St Michael's Well, Kirkmichael

Local tradition places a well dedicated to St Michael at a site about 500m south of the St Michael's Church.

No trace of the well can be seen today. A description given in 1794 suggests this was a spring.

A variety of stories and legends once surrounded St Michael's Well. Although overgrown and disused by 1794, the local minister wrote in the Old Statistical Account that in former times the well held a reputation for healing and was widely visited. It was once held that the St Michael himself guarded the well, appearing in the guise of a fly, the actions of which were taken as portents by those visiting the well.

Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project

NJ12SW 3 1494 2353.

(NJ 1494 2353) Site of St. Michael's Well (NR).

OS 6"map, Banffshire, 2nd ed., (1903)

A fountain, dedicated to St. Michael, near Kirkmichael Church, was formerly attributed with magical powers.

Statistical Account (OSA) (written by J Grant) 1794.

There is no trace of a well at the published site. On an old map supplied by Dr V Gaffney (Diamond Cottage, Main Street, Tomintoul ), the position of St. Michael's Well is shown, and corresponds with the published site.

Visited by OS (RB) 5 August 1966.