Witches’ Well, Edinburgh

The Witches' Well is a monument to accused witches burned at the stake in , , and is the only one of its kind in the city. The memorial drinking fountain is attached to a wall at the lower end of the Castle Esplanade, below , and located close to where many witches were burned at the stake.
  • Type: Fountain
  • Description: wall-mounted fountain in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
  • Also known as: The Witches‘ Well”, “Wall fountain in memory of over 300 women burned at the stake”, and “Witches‘ Well
  • Inscription: “This fountain designed by John Duncan R.S.A. is near the site on which many witches were burned at the stake. ...”

Places of Interest Nearby

Highlights include Edinburgh Castle and The Scotch Whisky Experience.

is a historic castle in , Scotland. It stands on , which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcolm III in the 11th century, and the castle continued to be a royal residence until 1633. is situated 820 feet west of Witches’ Well, Edinburgh.

is a visitor attraction themed around Scotch whisky in , . The attraction occupies a Category B listed Victorian era school building, located on Castlehill, part of the in the .

Art gallery
The National is the national art gallery of . It is located on in central , close to . The building was designed in a neoclassical style by William Henry Playfair, and first opened to the public in 1859. is situated 750 feet north of Witches’ Well, Edinburgh.

Places in the Area

Nearby places include Old Town and Quartermile.

is the original settlement of . At its core is the Royal Mile, the long street descending east from Castle Crag to Holyrood Palace. This medieval city was cramped for space so it built higher and higher, and stank higher still, hence its nickname of "Auld Reekie".

Neighborhood
is the marketing name given to the mixed use redevelopment of the former site, in , . It was master-planned by architect Foster + Partners and takes its name from the fact it is a quarter mile from Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile and measures a quarter mile from corner to corner.

Neighborhood
is an area of central , , and home to a number of significant historic buildings. It lies south of and the , and north of public park.

Witches’ Well, Edinburgh

Latitude
55.94888° or 55° 56′ 56″ north
Longitude
-3.19642° or 3° 11′ 47″ west
Open location code
9C7RWRX3+HC
Open­Street­Map ID
node 2836251939
Open­Street­Map feature
amenity=­fountain
Open­Street­Map feature
historic=­memorial
Wiki­data ID
Q95568172
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Satellite Map

Discover Witches’ Well, Edinburgh from above in high-definition satellite imagery.

In Other Languages

From Dutch to Russian—“Witches’ Well, Edinburgh” goes by many names.
  • Dutch: Witches‘ Well
  • Dutch: Witches’ Well
  • Russian: Ведьмин колодец (Эдинбург)
  • Russian: Ведьмин колодец

Notable Places Nearby

Highlights include Cannonball House and 78th Highlanders Memorial.

Nearby Places

Explore places such as Edinburgh Castle and Contini Cannonball.

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