The Village Wells

Click on the small pictures to see the larger version

A marker in the present graveyard marks the site of The Old Priest's Well - the ancient village existed around this well up till about 1805 but the well wasn't covered over until 1905. Robert Kirk writes (in 1890) - Like the trees, we will now keep outside the dyke (round the old graveyard) and come to the Priest's well. This well, an adjunct of the ancient building, appears to be coeval with the Old Church, and lay a few yards south of the Parsonage, which was demolished at the Reformation. A small piece of ground in the immediate vicinity is known as the 'Priest's Croft', and the adjacent field, tradition imagines to be the site of the original hamlet. When this well, from its proximity to the Churchyard, was condemned as unfit for human use, one old wife was heard to exclaim, "Na, na, I aye like a drink o' the guid sweet priest".

The Tron Well was by the Tron Tree - the well is in front of the cottages on the right. This is in the area of the present day Tron Court and Main Street. The Tron Tree was planted in 1801 to commemorate Sir Ralph Abercromby leaving the district to go out to join the army in Egypt, to enter upon what proved to be his last campaign. - None of this exists today

Jock's Well, which was somewhere near the Coronation tree in the picture - the tree may even have been planted in the well - in 1902. Picture shown taken Friday, September 16, 2005

The Ladywell - Robert Kirk writes - in 1890- The Ladywell is situated about a quarter of a mile west of the Church, and surrounded by a green used for bleaching. It is largely drawn on as a water supply by the village and is a favourite resort of the young folks. In 1879, Major Robertson, then residing in 'The Cottage', provided a drinking cup in the shape of a helmet, which was presented with full Highland honours amid great rejoicing. The cup bore a suitable inscription, which, however, owing to exposure to the elements, and, no doubt, also to the tender mercies of the general public, has almost wholly disappeared.
In the 1950s - David Comrie remembers - At that time the Ladywell in the field at the Ditch Farm still bubbled up water and coal dust.
George Smith writes (September 2005) - The Lady well was behind and to the left of 49 St Serf's road, as children we cleaned it up. It had Cobble stones for a fair area around the Well and the water was free flowing. I noticed when I was back some years ago it had been destroyed, a real shame.

I'm told that the white circle in the picture above, on the left, (which was given to me) marks the location of the source of the Ladywell. Since the picture on the left above was taken, the new ring road has been built in that area. There is now no sign of whatever it was that is circled in the left hand picture, but in the same area, on either side of the new ring road are two locked metal covers. The middle picture shows the cover on the Tullibody side of the road, showing the houses that I think George (above) is writing about. The right-hand picture above shows the cover on the other side of the road (the Menstrie Side) - it also shows the Ditch Farm. I think these covers are something to do with the old Ladywell. Pictures of the metal covers taken - Friday, September 16, 2005

The Charlie Well was somewhere in the woods It took its name from Mr. Charles France, forester on the Tullibody estate, who, probably, about 1820, along with his men, was digging for sand in the wood, when he accidentally came upon a small spring. Knowing that the village was scarce of water, he dug deeper and formed a sort of well within the wood. It' water was good for making tea.

Above - What looks like an old filled in well on the Baingle Brae. It may have been the water supply for Baingle Brae House, which stood somewhere nearby till it was demolished in the 1960s. It's in the shadow of some old trees - but step out of the shadows a few steps and you can see Dumyat. Was this where the well was that King Kenneth camped beside?

The old village relied on the wells for its water - the people also used rainbarrels to collect more water - see picture. There was also no sewage system. Sewage had to be carted away on a regular basis.