The Chapel Well, Medieval water well in Irvine, Scotland
The Chapel Well is a medieval water well in Irvine featuring a semi-circular alcove with a slanting stone roof and stone base, built into the wall of Chapel Lane near the River Irvine. The structure displays typical medieval design elements meant to protect and provide access to drinking water.
This well dates to the medieval period and served as an important water source for the town for centuries. During the cholera outbreak in the 1830s, it became the primary source of clean water for making tea and played a role in protecting public health during that crisis.
Five carved stones bearing crosses stand near this well and may have once marked boundaries of church lands during medieval times. These markers show how the church identified and defined its property within the surrounding landscape.
This well is reached via a pathway that connects Kirk Vennel to the bank of the River Irvine, making it easy to include in a walking route through the area. The location sits conveniently between these two points, so you can visit on foot without needing special arrangements.
A stone plaque above this well reads 'St Inan's Well AD839', yet historical records suggest this attribution may not be accurate. Visitors often notice the inscription without realizing it does not match what historians know about the site's actual origins.
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