History and stories

A great Pictish fort

Burghead Well stands in the north-eastern corner of what was once a great Pictish fort. Three huge ramparts and ditches cut off the headland heading into the Moray Firth. Behind them lay an inner fort, dating to about AD 500. Burghead may have served as a Pictish navy base, but it was destroyed by fire in the 800s.

Burghead Well stood in the annexe on the line of the ramparts of the fort.

Remnants of the fort were mostly destroyed in 1808, when the planned town of Burghead was built.

Stone steps leading upward from the interior of Burghead Well, flanked by moss-covered stone walls. The steps are uneven and worn, showing signs of age and moisture. At the top, daylight illuminates the exit, with a glimpse of an exterior stone structure and wooden fencing.

Statement of Significance

You can find out more about the Burghead Well in our Statement of Significance, part of a series of special documents outlining the history and development of Historic Scotland sites.

What's down the well?

In 1809, the ‘well’ was excavated to serve as a water supply for the planned town. Inside the green hollow, workers discovered:

a 5m square, 4m high chamber
a 3m square cistern
a flight of steps leading down, cut from solid rock

The cistern had a free-standing stone pedestal in one corner, and a basin cut into another. The cistern was deepened using explosives to increase its water capacity, and the entrance arch and roof chamber were built.

When the well was cleared out, several finds were made:

a stone slab with a carved bull
Spanish coins
a bell metal jug
a stone square with cross and knot carvings

There’ve been a few theories regarding the well’s function. It may have been the water supply of the Pictish fort, but its monumental character makes it ill-suited to utilitarian function. Perhaps the most plausible theory is that Burghead Well was once a Pictish cult centre, which was later converted to Christian use.