The Chapel Well, sometimes known as Saint Mary's Well [1] or probably erroneously as 'Saint Inan's Well' is located beside the River Irvine at the end of the Chapel Lane path that links to the Kirk Vennel in Irvine, North Ayrshire. (NS 32268 38518), Scotland.
The well or spring is set into the wall of Chapel Lane that runs down from the Kirk Vennel and ends at the bank of the River Irvine. The well has a carved stone plaque above the stone lintel that states 'St Inan's Well AD839.' The well is shallow and set in a semi-circular alcove with a slanting stone roof and base. The spring seeps in through the bedrock at the back of the well. The well has been casually used as wishing well with coins visible that have been thrown in for luck. The well is 85 cm wide at the entrance and 100 cm wide internally. The depth is 90 cm and the water depth is a maximum of 50 cm.
The wall near the well is much higher than elsewhere, appearing like an old gable end.
The Ordnance Survey maps show that the old church glebe was replaced by a new cemetery and the land above the well was part of the Golf Fields until a manse was built here. [2] The maps also show a significant historical continuity of woodland above the well that is also suggested by the presence of plants indicative of old woodlands such as bluebells.
This well is noted as 'Chapel Well' and is given the alternative name of 'St Mary's Well'. [1] It stood close to the supposed site of Saint Mary's Chapel. [3] The engraved stone plaque above the well states 'St Inan's Well AD 839' and was placed here by the Irvine Burns Club. [4]
The well was used in the 18th century for the washing of clothes. [5] In the 1830s the only well thought suitable for obtaining 'Tea Water' was the Chapel Well, an epidemic of cholera threatened the population of Irvine at the time. [6]
In 1763 the council purchased the land of chapel with its well from William Allan. A little wash house was included in the purchase, situated on the site of the chapel near the well. [7]
Saint Inan's is associated with Irvine and a well named for him once existed in Fullarton, south of the present harbour. [5] Dundonald Castle once had a chapel dedicated to Saint Inan. [8] The erroneous identification of this well as Saint Inan's Well may date from the carved stone plaque being installed. [4]
The well is recorded as having been capped with concrete in 1954. [3]
In 2013 the site was renovated by the Redburn Activity Agreement Group led by the North Ayrshire Ranger Service. On 25 September 2013 the Reverend Robert Travers re-dedicated the holy well in a ceremony attended by representatives from Glebe Primary School, the Redburn Activity Agreement Group and the NAC Ranger Service.
A pre-reformation chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary stood on the bank of the River Irvine, below the present churchyard. A grant to it was confirmed in 1471-2. Remains of the chapel have been found and there were also parts of an old wall above the surface, however no trace now remains. These remains were probably of the chapel. however a convent also once existed in the area. The name of the nearby Chapel Well lends support to the view that a chapel dedicated to St. Mary once stood here. [3]
The chapel is of an unknown date and it may have been older than the early Irvine church. The church and chapel certainly existed side by side in the fifteenth century as the foundation received financial support from the same endowment made to the parish church by Dame Alicia Cambell of Loudoun in 1446. [9]
When the field near the chapel was purchased by the Town Council in 1761 a digging operation was undertaken during which foundations of walls were uncovered and these are likely to have been those of the chapel. [10]
Five stones bearing crosses were located in the wall near the Chapel Well in recent times however one is now missing and another two now lie below the present day ground level. These crosses may once have marked the extent of church land as boundary markers, however some association with the old chapel cannot be completely ruled out. [11] [12] A carved face is also present and some vague markings on two other stones. [12]
The Grannie Stane or Stone lies a short distance away from the Chapel Well. This large stone is either simply a glacial erratic left behind from the Ice Age or is the last remaining stone of a stone circle - others were removed, by blasting in 1897 and 1899, after the Irvine weir was constructed in 1895, but popular protests saved this remaining stone. [13] The positioning of the chapel and well near to a stone circle would fit in with the well known practice of supplanting pagan sites with Christian sites.
The weir of 1895 raised the water level and the site of the old Chapelford that crossed the river at this location was lost. [14]
The Chapel foundations were disturbed when the Riverside Walkway was under construction in the 1980s. A small jetty was located nearby for a boat to tie up and a path with steps ran through the wood. The fishing rights here are held by the landowner.
Irvine is an ancient settlement, in medieval times a royal burgh, and now a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The 2011 Census recorded the town's population at 33,698 inhabitants, making it the largest settlement in North Ayrshire. Irvine was the site of Scotland's 12th century military capital and former headquarters of the Lord High Constable of Scotland, Hugh de Morville. It also served as the capital of Cunninghame and was, at the time of David I, Robert II and Robert III, one of the earliest capitals of Scotland.
Beith is a small town in the Garnock Valley, North Ayrshire, Scotland approximately 20 miles south-west of Glasgow. The town is situated on the crest of a hill and was known originally as the "Hill o' Beith" after its Court Hill.
Stanecastle was a medieval barony and estate in North Ayrshire, Scotland, first mentioned in 1363 and now part of the Irvine New Town project. Its nearest neighbours are Bourtreehill and Girdle Toll.
Dundonald Castle is situated on a hill overlooking the village of Dundonald, between Kilmarnock and Troon in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Dundonald Castle is a fortified tower house built for Robert II on his accession to the throne of Scotland in 1371 and it was used as a royal residence by Robert II and his son Robert III.
Eglinton Country Park is located on the grounds of the old Eglinton Castle estate in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Eglinton Park is situated in the parish of Kilwinning, part of the former district of Cunninghame, and covers an area of 400 ha. The central iconic feature of the country park is the ruined Eglinton Castle, once home to the Eglinton family and later the Montgomeries, Earls of Eglinton and chiefs of the Clan Montgomery. Eglinton Country Park is managed and maintained by North Ayrshire Council and its Ranger Service.
Saint Inan (Evan) was the patron saint of Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, where he is said to have resided during the 9th century AD. He is reputed to have come from Iona, and to have died in Irvine, where his tomb was reputed to have been the site of miracles.
Riccarton is a village and parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It lies across the River Irvine from Kilmarnock, this river forming the boundary between Riccarton and Kilmarnock parishes, and also between the historical districts of Kyle and Cunningham. The name is a corruption of 'Richard's town', traditionally said to refer to Richard Wallace, the uncle of Sir William Wallace. The parish also contains the village of Hurlford.
Benslie is a small village in North Ayrshire, in the parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. Map reference NS 336 429.
Kilmaurs Place, The Place or Kilmaurs House, is an old mansion house and the ruins of Kilmaurs Tower grid reference NS41234112 are partly incorporated, Kilmaurs, East Ayrshire, Scotland. The house stands on a prominence above the Carmel Water and has a commanding view of the surrounding area. Once the seat of the Cunningham Earls of Glencairn it ceased to be the main residence after 1484 when Finlaystone became the family seat. Not ot be confused with Kilmaurs Castle that stood on the lands of Jocksthorn Farm.
The Grannie or Granny stone is either the only surviving part of a stone circle or a simple glacial erratic. It lies in the River Irvine below the Rivergate Centre in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The Grannie Stane is clearly visible when the water is low. The GPS co-ordinates are 55°36.768′N4°40.180′W.
During the years 1781–1782, at the age of 23, Robert Burns (1759–1796) lived in Irvine, North Ayrshire for a period of around 9 months, whilst learning the craft of flax-dressing from Alexander Peacock, who may have been his mother's half-brother, working at the heckling shop in the Glasgow Vennel. Dr John Cumming of Milgarholm, a provost of Irvine, claimed that he had invited Burns to come to Irvine to learn flax dressing. During this time he made a number of acquaintances, befriended several locals and took regular walks into the Eglinton Woods via the old Irvine to Kilwinning toll road and the Drukken or Drucken (Drunken) Steps. Steps over the Red Burn and back via the site of Saint Brides or Bryde's Well at Stanecastle. Burns had several other connections with the Eglinton Estate and other branches of the Montgomerie family. He probably left in March 1782.
The Drukken, Drucken Steps or Drunken Steps were stepping stones across the Red Burn in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland and are associated with Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Drukken is used on the commemorative cairn plaque, but Druken or Drucken may also be used.
Monkton is a small village in the parish of Monkton and Prestwick in South Ayrshire, Scotland. The town of Prestwick is around 1+1⁄2 miles south of the village, and it borders upon Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
Crosbie Castle and the Fullarton estate lie near Troon in South Ayrshire. The site was the home of the Fullarton family for several centuries. The lands were part of the feudal Barony of Corsbie Fullartoune (sic). The Crosbie Castle ruins were eventually used as an ice house after the new Fullarton House mansion was built. The mansion house was later demolished and the area set aside as a public park and golf course.
Seagate Castle is a castle in North Ayrshire, in the town of Irvine, close to the River Irvine, Scotland. The castle was formerly a stronghold, a town house, and later a dower house of the Montgomery Clan. The castle overlooks the oldest street in Irvine, which was once the main route between the town and the old harbour at Seagatefoot, which by 1606, was useless and abandoned due to silting. The remains of the castle are protected as a scheduled ancient monument.
Trindlemoss Loch, Scott's / Scot's Loch or the Loch of Irvine was situated in a low-lying area running from Ravenspark to near Stanecastle and down to Lockwards, now represented only by the playing fields off Bank Street in the Parish of Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The loch was natural, sitting in a hollow created by glaciation. The loch waters were progressively drained and in 1691 this was finally achieved.
Swindridgemuir House and estate were composed of the 'Lands of Swindridgemuir' and the dwelling house about two miles north-east of Dalry in the old Barony of Kersland, about a mile and a half north of the Blair Estate, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The spelling on the family memorials at Ayr Auld Kirk is 'Swindrigemuir'.
The Tanzie Well, also known as Saint Anne's Well, the Washing House Well or the Spoot is located beside the River Irvine in the Golf-fields or Golffields at the end of the footbridge across the River Irvine in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It has been suggested that 'Tanzie' may be a corruption of St Inan's Well. The old Irvine Pouther House of 1801 is located nearby.
Lawthorn is a hamlet near Perceton in Strathannick, Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The settlement lies on the old Irvine to Stewarton toll road.
The Glencairn Aisle or Glencairn Vault at Kilmaurs, East Ayrshire is a vaulted sepulchral chapel built as a place for private contemplation and prayer that also contains a large memorial monument, as well as the burial crypt of the Cunningham Earls of Glencairn and their family members. It houses an exceptional ornately carved stone mural monument dated 1600 that commemorates James Cunningham, the 7th Earl of Glencairn, his countess, Margaret Campbell and eight of their children. It is the oldest such 'Glorious Tomb' monument built in the 17th century in Ayrshire and one of the oldest post-reformation monument in Scotland. The other Ayrshire examples being the Kennedy or Bargany Aisle at Ballantrae of circa 1601, the Skelmorlie Aisle at Largs of 1639, the Crauford Monument at Kilbirnie and the Hamilton Aisle at Dunlop of 1641.
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Coordinates: 55°36′40.7″N4°39′52.1″W / 55.611306°N 4.664472°W
