Lady's Well - History

History

In 1879 David Landsborough describes the local wells and springs, including the Monk's Well, but makes no reference to a Lady's Well. John Smith in the 1890s refers to the Monk's well rather than Lady's Well. In 1912, Duncan McNaught the local schoolmaster stated that the "Lady's Well" is an old well, arched over, which provided the water supply for the buildings associated with the collegiate church. Robert Beattie in 1993 saw the well as being associated with the old collegiate church.

A 1982 a description states that the drystone construction of the well-head could be of relatively late date, built with debris from the nearby ruinous tower. Another suggestion was that the well dates from the 17th-century.

The 1856 25 inch to the mile map shows and names the Lady's Well and marks the path that led from the building in the Tour Garden to the well, across the Tour Burn.

The church Minister (2007), the Rev. John Urquhart, has been informed by locals that the well is named after the wife of an owner of Tour House who daily came to collect the cool water. Certainly Mr.Findlay of Tour is recorded by McNaught as having enjoy the never failing water, of excellent quality, and refreshingly coll on the hottest day of summer. This information may be partly correct in that an opening in the wall opposite the entrance to Tour House has clearly been made to allow access to the woods in which the well is situated. The repairs using a concrete slab as part of the roof and the ashlar walling may have been carried out within the last hundred years or so.