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Megaliths, Stones of Memory

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<< Text Pages >> Tobar na Cailleach - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in Scotland in Aberdeenshire

Submitted by brigantia on Tuesday, 06 November 2007  Page Views: 6526

Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: Tobar na Cailleach Alternative Name: Cailleach Well, Well of the Cailleach, Tobar Chail
Country: Scotland
NOTE: This site is 4.0 km away from the location you searched for.

County: Aberdeenshire Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Nearest Town: Keith
Map Ref: NJ4265947528
Latitude: 57.514283N  Longitude: 2.958805W
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
2 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.
3 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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Holy Well or Sacred Spring in Aberdeenshire

On the northern slopes of Cairds Hill, amidst increasingly dense woodland up the stream which ebbs and flows in strength (depending on the weather), when we reach the source we reach this very fine spring of water, once of considerable repute locally. It was a great curing well and was described by Ruth and Frank Morris (Scottish Healing Wells, 1981: 72) as being "the scene of a pagan ceremony in which the Earth Mother in her old woman phase bathed at the well and returned as a young maiden."

On the hill at the top we find remains of old tombs (mistakenly ascribed by Mr & Mrs Morris as 'stone circles'), some of which would undoubtedly have had some relationship with this legendary water source.

The Northern Antiquarian (TNA) also features a page for this sacred well - see their entry for Tobar na Cailleach, Keith, Banffshire which includes an image of the 1869 OS map showing the location of the well together with local folklore.
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Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
NJ4247 : Forest Track by Anne Burgess
by Anne Burgess
©2023(licence)
NJ4347 : Cairds Wood Trig Point Flush Bracket S7228 by thejackrustles
by thejackrustles
©2021(licence)
NJ4247 : Cairds Hill by Anne Burgess
by Anne Burgess
©2008(licence)
NJ4247 : Cairds Wood by Anne Burgess
by Anne Burgess
©2008(licence)
NJ4247 : Gates Old and New. by Anne Burgess
by Anne Burgess
©2008(licence)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 6.0km WSW 237° St Fumac's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NJ376443)
 6.2km SE 137° Gingomyres Stone Circle (NJ46794294)
 9.4km SE 145° Bowman Hillock* Stone Circle (NJ480398)
 9.7km S 180° Nether Dumeath* Stone Circle (NJ425378)
 10.3km E 92° Tillytarmont 2* Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NJ52974705)
 10.6km E 100° Arnhill* Stone Circle (NJ531456)
 11.7km E 91° Kimmonity Stone Circle (NJ54394707)
 12.4km E 84° Rothiemay* Stone Circle (NJ55084872)
 12.7km SE 126° Stannin Steens O Strathbogie* Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NJ529399)
 12.7km SE 126° Huntly Stone Circle (NJ529399)
 12.9km NW 306° St Mary's Well (Inchberry)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NJ323552)
 13.1km SW 230° Mortlach 1* Class II Pictish Symbol Stone (NJ32413924)
 13.3km SW 230° Mortlach 2* Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NJ323392)
 13.5km NNW 329° Bellie Round Barrow(s) (NJ359592)
 13.6km W 267° Arndilly* Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NJ29064707)
 13.7km ESE 122° Battle Hill Dolmen Cairn (NJ542401)
 14.6km SW 229° Nether Cluny* Stone Circle (NJ315381)
 14.7km SE 141° Hill Of Bucharn Stone Circle (NJ518360)
 16.1km E 99° Westertown* Stone Circle (NJ58594467)
 16.5km ESE 116° Gerrieswells Long Barrow (NJ575402)
 16.5km NNW 340° Cowiemuir* Stone Circle (NJ37096310)
 16.6km WSW 249° Hatton Circle (Moray)* Stone Circle (NJ270418)
 16.8km WSW 251° The Fairy Knowe* Misc. Earthwork (NJ267422)
 17.0km S 172° Wormy Hillock* Henge (NJ449307)
 17.2km ENE 64° Thorax* Stone Circle (NJ58225495)
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