St. Werburghs Well

Dedicated to St Werburgh, the natural spring well was overgrown, situated beside a stream which forms the townland boundary between Crowscastle and Barrysparks. There was a local tradition that its water cures sore eyes but by the 1950s was no longer venerated (Ó Danachair 1958, 81). Holy well described in 1975 as; 'Small concrete enclosure now dry and full of brambles. It is beside a stream, which has partly eroded one corner of the foundations' (Henry A. Wheeler 08/10/1975, SMR File). Folklore collected from Swords School recorded that; 'There is another holy well about three miles from Swords near a place called Feltrim. This is known as St. Werburgh's well. It is supposed to cure people with pains' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0789, Page 152;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428188/4384894/4510754). In March 2011 the well was cleared and reconstructed. The well was redug in a different position, plastic piping inserted and stone removed. It is now signposted with an inscribed stone and described as an 'oasis of transformation'. See attached photos (01/02) taken by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F024.06.00052 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/31486; F024.06.00053 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/31487. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 12 April 2023

St. Werburgh, a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon saint, is associated with the healing of various ailments, particularly sore eyes, which aligns with the local tradition of the well's curative properties. The well's location near a boundary stream may reflect ancient territorial or spiritual divisions, common in early Christian and prehistoric landscape traditions.