Clootie Wells

Liz Lister | Jaggy Thistle Tours

Clootie Well
Image | Liz Lister

As you travel around Scotland you may spot a very strange sight that is likely to stop you in your tracks: hundreds of strips of cloth—or cloots as they’re known in Scotland—tied to the branches of trees. These are called Clootie Wells and are places of pilgrimage that link us to Celtic ancestors over countless generations. 

As the term “well” suggests, they were usually located close to a freshwater spring with a tree growing nearby. In Celtic culture across Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man, they are linked to ancient traditions that involved leaving votive offerings in wells or pits. Celtic Christianity was closely aligned to nature and the seasons, and places of clean water were believed to have associations with water spirits, or sprites, who resided there. 

A poignant offering
Image | Liz Lister

As well as making offerings for general good fortune, it was believed that these water spirits could provide healing, and so a piece of cloth might be dipped in the water of a holy well and used to wash the body of the afflicted person. The cloth was then tied on the branch of a tree while a prayer was said to the spirit of the well. As the rag disintegrates over time, it was believed that it would take the ailment with it, but it was also believed that anyone removing the rag would succumb to the original misfortune! 

Those of you who have travelled in Asia may be familiar with the sight of special trees draped with cloths and rags, prayer flags on trees in Tibet and “Shaman Trees”—it’s likely the origins of the beliefs are the same. 

With the coming of the Roman Catholic Church these traditions were absorbed, but the spirits were replaced by Christian saints. The well would attract pilgrims from across the local area and beyond. Several authors have described the scene at certain traditional times of the year as being “like a fair,” bringing significant income to both the local economy and the Church. However during the 16th Century, with Scotland in the grip of the Protestant Reformation, an Act was passed in 1581 that made pilgrimage to a holy well illegal. As the practice fell into decline it was those wells which had become associated with Christian saints that were able to survive. 

Waymarker at Munloch
Image | Liz Lister

Perhaps the best known of these in Scotland is outside the village of Munlochy, on the Black Isle north of Inverness. Munlochy's Clootie Well has been a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of years and the ancient spring is believed to have been dedicated to Saint Curetan, a seventh Century missionary credited with bringing the Christian word to the ancient tribes of Picts who resided in this area. Over time, he established a monastery at nearby Rosemarkie where he was bishop and abbot and later became known as St. Boniface. The Munlochy Well also became associated with this saint. 

To visit the site today is an eerie, surreal experience. Undoubtedly many have visited seeking the power of healing, and the prevalence of clinical facemarks is a reminder of the times we live in. For others it's a tourist experience akin to tossing coins into the Trevi Fountain, or a focus for some alternative view of the world—the offerings are testament to this. The story boards urge visitors to use biodegradable materials and point out that anyone tying a polyester cloot will be a long time waiting for healing! 

A stark reminder of the times we live in 
Image | Liz Lister

In spite of the pleas, the waste left by hordes of visitors has left the site looking like a "fly-tipping site," and in October last year, Forestry and Land Scotland, who own the site, put out a plea for volunteers to help clean it up. There is no report that I can find of anyone being afflicted in the process! 

The video below captures a walk through the site: a sad, unnerving experience, even if it was a bright sunny day when I visited.