Placename
Gaelic name: Spùtan a' Bhile
Name in Original Source: Spùtan a' Bhile
English meaning: Little spout of the holy tree
Placename feature: Man-made
Notes: This name is generally used to refer to what is now called The holy well in English, but it actually means the pipe from which the water of the holy well finally emerges. It is an old lead pipe which used to have a drinking ladle attached with a chain to the adjacent limestone block wall. Spùtan is a small spout; Bileis regarded as referring to a holy or venerated tree, a possibly pre-Christian or early Christian tradition. Near Spùtan a' Bhile was a building believed to have connections to the early Christian monastery, and also nearby were the Four trees of Applecross which had some special properties attributed to them, even if they were not contemporaneous with the well.<br /><br /><br /><br />Dwelly's Gaelic dictionary offers the following definitions: <br /><br />Spùtan: Small spout or squirt. 2 Small cascade, jet of water.<br /><br />Bile: Lip. 2 Rim, brim, edge, margin of anything. 3 Cluster of trees. 4 Leaf, blade.
W. J. Watson's notes:
Map name appears in: Does not appear on maps
Feature Co-ordinates: 57.437726,-5.805577
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