St Laurence’s Well

SMR 500 / NS 8731 8040

Illus: 1860/62 Ordnance Survey Map (National Library of Scotland)

A Holy Well by this name is mentioned in the Old Statistical Account.  It lay near to the east bank of the Kirk Burn, later called the Culloch Burn.  A second well to the south-east, called “High St Laurence’s Well,” was of 18th or 19th century origin.  Between the two was the bleaching green.  According to the Royal Commission, St Laurence’s Well was covered with concrete and formed part of the sewerage system by 1957.

Bibliography

Macnair, J.1795Old Statistical Account – Parish of Slamannan (Quoted at 1 below)
RCAHMS1963Stirlingshire: An Inventory of Ancient Monuments (Quoted at 2 below)
Ordnance Survey
Archaeology Sheet		Ordnance Survey(Quoted at 3 below)
Ordnance Survey Name Book (Quoted at 4 below)
  1. “There is an excellent spring of water a little to the south-east of the church, which still goes by the name of Laurence Well”
  2. “This well, which is marked on the O.S. map by the right bank of the Culloch Burn some 275 yds SSE of the church, no longer exists as such, as it has been covered with a concrete and iron manhole and has been made part of the sewerage system of the village. The “High ST. Laurence Well”, marked on the map about 60 yds SSE of it, has been filled up. Scottish dedications to St Laurence, who was martyred in 258, are fairly numerous. 857732 NS SE 20 March 1953″ [No.549, p.436]
  3. “Laurence Well is the name of a spring of water a little to the south-east of Slamannan Church. St. Laurence’s Well is said to take its name from St. Laurence, and is classed as a Holy Well. St. Laurence’s Well has been covered with concrete and an iron manhole. It now forms part of the Slamannan sewerage system. The sewerage housing over the Well has collapsed, but no vestiges of a well are to be seen.”
  4. ST LAURENCE’S WELL A small spring well in the village of Slamannan – of considerable antiquity.   Nothing is known about it further than that it is supposed to take its name from St Laurence, to which the church is dedicated.  It is classed as a Holy Well.
    • HIGH ST LAURENCE WELL                       A small spring well a little to the south-east of St Lawrence’s Well and of more recent origin.  It stands on rather higher  ground than the former which has given to it the term “high”.   It is not classed as a Holy Well.

    G.B. Bailey, 2025