Rood Well

Stepped down from the road, leaving Stenton sits the Rood Well, a curious little conical topped structure.

Also known as The Well of the Holy Rood or The Cardinal's Hat, from the roadside, it's hard to tell that this is a well!

It's surrounded by a small garden and accessed down a handful of steps. Once traversed, you too are below the road line, which leaves the observer and the well plunged below pavement level.

Long run dry, the Rood Well dates back to the 16th century. It's a curious enclosed stone cylinder with a wrought iron gate about 6ft tall, taller if you allow for the strange stone cone on top!

The well was filled in and gated, apparently, as in the 18th century, a cow from the neighbouring field fell in and it took some grappling to get it out again! Cows and wells...honestly!

Built from stone and shaped into neat curved blocks, this isn't the usual style of decorative well found in the middle of a village. It looks more functional and less ornate, almost French looking.

The unusual conical roof is known as the Cardinal's Hat and is said to have been a relic from the Old Parish Church in Stenton, which used to have a stone path between it and the Rood Well, and dates back to the 14th century.

Looking slightly worse for wear now, the finial sits on a rope crown with a stone carved flower on top, now missing a segment. There is a tale in folklore that if the finial ever topples or is lost, the owners of the Biel Estate in Stenton will lose their riches. Better keep on top of the pointing!

It was a lovely little curiosity to stop off and explore in pretty gardens, with far-reaching views of the Firth of Forth under thundery skies.

If you're in Stenton, you might like to visit The Tron.