Orkney Smr Note

Event ID 615563

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Orkney Smr Note

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/615563

Dative form keldunni at the well possible but unlikely.

Accented suffix may contain name of saint to whom well and chapel

are dedicated.

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Three adjacent springs of chalybeate water found among

rocks. Water is crystal-clear, not unpleasent, but full of fixed

air. Called Well of Kildinguie. Tradition says that is was held

in such high repute that when Orkney belonged to the Crown of

Denmark people of the first rank came from Denmark and Norway to

drink the waters. Waters were taken in conjunction with eating

of dulse on the rocks at a place called Guiyidn 2 miles SE.

Current proverb The Well of Kildinguie and the dulse of Guiyidn

can cure all maladies except black death. Cf OR 153, [R1]

Well was spoiled several years before 1879 by nearby

quarrying, but could still be seen issuing from a rock 6 feet

below high-water mark. [R2]

Spring-tides flow into the well but it clears again in

several minutes. On S side of well is a stone seat said

originally to have had arms on it. In front is an indentation in

the rock said to have been made by the feet of the officiating

priest who sat there offering water to pilgrims. A similar seat

said to have been on the N side of the spring, destroyed by the

masons building house of Hunton. [R3]

G Petrie drank the water of the well at 7.15am on Wednesday

29th July 1863. Petrie notebook no 7, in RMS.

Adjoining the chapel site is the 'Well of Kildinguie'.

(No further description). [R5]

No trace of the well, but name is remembered. Numerous

graffiti on rock. OS visit Jul 70.

The graffiti-bearing rock noted by OS is just above MHWOST.

It is noteable that the graffiti are confined to this particular

slab which is less than 1m square. All the graffiti, except for

one indecipherable one in the corner, are C20th and are mainly of

the AB loves XY kind.

Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Jun 79.