PREFATORY NOTE.

No work giving a comprehensive account of Well-worship in Scotland has yet appeared. Mr. R. C. Hope’s recent volume, “Holy Wells: Their Legends and Traditions,” discusses the subject in its relation to England. In the following pages an attempt has been made to illustrate the more outstanding facts associated with the cult north of the Tweed. Various holy wells are referred to by name; but the list makes no claim to be exhaustive.

J. M. M.

4 Westbourne Gardens,
Glasgow, December, 1893.

CONTENTS.

CHAP.PAGE
I.[Worship of Water],1
II.[How Water became Holy],24
III.[Saints and Springs],39
IV.[More Saints and Springs],56
V.[Stone Blocks and Saints’Springs],72
VI.[Healing and Holy Wells],86
VII.[Water-Cures],108
VIII.[Some Wonderful Wells],128
IX.[Witness of Water],140
X.[Water-Spirits],155
XI.[More Water-Spirits],171
XII.[Offerings at Lochs andSprings],188
XIII.[Weather and Wells],213
XIV.[Trees and Springs],230
XV.[Charm-Stones in and out ofWater],241
XVI.[Pilgrimages to Wells],263
XVII.[Sun-Worship andWell-Worship],280
XVIII.[Wishing-Wells],314
XIX.[Meaning of Marvels],324

Among the works consulted are the following, the titles being given in alphabetical order:—