original well was some 2.5m behind the wall, and is now filled in, the well is now presented in a nice way, presumably to allow visitors to access the well, which was really good of the farmers. There was a steady flow of water into a trough which then drained into a modern manhole about a metre to the south of the well trough.

Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh)
Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh) submitted by Anne T : Getting closer to the well trough. The water must drain from the stone trough into a modern drain, about a metre in front of the current structure, then through a pipe under the road into a small stream/field drain in the field to the south. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Holy Well or Sacred Spring in Scottish Borders

Recorded as Canmore ID 54304, and featured in Phil Cope's Holy Wells Scotland book (2015, pages 19 and 20), this well has more of a Fairy and Folklore connection, although I'm still trying to research how far the origins of this well can be traced back in time, and if it has any known healing properties.

Canmore tells us that the site of the original well was some 2.5m behind its current location, although is now filled in, presumably because of the huge farm barns and buildings immediately behind the dry stone wall against which this well basin sits.

Located virtually right by the roadside, Canmore tells us the well, and Tamlane (who was the son of Randolph, Earl of Moray), are both referred to in a ballad by Sir Walter Scott: "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, volume 2". Cope also says it is referred to from 'Tam Lin' by Robert Burns, adding: "Tam Lin was a knight who had been captured by the Queen of the Fairies and was being prepared for sacrifice on Hallowe’en, to pay off the little people’s dues to the devil. He is saved by Janet in a fearless act of bravery and love, holding tightly on to her man as his shape is shifted from poisonous snake to wild animal, through iron and through lead, until eventually emerging as ‘a naked knight’ in her arms."

In an email to the Scottish Borders County Archaeologists to try and find out more information said that as wells and springs are difficult to date; the first record usually made of them is by Antiquarians or in the first OS maps. Whilst they may have been venerated over time, the structures associated with them are usually much later.

If anyone else has any more information about this well, I'd be pleased to hear from you. Please post a comment below. Thanks in advance.
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Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh)
Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh) submitted by Anne T : Looking along the dry stone wall showing the water flowing into the trough below from the iron pipe which runs through the dry stone wall. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh)
Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh) submitted by Anne T : The water emerges from an iron pipe which runs through the dry stone wall, presumably to the original location of the well, some 2.5m behind its current position. It is nice that the well is accessible by visitors. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh)
Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh) submitted by Anne T : The modern name sign for the well, set into the dry stone wall. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh)
Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh) submitted by Anne T : Standing just to the south of the well, looking at where water is delivered into the well trough/basin through an iron pipe which runs through the dry stone wall behind. The original location of the well was just behind the wall, but has now been filled in, presumably to accommodate the building of the huge farm barns/buildings behind. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh)
Tamlane's Well (Carterhaugh) submitted by Anne T : Tamlane's Well lies just (north) off the B7039 road. Beware, as a number of large farms are located along this road, and the road is not terribly well defined - we followed tyre tracks where the road split, only to end up in the middle of an enormous farm yard! It is a lovely spot, and we arrived just as dusk was falling.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 3.8km ENE 72° Mungo's Well (Selkirk)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT47342795)
 4.3km ENE 73° Caulks Well (Selkirk)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT4789127983)
 7.3km NE 35° Rink Hill (Boleside) Hillfort (NT48023270)
 8.3km W 276° Warrior's Rest* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NT35452775)
 8.5km W 275° Glebe Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NT3526227603)
 8.7km N 1° Caddonlee* Hillfort (NT43963551)
 8.9km W 273° The Yarrow Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NT3480627444)
 10.5km NW 309° Cheese Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT35693357)
 12.0km NNE 13° Torwoodlee* Broch or Nuraghe (NT46553847)
 12.7km S 179° Borthwick Mains Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NT4372814111)
 13.1km ENE 62° Eildon Hill North* Hillfort (NT55453280)
 13.2km SE 133° Midshiels Cairn* Cairn (NT53311770)
 13.2km SE 133° Midshiels Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NT53391774)
 14.1km SSE 153° Hawick Mote* Misc. Earthwork (NT4994314073)
 14.4km S 178° Whitcastle Hill* Hillfort (NT44101245)
 14.4km ENE 61° Rhymer's Stone (Melrose)* Marker Stone (NT5651833592)
 14.7km S 178° Whitcastle Sike* Ancient Village or Settlement (NT44011207)
 14.8km NNE 24° Hawksnest (Langshaw) Ring Cairn (NT499403)
 15.1km N 8° Bow Castle Broch* Broch or Nuraghe (NT4613541717)
 15.2km SE 137° Cavers Cross* Ancient Cross (NT54071564)
 15.2km ENE 60° Trimontium* Ancient Village or Settlement (NT57033435)
 15.7km SW 217° Black Rig Standing Stone (Menhir) (NT34151437)
 16.5km W 276° Douglas Water SE Stone Circle (NT273288)
 16.5km W 276° Douglas Water NW* Stone Circle (NT273288)
 16.8km ENE 69° Font Stone (Dryburgh)* Ancient Cross (NT59543258)
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