A clootie well is a holy well (or sacred spring), almost always with a tree growing beside it, where small strips of cloth or ribbons are left as part of a healingritual, usually by tying them to branches of the tree (called a clootie tree or rag tree). Clootie wells are places of pilgrimage usually found in Celtic areas. It is believed the tradition comes from the ancient custom of leaving votive offerings in water.[1] In Scots, a clootie or cloot is a strip of cloth or rag.
When used at the clootie wells in Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man, the pieces of cloth are generally dipped in the water of the holy well and then tied to a branch while a prayer of supplication is said to the spirit of the well – in modern times usually a saint, but in pre-Christian times a goddess or local nature spirit.[2] This is most often done by those seeking healing, though some may do it simply to honour the spirit of the well. In either case, many see this as a probable continuation of the ancient Celtic practice of leaving votive offerings in wells or pits.[3][4]
There are local variations to the practice. At some wells the tradition is to wash the affected part of the body with the wet rag and then tie the washing-rag on the branch; as the rag disintegrates over time, the ailment is supposed to fade away as well. At some wells the clooties are definitely "rags" and discards, at others, brightly coloured strips of fine cloth. In some locations the ceremony may also include circumambulation (or circling) of the well a set number of times and making an offering of a coin, pin or stone. Additional votive offerings hung on the branches or deposited in the wells may include rosaries, religious medals, crosses, religious icons and other symbols of faith.[3][4]
At clootie wells where the operative principle is to shed the ailment, and the clootie is thought to represent the ailment, the "offerings" may be grotesque castoffs. Those that instead view the clootie as an offering to the spirit, saint or deity are more likely to tie an attractive, clean piece of cloth or ribbon.[3][4]
The sacred trees at clootie wells are usually hawthorn trees, though ash trees are also common.[3][4]
The most popular times for pilgrimages to clootie wells, like other holy wells, are on the feast days of Saints, the Pattern or Patron day, or on the old Gaelic festival days of Imbolc (1 February), Beltane (1 May), Lughnasadh (1 August), or Samhain (1 November).[4][5]
Locations
Cloths tied to a tree near Madron Well in Cornwall
In Scotland, by the village of Munlochy on the A832, is a clootie well (called in Scottish Gaelic: Tobar Churadain) at an ancient spring dedicated to Saint Curetán, where rags are still hung on the surrounding bushes and trees. Here the well was once thought to have had the power to cure sick children who were left there overnight. The site sometimes needs to be cleared of non-biodegradable materials and rubbish such as electrical items and a venetian blind.[6]
In the heart of Culloden woods near the battlefield is a walled clootie well also known as St Mary's well. This well was traditionally visited on the first Sunday in May. Until recently, it was a popular holiday, with an ice-cream van situated in the car park. However, this tradition is now in decline although still marked. Craigie Well at Avoch on the Black Isle has both offerings of coins and clooties. Rags, wool and human hair were also used as charms against sorcery, and as tokens of penance or fulfilment of a vow.[7] A clootie well once existed at Kilallan near Kilmacolm in Renfrewshire. This holy well was dedicated to St Fillan and cloth was tied to overhanging shrub branches.
In Cornwall, at Madron Well (SW446328) the practice is to tie the cloth and as it rots the ailment is believed to disappear.[8][9] In 1894 Madron Well was said to be the only Cornish well where rags were traditionally tied.[10] Rags have only appeared at other Cornish wells such as Alsia Well (SW393251) and Sancreed Well (SW417293) in about the last 30 years.[8] Christ's Well at Mentieth was described in 1618 "as all tapestried about with old rags".[7]
In Ireland at Loughcrew, Oldcastle, County Meath (53°44′36″N7°08′03″W / 53.743299°N 7.134040°W / 53.743299; -7.134040) there is a wishing tree, where visitors to the passage tombs tie ribbons to the branch of a hawthorn tree. Loughcrew is a site of considerable historical importance in Ireland. It is the site of megalithic burial grounds dating back to approximately 3500 and 3300 BC, situated near the summit of Sliabh na Caillí and on surrounding hills and valleys.[11]
Popular culture
In 2002, the folklorist Marion Bowman observed that the number of clootie wells had "increased markedly" both at existing and new locations in recent years.[12] She added that those engaged in the practice often conceived of it as an ancient "Celtic" activity which they were perpetuating.[12]
Bowman, Marion (2002). "Contemporary Celtic Spirituality". In Joanne Pearson (ed.). Belief Beyond Boundaries: Wicca, Celtic Spirituality and the New Age. Aldershot: Ashgate. pp. 55–101.
External links
Pictures of the Clootie Well, Munlochy
Irish Landmarks: The Holy Wells of Ireland
The Megalithic Portal Includes Holy wells and sacred springs.]
Video footage of Saint Queran's Clootie Well.
January 08, 2023
clootie, well, clootie, well, holy, well, sacred, spring, almost, always, with, tree, growing, beside, where, small, strips, cloth, ribbons, left, part, healing, ritual, usually, tying, them, branches, tree, called, clootie, tree, tree, places, pilgrimage, usu. A clootie well is a holy well or sacred spring almost always with a tree growing beside it where small strips of cloth or ribbons are left as part of a healing ritual usually by tying them to branches of the tree called a clootie tree or rag tree Clootie wells are places of pilgrimage usually found in Celtic areas It is believed the tradition comes from the ancient custom of leaving votive offerings in water 1 In Scots a clootie or cloot is a strip of cloth or rag The clootie well near Munlochy on the Black Isle Scotland Clootie tree next to St Brigid s Well Kildare Ireland Contents 1 Practices 2 Locations 3 Popular culture 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Bibliography 6 External linksPractices EditWhen used at the clootie wells in Scotland Ireland and the Isle of Man the pieces of cloth are generally dipped in the water of the holy well and then tied to a branch while a prayer of supplication is said to the spirit of the well in modern times usually a saint but in pre Christian times a goddess or local nature spirit 2 This is most often done by those seeking healing though some may do it simply to honour the spirit of the well In either case many see this as a probable continuation of the ancient Celtic practice of leaving votive offerings in wells or pits 3 4 There are local variations to the practice At some wells the tradition is to wash the affected part of the body with the wet rag and then tie the washing rag on the branch as the rag disintegrates over time the ailment is supposed to fade away as well At some wells the clooties are definitely rags and discards at others brightly coloured strips of fine cloth In some locations the ceremony may also include circumambulation or circling of the well a set number of times and making an offering of a coin pin or stone Additional votive offerings hung on the branches or deposited in the wells may include rosaries religious medals crosses religious icons and other symbols of faith 3 4 At clootie wells where the operative principle is to shed the ailment and the clootie is thought to represent the ailment the offerings may be grotesque castoffs Those that instead view the clootie as an offering to the spirit saint or deity are more likely to tie an attractive clean piece of cloth or ribbon 3 4 The sacred trees at clootie wells are usually hawthorn trees though ash trees are also common 3 4 The most popular times for pilgrimages to clootie wells like other holy wells are on the feast days of Saints the Pattern or Patron day or on the old Gaelic festival days of Imbolc 1 February Beltane 1 May Lughnasadh 1 August or Samhain 1 November 4 5 Locations Edit Cloths tied to a tree near Madron Well in Cornwall In Scotland by the village of Munlochy on the A832 is a clootie well called in Scottish Gaelic Tobar Churadain at an ancient spring dedicated to Saint Curetan where rags are still hung on the surrounding bushes and trees Here the well was once thought to have had the power to cure sick children who were left there overnight The site sometimes needs to be cleared of non biodegradable materials and rubbish such as electrical items and a venetian blind 6 In the heart of Culloden woods near the battlefield is a walled clootie well also known as St Mary s well This well was traditionally visited on the first Sunday in May Until recently it was a popular holiday with an ice cream van situated in the car park However this tradition is now in decline although still marked Craigie Well at Avoch on the Black Isle has both offerings of coins and clooties Rags wool and human hair were also used as charms against sorcery and as tokens of penance or fulfilment of a vow 7 A clootie well once existed at Kilallan near Kilmacolm in Renfrewshire This holy well was dedicated to St Fillan and cloth was tied to overhanging shrub branches In Cornwall at Madron Well SW446328 the practice is to tie the cloth and as it rots the ailment is believed to disappear 8 9 In 1894 Madron Well was said to be the only Cornish well where rags were traditionally tied 10 Rags have only appeared at other Cornish wells such as Alsia Well SW393251 and Sancreed Well SW417293 in about the last 30 years 8 Christ s Well at Mentieth was described in 1618 as all tapestried about with old rags 7 In Ireland at Loughcrew Oldcastle County Meath 53 44 36 N 7 08 03 W 53 743299 N 7 134040 W 53 743299 7 134040 there is a wishing tree where visitors to the passage tombs tie ribbons to the branch of a hawthorn tree Loughcrew is a site of considerable historical importance in Ireland It is the site of megalithic burial grounds dating back to approximately 3500 and 3300 BC situated near the summit of Sliabh na Cailli and on surrounding hills and valleys 11 Popular culture EditIn 2002 the folklorist Marion Bowman observed that the number of clootie wells had increased markedly both at existing and new locations in recent years 12 She added that those engaged in the practice often conceived of it as an ancient Celtic activity which they were perpetuating 12 A fictional clootie well at Auchterarder features in the 2006 novel The Naming of the Dead by Ian Rankin who visited the clootie well at Munlochy on Black Isle before writing the book The 2018 film The Party s Just Beginning written and directed by Inverness born filmmaker Karen Gillan features the Munlochy clootie well See also EditCulloden Scotland Knockanare Well Sacred grove Well dressing Wilweorthunga Wish tree Nuragic holy well Holy wellReferences Edit It s upset a lot of people outrage after tidy up of Scottish sacred well The Guardian 30 January 2022 Retrieved 30 January 2022 Moore A W Terry John F 1894 Water and Well Worship in Man Folklore 5 3 212 229 doi 10 1080 0015587X 1894 9720224 a b c d Healy Elizabeth 2002 In Search of Ireland s Holy Wells Dublin Wolfhound Press ISBN 0 86327 865 5 pp 12 19 27 56 7 66 69 81 a b c d e Logan Patrick 1980 The Holy Wells of Ireland Buckinghamshire Colin Smythe Limited ISBN 0 86140 046 1 pp 22 3 95 Healy 2002 p 19 Eerie tradition or eyesore The Clootie Well clean up row BBC News 25 January 2022 Retrieved 26 January 2022 a b Sharp Mick 1997 Holy Places of Celtic Britain London Blandford ISBN 1 85079 315 8 p 172 a b Straffon Cheryl 1998 Fentynyow Kernow In Search of Cornwall s Holy Wells Penzance Meyn Mamvro ISBN 0 9518859 5 2 pp 40 42 Rundall Charlotte Ed 1998 The Magic of Cornwall in Reader s Digest pp 51 52 Quiller Couch M amp L Ancient and Holy Wells of Cornwall 1894 p xxvii Wishing Tree on the path to Loughcrew OS grid N5877 Geograph Ireland photograph every grid square Geograph ie Retrieved 6 November 2011 a b Bowman 2002 p 76 Bibliography Edit Bowman Marion 2002 Contemporary Celtic Spirituality In Joanne Pearson ed Belief Beyond Boundaries Wicca Celtic Spirituality and the New Age Aldershot Ashgate pp 55 101 External links EditThe Clootie Well Munlochy Pictures of the Clootie Well Munlochy Ireland Rag Trees Irish Holy Wells some with rags and ribbons A mention of the Clootie Well of St Curidan Scotland Doon Well a renowned Holy well in Co Donegal Irish Landmarks The Holy Wells of Ireland The Megalithic Portal Includes Holy wells and sacred springs Video footage of Saint Queran s Clootie Well Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Clootie well amp oldid 1090895097, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
