Digging up the past at historic Struell Wells

Digging up the past at historic Struell Wells

20 June 2012 - by BY DAVID TELFORD

AN archaeological dig at Struell Wells outside Downpatrick is unearthing more information about the area’s past.

Queen’s University students, in conjunction with the Environment Agency, are concentrating their efforts on one of the wells in which Saint Patrick is claimed to have bathed naked in, chanting psalms in order to Christianise it.

The students are being led by Killough man Dr. Finbar McCormick who has written a definitive history on the wells and their association with the patron saint.

He said Struell boasts the most extensive group of buildings of holy wells anywhere in Ireland and within a few hundred years of St. Patrick bathing there, large numbers of pilgrims came to visit the site before in 1100 a local chieftain filled in the well because there was so much trouble from the crowds visiting the area.

Dr. McCormick continued: “The main thing that makes this unique is that the pilgrims would have to copy St. Patrick who was naked in the wells. “People who came here also bathed naked and in the 19th century were coming from as far away as Portugal to visit on midsummer’s eve. But the local church decided to close it down for obvious reasons because it was causing scandal.”

Dr. McCormick said the first year archaeology Queen’s students working at Struell do a training dig every year and explained they are trying to unearth features associated with the holy wells which over the centuries have been covered up.

“We have already found a path which runs between the well used by St. Patrick and the bath houses. We have also uncovered a medieval road but don’t know the date of it.

“The other thing we know is that a church at the site was built in 1750, but there was also a medieval church here dating back to the 1200s at least and we have uncovered bits of the window surviving in a nearby wall.

“We are now looking for the foundation of that church to see where it was located, find out what size it was and perhaps was there a graveyard associated with it.”

Dr. McCormick said since it’s believed St. Patrick was Christianising a pagan well, students may also find pre-christian remains at Struell. He said everything uncovered will be written up and published as a report.

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie said there is a major link between Struell Wells and the patron saint and wants more done to encourage people to visit the site which she described as one of the district’s “hidden heritage treasures.”

She continued: “For a few years I have felt we need to unveil St. Patrick and his contribution and early Christianity in this part of the world and felt there was a need to document and unveil the history of this place. The best way to do that was having an archaeological dig.

“I believe the name of this place should be changed to St. Patrick’s Wells at Struell. Dr. McCormick and the students have started the process of placing the emphasis on the patron saint and there is a need for better access and interpretation here. I would also hope local churches and schools make more of this place.”

The South Down MP said Struell Wells should be part and parcel of the tourist experience for visitors to Downpatrick and Lecale, explaining she wants to see further work undertaken on the archaeology and heritage of a number of sites to expand what each has to offer visitors, with any finds used in a constructive and practical way to further promote the area and enhance the visitor experience.

Miss Ritchie said she hopes the archaeological dig at Struell will uncover many more finds that will expand the offering the location and lead to improvements at the site for locals and visitors alike.