Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Rusheens West, County Mayo, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Rusheens West
- County
- Mayo
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Toberbochilla
- Coordinates
- 53.89615, -8.67487
- SMR number
- MA073-013----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1857 · Ireland (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
In the NE corner of pasture field, located in a natural depression of damp, rush-grown ground. There is a gently rise in ground level immediately to N. An ogham stone (MA-73-012----) is located on this elevation, 1.6m to N of the well.
This holy well is not indicated on the 1838 OS 6-inch map, but is named ‘Tobernabochilla’ on the 1919 edition. It consists of a spring well within a squarish depression (c. 2m N–S; c. 1.4m E–W; D 0.8m) enclosed by a roughly-built, drystone wall (Wth c. 0.6m). The enclosing wall, which rises c. 0.3m above exterior ground level, is largely concealed by a covering of moss and sod. There appears to be a narrow gap on the S side to allow an outflow of water. A large, flat stone in the base of the well at the S side may have served as a step. Weed-covered water fills the base of the well to a depth of c. 0.3m. Three hawthorn bushes grow on the E side of the well. There is a N−S field wall 1m to E.
Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 21 June 2017
Nearby in the register
- Ogham stoneunder 1 mi
- Burnt moundunder 1 mi
- Burnt moundunder 1 mi
- Fulacht fiaunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.