Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeRitual site - holy well
- Recorded sizedims c. 1m x c. 0.5m; D 0.2m
What to look for
- Offerings left
- Steps down
- Pattern day
Picked out from the Archaeological Survey description below.
Can you visit?
- No source says it is open to the public.Most monuments in Ireland stand on private farmland.
- Ask the landowner before crossing fields, close gates, leave the stones as you find them.Visiting responsibly
History and description
Situated in the broad valley of a small S-N stream that is c. 100m to the W, and just on the W side of the embankment of the NNW-SSE Waterford to Rosslare railway line. The well is dedicated to Saint Caomhán Santleathan of Ardcavan (WX038-006001-), and according to John O’Donovan writing c. 1840 the pattern was held on June 12th, the saint’s feastday (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 87).
Full archaeological record 170 words
Situated in the broad valley of a small S-N stream that is c. 100m to the W, and just on the W side of the embankment of the NNW-SSE Waterford to Rosslare railway line. The well is dedicated to Saint Caomhán Santleathan of Ardcavan (WX038-006001-), and according to John O’Donovan writing c. 1840 the pattern was held on June 12th, the saint’s feastday (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 87). The well is a small D-shaped depression (dims c. 1m x c. 0.5m; D 0.2m) lined by white-painted stones on the NE side and approached by two steps from the NW. The well is within a rectangular enclosure (ext. dims 5.2m NE-SW; 6.6m NW-SE) defined by an earthen bank (Wth c. 0.5m; H 0.5m) and hedge at SW and SE and a drystone wall on the other sides, with a gate at NW leading directly to the steps of the well. The well is maintained and there is a statue of a mitred bishop within the enclosure, but there are no offerings.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Michael Moore · Updated 20 August, 2013. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
The well is dedicated to Saint Caomhán Santleathan of Ardcavan (WX038-006001-), and according to John O’Donovan writing c. 1840 the pattern was held on June 12th, the saint’s feastday (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 87).
The well is maintained and there is a statue of a mitred bishop within the enclosure, but there are no offerings.
More holy wells nearby
Lady's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Ballingly · Wexford · 3.0 km away
St Margaret's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Gortins · Wexford · 3.7 km away
Tobershivaun
Ritual site - holy well · Ardenagh Little · Wexford · 5.5 km away
St Catherine's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Loughnageer · Wexford · 6.0 km away
Lady's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Bannow · Wexford · 7.4 km away
Nunnery Well
Ritual site - holy well · Taghmon · Wexford · 8.3 km away
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Around St Cavan's Well
Other heritage nearby
- Coolhull CastleCastle · 2.6 km
- St Degumen's ChurchAncient church · 6.4 km
- Tintern ChurchAncient church · 8.5 km
- Tintern AbbeyAbbey or friary · 8.7 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 27 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 14 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 13 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 8 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 standing stoneArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 abbey or friaryArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 promontory fortArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- St Clomauns WayWalking Trail · 0.5 km · nearest point 5.0 km
- Tintern Trails - Caesar Colclough TrailWalking Trail · 11.3 km · nearest point 6.6 km
- Tintern Trails - Marie Biddulph Colclough TrailWalking Trail · 3.1 km · nearest point 8.3 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- Tintern AbbeyForests · 8.7 km
- Shelmaliere / Forth MountainForests · 10.0 km
- CullenstownBeaches · 4.5 km
- GrangeBeaches · 10 km
- Ballyteigue Burrow Nature ReserveNature reserves · 6.4 km
- Ballyteigue Burrow Nature ReserveNature reserves · 6.4 km
- ClonminesWalled towns · 3.7 km
- Gaultier LodgeHistoric stays · 20 km
Other attractions nearby
- Cullenstown StrandBeach · 4.5 km
- Tintern AbbeyHistoric Houses and Castle · 8.7 km
- Colclough Walled GardenGardens · 9.1 km
- The Irish ExperienceNature and Wildlife · 11 km
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