Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in a slight col between a low spur to the SW and a low plateau c. 600m to the NE. A rectangular well (dims. 1.2m E-W; 0.9m N-S; H 1.7m) has a concrete and stone surround and is contained in a cairn (diam. 5.5m; H 1m at E to 2m at W) of grass and tree-covered granite boulders and field stones. Its opening (Wth 0.75m; H 1.35m) faces W and the roof of the well is wooden and pierced by a pipe that descends from a hand-pump. According to John O’Donovan writing c. 1840 it was called ‘Lady’s Well’ but veneration had ceased c. 20 years previously (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 349), and there is no evidence of veneration to-day. It is the source of a stream that runs off to the NW, and Ballyanne parish church (WX029-002001-) is c. 100m to the SW.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 1 August, 2012

References

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1933 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of County Wexford, collected during progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838. Typescript in 2 vols. Bray.