“Closely associated with the circles, and occupying an equally important position in the religious rites and ceremonies of the ancient inhabitants, were sacred wells. These were more numerous than circles, no doubt owing to the fact that their acquisition was more easily accomplished: but amongst sacred wells we find some, as we find certain circles, occupying a position of pre-eminence in the religious cult of their votaries, and these, as a rule, in close proximity to sun and moon temples. At Tillie Beltane, in Aberdeenshire, in close proximity to the remains of a larger and smaller circle, is a well which was held sacred by the people. According to Col. Leslie, on Beltane and Midsummer days, those on whom the dire hand of disease had fallen, or those desirous of averting that calamity, went seven times round the sacred wells sunwise (deasil)[59] and then proceeded to the circles, where a like ceremony was performed.” “In Stenness we find the same association of the well and the circles. But in harmony with the unrivalled completeness of these monuments... we find the sacred well here in a closer and deeper connection with the circles than elsewhere.” “In the parish of Stenness there is a district called Bigswell, in the centre of which is a sacred well, and from which the district takes its name, Big(s)well.... Be that as it may, we know from tradition that down to the time when the Stone of Odin was demolished, parents came to the well with children, on Beltane and Midsummer, passed round it sunwise, and having bathed their little ones (a healthy ordeal), carried them thence to the Stone of Odin, and passed them through the hole as a divine protection against the malignant influences of the evil one.” Borlase records an instance of a well near a stone-circle in Ireland in the Townland of Ballyferriter, in County Kerry.[60] The same author also gives examples in Ireland of wells near dolmens, and of wells _covered_ by dolmens.[61] It may be remarked that in Cornwall Chapel Euny well is associated with the circles at Bartinné and Carn Euny; St. Cleer with the three circles at the Hurlers, and Alsia well is near the Bolleit circle. Mr. Horton Bolitho is my authority for these statements. A well is often found near a cell, cairn or _keeill_. Rhys gives us two examples in the Isle of Man.[62] At Ardmore Bay the holy well is within the ruined chapel of the saint.[63] A vast pile of stones surrounds the holy well in Glencolumbkille in Donegal.[64] It might be useful to add here that it is a very common thing to find a well by a so-called tomb of a saint. Let us turn now to wells situated near churches. It is very generally known that many churches have been built on the sites of stone-circles, menhirs, &c. This leads us to think that some form of worship must have taken place at the “ancient-stones” originally. The following extract from Wilson’s _Archæology_ (page 110) is given in _Stonehenge_ by Sir Henry James (page 17):