What is recorded here

Indicated on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map and on the 1948 revision as 'Toberakin'. According to the OS Letters (1839), this holy well is, 'called Tobar a Chinn, i.e., the Well of the Head, but why so called is not known. It is not now frequented for any devotional purpose'. This information is also provided by Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 329). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 8 May 2023

Linked to Saint Fillan or a local early Christian tradition, the name "Tobar a Chinn" (Well of the Head) may refer to a practice of decapitation or head-related cures, possibly connected to ancient pagan or Christian penitential rituals. The well's name and persistence on early maps suggest a long-standing spiritual or healing significance in the local landscape.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.