Brides Well

Situated on a rise of a gentle S-facing slope at the centre of the mound (ME049-014----). The well is known as St Bride’s Well and it was revered in the 19th century when it was described as having a diameter of 12 feet (c. 3.75m) (Cogan 1862-70, 2, 361). It was a small natural spring (diam. c. 1m) at the base of the stump of an ash tree in 1969 (SMR file) but is has been conserved in 2000 and is now a stone-lined well (diam. 0.85m; max. D 1.75m) with water approached by a path and steps from the N while the mound is less prominent. The well is surrounded by a paved path (Wth c. 1.5m) and within an enclosure (diam c. 5m) defined by a hedge and a picket fence, and there are two young trees outside the enclosure, one with rags. (French 2012, 33-4) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 11 September, 2015

St Bride’s Well is associated with St Bride (or Bridget), a widely venerated Celtic saint linked to fertility, healing, and poetry. In folklore, wells dedicated to St Bride were often visited for healing cures, particularly for women’s ailments and to ensure safe childbirth.