Map Reference: Balemartine 15
Name Type: well
Meaning: Balemartine well
Other Forms: Tobar a’ Bhaile 'well of the township'
Related Places:
Information: "It never ran dry" - AMcF.
The well at Port an Tobair was called simply An Tobar by the local people. It never ran dry and the water came out in a stream. People came from as far afield as Mannal to collect the water. It was sometimes filled by a very high tide. It did have a wooden door but it was often left open and needed to be replaced often. You needed to take a small scoop to take the water out because its entrance was quite narrow, and then you put the water into an old milk churn or similar vessel. When children were in on holiday (particularly from Taigh Bhrèadaidh) they would sometimes throw a hen in to see if it could swim, and a dead bird would be found floating in the well the next day. This was quite a serious matter. NMcD.
Local Form:
Languages : GaelicInformants: Allan MacFadyen, Balemartine, 1/1995
Informant 2: Eilidh Kennedy (Eilidh bheag), Balemartine, 1/1995
Informant 3: Neil MacDonald, Balevullin, 12/2012
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