Re: Dating the age of wells | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

Dating the age of wells

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tiompan Apr 11, 2010 09:21:02

Replying to Branwen

Branwen wrote:

Here, but not all there.... thats me.

I remember something about a branch of the Keppoch clan who lived on one of the islands, I think. They offended the spring and it moved onto the other side of the island, and eventually disappeared altogether. They were moved to new lands near Callandar. Then the whole clan took a short cut across a frozen loch near Callander one day, all together cos they were following the coffin in a funeral procession, and the ice broke and they all fell in and drowned. Lochan na Corps they called it after that. They didn't get on well with the waters that lot, whole branch of that clan dead in one go.

Colin and Janet Bord wrote Sacred Wells, Sacred Waters, which lists an awful lot of wells in it, and the customs and traditions they are famous for.

Piscina symbol as per the chalice well is an obvious evolution of a pagan symbol into a christian one, tjj. I'd like to donate a nicer cast iron well door cover to our local well, but I dunno if they would use it if I did. The one it has is a bit utilitarian looking.

There's quite a good list somewhere among PSAS but can't find the link just yet .
I'm not sure how to read the Locahn nan Corp story , probaly an explanation for the Mckinlays gradually disappearing from the area . The Lochan is wee and is easily bypassed but more importantly shallow I doubt an adult could drown in it and there were supposed to be 200 ! The route involves an ascent of about 1200 feet when going round Ben ledi to the south would keep to the contours and allow for wheeled transport .Coffin routes were probably not meant to be easy and that may explain that aspect . The story is mentioned in the "statistical account " so could even be medieval .

Branwen Apr 11, 2010 11:38:52

Replying to tiompan

I thought these Keppoch clan members were MacDonalds, but I can't remember where I heard that from. Perhaps the link to them as having been on one of the islands whose well dried up first. I've a feeling I meant the clan Kessanach now, too. Been a while since I've used that story or been on that tour route.

"Lochan nan Corp received its name from...a funeral party from Glenfinglas, passing over the mountain to the churchyard of St. Bride.... [They] passed over the loch imagining that the frozen surface was strong enough...the ice gave way and the whole company...perished in the loch." (W. Marshall, Historic Scenes in Perthshire, 1879, p. 394) The name of the family isn't recorded but is thought to be McKinley's from the fact of where they came from and were going to bury the body, and explains the MacGregors coming to occupy Glenfinglas at that time.

Locals know the story and say the coffin and all the people in the funeral procession had to be on foot by the custom of that day. The loch being shallow meant it was usually frozen solid and used as a regular route being the lowest pass from the church to the burial ground just on the other side of loch lubnaig. One deeper patch hadn't frozen in some tellings, in others a fierce storm was raging. That or some beastly and evil otherworld creature had come up and dragged them down, none can tell for none survived.

And if you walk out after dark in winter, keep off the centre of the roads, for if you see a ghostly funeral procession you will fall under the geis to follow in it's path, and the path of that one didn't end at a church you could then run away home from. (told me on a dark and creepy night) LOL