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Whisky Well [Stirling]

Stirling, Foot of Gowan Hills, Stirlingshire.

"Thankfully the local writer J.S. Fleming's (1898) talked about the well in his fine work, where he told: 'This Well is situated at the foot of the Gowan Hills, and adjacent to the skating pond. Though part of the waters of this Well have been abstracted, and led, by means of a pipe, to a neighbouring factory, it still gives off a considerable flow of water. The local name, 'Whusky Well' is supposed to be given this Well on account of the virtues of its waters for mixing with whisky, without any perceptible deterioration of the latter. We can find no allusion to this Well in any of the Burgh Records, and Dr. Rogers gives no reason for its dedication to the Virgin Mary. We do know, however, that 'St. James's Chapel of the Crag' was situated only 200 or 300 yards distant, and is referred to frequently as receiving alms from King James IV, especially on 26th July, 1496, of 14s. We learn from a charter by Robert III to the Canon of Cambuskenneth Abbey, dated 10th March, 1402, that he grants "to God, and the blessed Virgin Mary, and to the said Canon," this Chapel, or Hospital of St. James, at the end of the roadway of the Bridge of Stirling; and that King James II, on 24th June, 1456, grants the said Chapel, or Hospital, to the town of Stirling, " to the praise and honour of God, the blessed Virgin Mary, his mother, and Saint James the Apostle." May not this well have had connection with St. James's chapel, an appanage of Cambuskenneth Abbey, dedicated to our Lady the Virgin, and thus give reason for its name, " Our Lady Well? " Saint James's Chapel was held by Sir Robert Cristisoun, as part of his emoluments as master of the Grammar School, whose right was challenged in 1522; and in November, 1562, having become ruinous, the stones of the Chapel were directed by the Magistrates to be "brocht to the utility and profit of the common work," - strengthening the town's wall. A northern boundary, in a charter of the Abbot of Aberbrothock, dated 1299, of lands in the burgh, is described as "the land of Saint Marie of Strivelin." There is also "a Ladyrig," but its situation is not indicated and, therefore, its connection with the Well is hypothetical."" [TNA]

The coordinates given would have placed the well at the foot of Back of the Hill Road and are now actually in the middle of the road (due to road widening). The road would once have been just a narrow trackway leading up to Stirling Castle via Raploch, Gowan Hill and the Balengeich Cemetery.

The 1861 OS map shows the well on the north sde of the road at the foot of the Mote Hill (north of Gowan Hill), discharging into the Mill Lead or Lade from Raploch, south of the now disused and dismantled Forth and Clyde Junction Railway. The well is not marked on John Wood's map of Stirling , 1820.

Alternative Names: Our Lady's Well, Whiskey Well, Whusky Well

Notes: Uisge (Scots Gailic , pronounced Whisky) means Water.

Do not confuse withe any other Whiskey, Whisky or Whusky Well.

The Mote Hill is marked on other maps as the Heading Hill or Beheading Hill.

The mill lade or Brigmiln Lade ran to the Mill pond [Fleming's skating pond?] ]adjacent to the Brigmiln (or Bridge Mill) next to St Murock's Chapel at the west approach to the Old Bridge at Stirling. The land to the south was the Orchard of St James the Apostle and the land to the north was St Laurence Croft which included Two rigs of St James the Apostle. [MacDonald]