Holy Well (lost): OS Grid Reference – NT 257 756
Archaeology & History
This long lost holy well used to be found somewhere on the south-side of the Water of Leith, close to Powderhall, between Warriston and Broughton. References to it are minimal. Whilst Ruth & Frank Morris’ (1981) thought it might have been an alternative name of the Bonnington Mineral Spring—aka St. Cuthbert’s Well—a half-mile to the north-east, we know from John Russel’s (1933) article that it was a quite separate site; but all he could tell us was that St. Leonard’s Well was “a now forgotten mineral well”. The clearest indicator telling of its whereabouts is in John Geddie’s (1896) lovely work on the history of the Leith watercourse, where he described this “forgotten mineral spring” as being below Powderhall “beside the Water”, i.e., the river Leith. A few miles south, a crag at Arthur’s Seat was once dedicated to St. Leonard. (the grid-reference to this site is an approximation).
References:
- Bennett, Paul, Ancient and Holy Wells of Edinburgh, TNA 2017.
- Geddie. John, The Water of Leith, W.H. White: Edinburgh 1896.
- Morris, Ruth & Frank, Scottish Healing Wells, Alethea: Sandy 1982.
- Russel, John, “Bonnington: Its Lands and Mansions”, in Book of the Old Edinburgh Club, volume 19, 1933.
© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian
