Sybil's Well

If you were a brave soldier lining up at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, then Sybil's Well may have been the last place you had a drink before heading off to the skirmish.

Originally it would have just been a small spring in the ground, but around 1860 this well head was commissioned by Lady Waterford (Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford) who also owned the nearby Lady Waterford Hall.

It is thought she would show it off to her friends on a saunter from her home at Ford Castle.

The water would be fed through the mouth of a carved lion's head into the basin below, although the spring seems no longer to be flowing. An inscription reads:

“Drink, weary pilgrim, Drink and stay,
Rest by the well of Sybil Grey.”

Sybil Grey was a character in a poem by Walter Scott called Marmion, a semi-fictitious tale about the Battle of Flodden and is the place where Lord Marmion died.

If you fancy a wander to Sybil's Well yourself, then find a little grassy verge off the road and look out for the fingerpost leading the way to Flodden Hill. Follow the treeline to the edge of the field and then keep to the track as it bears left. You will see the well in a little grotto. It's all on the same path so you can't go wrong.

Follow the route on OS Maps. It's less than 1km to get there so maybe a 10 minute walk.

Follow On OS Maps

From the well you can get fabulous views of the fields where the Battle Of Flodden took place.

However there is actually another well. This one is known as the Flodden Well, but just along the road from the parking area is another called the Branxton Well and some think that is this one is Scott's actual Marmion's Well.