The site of a holy well. Known as Chibber y Chiarn ("Well of the Lord"), one of two "Wells of the Lord" on the Island (the other being Our Lady's Well). It lies in the south-east corner of a field called Magher y Chiarn ("field of the Lord") in the parish of Marown, near cross-inscribed stones traditionally said to mark the spot where the Gospel was first preached on the Isle of Man.
The site of an early medieval holy well. Recorded by Manx folklorist W. Walter Gill in 'A Manx Scrapbook' (1929) as lying on the lands of Ballafayle in Maughold, 'appertaining to the neighbouring Keeill Chiggyrt' - the chapel traditionally remembered as a burial place of priests. The well's overflow was said to form a small pool known as Ring Dhoo (Lhing Dhoo), the 'Dark Pool'. The well's name, generally translated as 'Mary's Well', reflects a dedication to the Virgin Mary shared by more than one well in the parish.
Medieval holy well.
The Ordnance Survey First Edition 1:2500 map of 1868 records 'Site of Chapel & Burial Ground' without a marker denoting the location; the wording is centred at SC20867093. The same survey shows a well in the next field, lying a little to the north of the hedge, and north-west of the keeill and burial ground.
The Manx Archaeological Survey (1968) notes that the well had long been a place of resort for the 'cure' of various ills. It had acquired a number of popular names, most commonly Chibbyr Beltain, but also the Rag Well and the Fairy Well. It now forms a wet patch at the edge of the field.
Chibbyr Breeshey or Chibbyr Vreeshey has been described as 'a Well dedicated to St Bridget... still known to the natives, but not so far as we can learn now visited'. The site is now within an area of marsh.
Chibbyr Drine or Thorntree Well is a famous well, visited for medicinal aid according to Feltham (1798). Kermode located it to the east of the Rifle Range (SC 28576692). It is described as a small clear spring 0.3 metres across set in marshy ground with no trace of stonework. A band of seaweed immediately east of the spring shows that it is constantly covered by the sea.
Chibbyr Feeayr ("Cold Well") is a holy well in the parish of Malew, part of the tradition of sacred wells found across the Isle of Man. Holy wells were visited for healing, divination, and devotion, and many retained their associations with folk religion well into the modern period.
St Maughold's Well, on the northeast coast. The most famous of the holy wells, it drew pilgrims from across the island and was still visited at Moore's time in 1891. The name connects the well to St Maughold, the converted pirate who became one of the patron saints of the Island. The practice at the well was consistent with all the holy wells: walk three times sunwise, drop a pin or pebble, make your prayer, drink, tie a rag to the tree.
Medieval holy well.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867 shows the location of a chapel and burial ground at this location, formerly on Colby farm, together with the annotation, 'Site of St Nicholas' Chapel & Burial Ground', but makes no reference to a well or spring at the site.
The Manx Archaeological Survey (1915) only briefly describes the site, implying that neither the chapel nor the burial ground were visible, but notes the nearby presence to the south of Chibbyr Niglus (St Nicholas' Well) which was filled in 'having been desecrated by bloodshed'.
A Royal Commission field inspector was unable to locate the well on a subsequent visit in 1976. In the absence of an obvious site in the vicinity indicated by the Survey, LS Garrad (Manx Museum 1964-96) speculated that it might be that recorded at SC4428383932 in OS Field no. 1897 to the east of the site; this is shown on the OS map of 1867 with a path leading to it, which would appear unlikely given the tradition surrounding it.
Chibbyr ny Fainaghyn was known as a healing well, the waters used for curing warts. It is located 180 metres west-southwest of Stockfield House. An owner of Skerestel Beg had lived in the area for approximately 60 years but knew nothing about the well. The present owner of Stockfield has occupied the farm for 7 years and also knew nothing about the well, but believed there was a spring at about the presumed location of the well. It is possible that the spring and well were located at the source of a minor stream at SC 30128687. The stream source has been drained and the stream now issues from the field bank 75 metres to the northeast. Springs and wells are synonymous terms on the Isle of Man.
The site is described as lying "about 300 yards North-East of the 'Neolithic Village' near the Mull Circle" (Gill, 1929, A Manx Scrapbook). Gill's Second Scrapbook has an erratum for the first book that includes a correction to the directions stating that it should be South-East, not North-East.
A spring is marked on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 1:2500 map at the grid reference recorded. There appear, however, to be a number of other candidate sites for this feature, at SC19186801 (a well marked amongst farm buildings on the same map), and at SC19226790 (a natural spring marked on modern IoM Government cartography).
Chibbyr Pherick, also recorded as Chibber Noo Pherick (St Patrick's Well), Chibber Sheeant (Holy Well) and Chibber yn Argid (Well of the Silver), is a spring on the seaward side of Peel Hill below Corrin's Tower. According to Manx folklore, the well sprang forth when St Patrick's horse stumbled and dislodged the ground during his travels across the Island. It was long regarded as a holy spring whose water was sought by the dying as a form of comfort and blessing, though it is now in poor condition.
Medieval well.
A spring in OS Field no 1395 passes through the boundary wall into a green lane at the grid reference given, at which point it was historically drawn off for water. The lane is a public right of way connecting Trollaby Lane to the NE with the main road between Peel and Douglas to the SW.
The well is traditionally known as Chibbyr Pherick (St Patrick's Well), implying a holy connection with the keeill which lies 470m to the ENE.
The waters of St Patricks Well or Chibbyr y Pharick were in the past believed to have curative properties for sore eyes. It was said of this well that people who passed and left nothing in it would not be able to find their way home.
This is a perennial spring filling a rocky basin about 30 centimetres deep. A Mrs Druggan who lived nearby described the location and confirmed its name. It is an elongated well, measuring 2.5 x 1.3 metres, scooped out of a bank sloping to the east. The eastern face is 0.9 metres high from the water level. There is no visible trace of stonework. A well worn path with largely modern stone steps approaches the well.
The site of the early medieval holy well or healing well known as Chibbyr Roney. The water was believed to be good for the eyes, but a round white pebble had to be placed in the well before water was drawn. Canon Quine tells us that it was the traditional well from which the water for baptism was drawn for Marown Church.
The position of the well was described by Mrs Norton of Rahyn Farm as being 200 metres south of Rahyn. During field survey it was noted that a few quartz rocks that were located against the field bank had been churned up by cows. The area was extremely wet and obviously the site of a spring, but no feature describable as a well remained.
A hollowed oak 'vessel' was found adjacent to the site of the Chibbyr Unjin holy well in 1932. It was 10 feet 5 inches long and up to two feet wide and was at first thought to be a dug-out canoe. However, a depression about halfway along the vessel had been made artificially, possibly by the continuous action of a running thong, which makes it unlikely to be a canoe.
Excavation of the surrounding area revealed a 'floor' of compacted stones and earth up to ten inches deep. A number of doubtful stone 'tools' of white quartz were also found.
The hollowed log was subsequently considered as 'having no demonstrable relation with the well and it may well have served as a sort of trough for food-preparation in connection with a temporary camp of a hunting community, for charcoal and rough stone implements were found nearby.' This is therefore a possible burnt mound site of unknown date.
Chibbyr Unjin or the Ash Well was a holy well or "rag well", the waters of which were believed to have curative powers. It was the object of folk-observances for many generations and although keeill and well were closely associated in popular belief, the nature of the observances would point to a well-cult antedating the Christian occupation of the site. It was infilled during agricultural improvement work in 1899.
A hollowed oak 'vessel' was found adjacent to the site of the well in 1932. It was 10 feet 5 inches long and up to two feet wide and was at first thought to be a dug-out canoe. However, a depression about halfway along the vessel had been made artificially, possibly by the continuous action of a running thong, which makes it unlikely to be a canoe.
Excavation of the surrounding area revealed a 'floor' of compacted stones and earth up to ten inches deep. A number of doubtful stone 'tools' of white quartz were also found.
The hollowed log was subsequently considered as 'having no demonstrable relation with the well...... and it may well have served as a sort of trough for food-preparation in connection with a temporary camp of a hunting community, for charcoal and rough stone implements were found nearby.'
An upper quernstone was found here a year earlier. The field is now grass covered and there is no visible trace of stonework or of a spring.
Chibbyr Vael, or St Michael's Well, was located a few metres west of Keeill Vael, Druidale. It is shown on the 1869 1:2500 Ordnance Scale map.
A systematic search for Chibbyr Vael 'St Michael's Well' was made during the 1979-80 Druidale Survey, prior to the area being flooded for a new reservoir. Two spring lines were examined, one circa 25 metres south and the other circa 50 metres south-west of Keeill Vael. Although not certain, the plan of the latter suggested it was the more likely location of the well. It approximated to the position on the Ordnance Survey map, but no dating evidence was recovered from the vicinity. The site was covered by a thin strip of boggy ground and was obviously the site of a spring though neither a spring nor a well existed as a visible feature.
The site of a medieval holy well known as Chibbyr Vael, also known as the Holy Well and the Fairy Well, in Crogga Glen.
The site was identified by a local informant, Mr Alcock, who stated "I have known the well for 29 years by the name of Fairy Well and have never heard it referred to as a holy well. As far as I know no one visits it and there is no fetish belief connected with it." The well is shown on the 1870 1:10560 scale Ordnance Survey map.
The well or spring has been hollowed out in the form of a grotto in the side of a steep hill. It is 1.5 metres wide and recessed 2.3 metres. The waste stone has been thrown over to form a mound in the west. The vertical drop at the present well face is 1.8 metres. A cemented wall has been built across its face and a modern well door inserted, behind which can be seen a dry water course passing down from the hill top. A well worn path approaches the well from the east and from the west. The water has been piped to Crogga.
Chibbyr Vreeshey was located in a field below the site of Keeill Vreeshey. It was described as a built well and about 90 metres from the keeil site. Considerable agricultural activity has taken place in the area in the 20th century with buildings being removed, boundaries reorganised, and the land drained. No trace of a spring has been found in the area and inquiries failed to find anyone who knew of its former existence.
