Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeRitual site - holy well
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
Within a band of woodland, the River Nore flows N-S c. 160m to the E. Indicated as ‘St. John’s Well’ on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map and the 1948-9 revision. It appears to be a spring well, with a stream running S from it for c. 140m before turning SE to flow into the River Nore.
Full archaeological record 117 words
Within a band of woodland, the River Nore flows N-S c. 160m to the E. Indicated as ‘St. John’s Well’ on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map and the 1948-9 revision. It appears to be a spring well, with a stream running S from it for c. 140m before turning SE to flow into the River Nore. According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 4, 12) the holy well is, ‘dedicated to St. John, from which the subdivision takes its name and which itself is an evidence of the connection of the Knights of St. John with the townland’. It is described by O’Kelly (1969, 164) as, St. John’s Well, John of Jerusalem, Order of the Knights Hospitallers’.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Jean Farrelly. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
More holy wells nearby
St. Mogue's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Ennisnag · Kilkenny · 2.2 km away
Saint Kieran's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Stonecarthy West · Kilkenny · 3.2 km away
Lady's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Ballyda · Kilkenny · 4.4 km away
Toberbride
Ritual site - holy well · Kells · Kilkenny · 5.1 km away
St. Bridget's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Newtown (Shea) · Kilkenny · 7.1 km away
Well of the head
Ritual site - holy well · Ovenstown · Kilkenny · 7.8 km away
Also recorded nearby
Named sites within 5 km with only a short entry in the Archaeological Survey.
- Legan CastleCastle - unclassified · Legan · 2.5 km · official record
- Saint Nicholas' ChurchChurch · Jerpointchurch · 3.8 km · official record
- Lady's WellRitual site - holy well · Newtown (Gowran By., Thomastown Ed) · 4.0 km · official record
- Thomastown ChurchChurch · Thomastown · 4.3 km · official record
- Thomastown High CrossCross - High cross · Thomastown · 4.3 km · official record
- Brady's CastleHouse - fortified house · Thomastown · 4.4 km · official record
- Thomple-ThaeghawinChurch · Grenan · 4.9 km · official record
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Around St. John's Well
Other heritage nearby
- St Mogue's church siteAncient church · 2.0 km
- Oldtown Church (site of)Ancient church · 2.3 km
- Killarney Church (site of)Ancient church · 2.4 km
- Annamult ChurchAncient church · 2.8 km
- Stonecarthy ChurchAncient church · 2.9 km
- Jerpoint AbbeyAbbey or friary · 4.2 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 15 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 8 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 7 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 4 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 3 monastic sitesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 2 abbeys & friariesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 ogham stoneArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 high crossArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- South Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 43.2 km · nearest point 2.0 km
- East Kilkenny Cycle RouteRoad Cycling Trail · 62.6 km · nearest point 3.0 km
- Grennan LoopWalking Trail · 6.6 km · nearest point 4.4 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- CastlemorrisForests · 12 km
- Coill an FhaltaighForests · 12 km
- Ballykeefe Nature ReserveNature reserves · 15 km
- Garryricken Nature ReserveNature reserves · 15 km
- ThomastownWalled towns · 4.3 km
- InistiogeWalled towns · 11 km
Other attractions nearby
- Mount Juliet Equestrian CentreNature and Wildlife · 1.9 km
- Jerpoint AbbeyHistoric Houses and Castle · 4.3 km
- Kells PrioryHistoric Houses and Castle · 4.6 km
- Kilree High CrossHistoric Houses and Castle · 5.4 km
What's on nearby
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- Kilkenomics2026-11-06 · 13 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-07 · 13 km