Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Ballinlaban, County Westmeath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Ballinlaban
- County
- Westmeath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- St. Davids Well
- Latest-edition OS map
- St. Davids Well
- Coordinates
- 53.39507, -7.53295
- SMR number
- WM032-094----
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)
- 1811 · 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
Described in 1977 as a natural spring well dedicated to St. David, that is covered by a small rectangular stone built structure (int. dims. 1,73m E-W x 1.63m N-S; wall T 0.51m). The structure is built of rough rubble stones bonded with a rough mortar, no cut dressed stone visible. There is a small pointed doorway (Wth 0.75m; H 1.69m) in the NW corner leading down four small steps giving access to the spring well. The structure is now roofless but appears to have been roofed originally. There is a small flat stone projecting from the inside of the W wall just inside the doorway and on this have been placed some coins dating from 1918-1971. The structure is slightly covered in vegetation and is overshadowed by a large ash tree on its E side. The water from the well flows out under the W wall and into a drain to the S. In 1862, Reverend Cogan (1867, 497) recorded that there was a holy well dedicated to St. David in Ballinlaban, ‘which is still much frequented’.
Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien
Date of upload: 28 March 2013
References
Cogan, Rev. A. 1862-70 In John F. Fowler, Joseph Dollard (eds), The diocese of Meath, ancient and modern, 3 vols. Dublin. Dollard Publishers.
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Earthworkunder 1 mi
- Field systemunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.