Witches’ Well, Edinburgh
The Witches' Well is a monument to accused witches burned at the stake in Edinburgh, Scotland, 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 Edinburgh Castle, and located close to where many witches were burned at the stake.Photo: (Lila), CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.
Edinburgh Castle
Photo: Stephencdickson, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock, 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. Edinburgh Castle is situated 820 feet west of Witches’ Well, Edinburgh.
The Scotch Whisky Experience
Photo: Derek Harper, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The Scotch Whisky Experience is a visitor attraction themed around Scotch whisky in Edinburgh, Scotland. The attraction occupies a Category B listed Victorian era school building, located on Castlehill, part of the Royal Mile in the Old Town.
Scottish National Gallery
Art gallery
Photo: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The National is the national art gallery of Scotland. It is located on The Mound in central Edinburgh, close to Princes Street. The building was designed in a neoclassical style by William Henry Playfair, and first opened to the public in 1859. Scottish National Gallery is situated 750 feet north of Witches’ Well, Edinburgh.
Places in the Area
Nearby places include Old Town and Quartermile.
Old Town
Photo: PerryPlanet, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Old Town is the original settlement of Edinburgh. 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".
Quartermile
Neighborhood
Photo: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Quartermile is the marketing name given to the mixed use redevelopment of the former Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh site, in Lauriston, Edinburgh. 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.
Lauriston
Neighborhood
Photo: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Lauriston is an area of central Edinburgh, Scotland, and home to a number of significant historic buildings. It lies south of Edinburgh Castle and the Grassmarket, and north of The Meadows public park.
Witches’ Well, Edinburgh
- Categories: memorial, water well, drinking fountain, and historic site
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, Britain and Ireland, Europe
- View on OpenStreetMap
Latitude
55.94888° or 55° 56′ 56″ northLongitude
-3.19642° or 3° 11′ 47″ westOpen location code
9C7RWRX3+HCOpenStreetMap ID
node 2836251939OpenStreetMap feature
amenity=fountainOpenStreetMap feature
historic=memorialWikidata ID
Q95568172
This page is based on OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikipedia.
We’d love your help improving our open data sources. Thank you for contributing.
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.
Edinburgh: Must-Visit Destinations
Delve into Old Town, New Town, Leith, and West Edinburgh.
Curious Fountains to Discover
Uncover intriguing fountains from every corner of the globe.