A modest roofed well and fragmentary shelter mark the mineral spring that transformed Moffat into a spa town.
Quick facts
- Date
- Discovered traditionally in 1655; surviving fabric of several dates
- Architect / designer
- Successive local builders
- Type
- Mineral well house and shelter remains
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB16865)
- OS grid reference
- NT 09240 07200
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The mineral source lies within a gabled rubble well house open to the south. Footings and column sockets nearby are the reduced remains of a larger nineteenth-century shelter.
Its story
Promotion of the spring from the seventeenth century drew health visitors and stimulated lodging, baths and social life in the town below. Several successive structures served the well.
Why it is included
Although architecturally fragmentary, the well is the essential physical cause of Moffat’s spa development and later tourism.
What to notice
- Open south face of the small well house.
- Changes in rubble masonry from successive repairs.
- Footings that outline the lost visitor shelter.
Reading the surroundings
Reach the site only by current lawful walking routes and prepare for exposed hill conditions. Do not drink the water; current route guidance expressly advises against taking it.
Timeline
- 1655 Tradition dates the discovery of the mineral spring.
- 18th century Growing spa custom linked the hill well with lodging and society in Moffat.
- 19th century A columned shelter was built for visitors beside the source.
- 2026 Published walking routes continue to identify the well as a landmark.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The 1655 date is traditional, and surviving masonry belongs to more than one phase.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Moffat Well, LB16865 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Walk Moffat: Three Hills route — Current route, surviving landmark and explicit advice not to drink the water.
Location
OS grid reference NT 09240 07200 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; the independent source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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