Seeking Patterns of Lordship, Justice and Worship in the Scottish Landscape
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Steele, Joyce (2014) Seeking patterns of lordship, justice and worship in the Scottish landscape. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/5811/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] ‘Seeking patterns of lordship, justice and worship in the Scottish landscape’ Joyce Steele Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Glasgow Faculty of Arts School of Humanities October 2014 1 Contents Tables ............................................................................................................ 6 Maps .............................................................................................................. 8 Illustrations ..................................................................................................... 9 Abstract ........................................................................................................ 10 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................... 12 Abbreviations ............................................................................................... 13 1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 15 1.1 Form and remit of the study ............................................................ 15 1.2 The importance of Maps to the study .............................................. 16 1.3 The choice of a pre-Reformation landscape in Scotland for this study ........................................................................................................ 17 2 Methodology ......................................................................................... 18 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................... 18 2.2 Choosing a suitable area ................................................................ 18 2.3 Selection of Site-types .................................................................... 22 2.4 Collection of data concerning Site-types ......................................... 25 2.5 Compilation of the Database ........................................................... 27 2.6 Selection of Computer Mapping Software ....................................... 34 2.7 Expanding the Study area ............................................................... 40 2.8 Use of other source material for the further collection of sites ........ 57 2.9 Looking for Patterns ........................................................................ 61 2.10 The Structure of this Thesis ......................................................... 63 3 Court hills .............................................................................................. 67 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................... 67 3.2 Names & Terms .............................................................................. 74 3.2.1 Court Knowes, motes, etc ........................................................ 74 3.2.2 Mottes ...................................................................................... 75 3.2.3 Laws & Hills .............................................................................. 81 3.2.4 Tom a’Mhoid ............................................................................ 82 3.2.5 Cuthills ..................................................................................... 85 3.2.6 Conclusion ............................................................................... 87 3.2.7 Previous Evidence .................................................................... 88 3.2.8 Conclusion ............................................................................... 94 3.3 Distribution of Court Hill sites .......................................................... 94 3.4 Methodology and Criteria employed in identifying Court Hill sites .. 98 3.4.1 Dating ..................................................................................... 105 3.4.2 Law Systems & Codes ........................................................... 105 3.4.3 Courts ..................................................................................... 107 3.4.4 Anglo-Saxon Hundreds .......................................................... 108 3.4.5 Mottes & Court hills ................................................................ 111 3.4.6 Govan ..................................................................................... 112 3.4.7 Conclusion ............................................................................. 113 3.5 Patterns that emerged when court hills were looked at in the ArcView programme ............................................................................... 116 3.6 Parish Churches ........................................................................... 117 2 3.6.1 Associations & Distances ....................................................... 117 3.6.2 Law Stones & Parish Churches .............................................. 121 3.6.3 Dating of Parish Churches associated with Court Hills ........... 124 3.6.4 Conclusion ............................................................................. 132 3.7 Churches (not parish) and Chapels: ............................................. 133 3.7.1 Conclusion ............................................................................. 139 3.8 Other Religious Sites .................................................................... 140 3.8.1 Conclusion ............................................................................. 147 3.9 Eglés or Eccles and Annait Names ............................................... 149 3.9.1 Eglés or Eccles....................................................................... 149 3.9.2 Annait ..................................................................................... 152 3.9.3 Conclusion ............................................................................. 153 3.10 Associations between Court Hills and Prehistoric Sites ............. 154 3.10.1 Court hills with no apparent associations with any other sites in the study ......................................................................................... 161 3.10.2 Associations of Gallows and Court Hills .............................. 163 3.11 Cuthill and Eireachd Sites.......................................................... 165 3.12 Associations with Rivers ............................................................ 167 3.13 Conclusion ................................................................................. 170 3.14 Case Study: Rosneath ............................................................... 186 4 Wells ................................................................................................... 192 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................... 192 4.2 Definitions ..................................................................................... 197 4.3 Types of Well ................................................................................ 203 4.3.1 Holy well ................................................................................. 203 4.3.2 Well Chapel ............................................................................ 204 4.3.3 Non-holy well .......................................................................... 206 4.3.4 Celtic well ............................................................................... 209 4.3.5 Wells ...................................................................................... 210 4.3.6 Previous Evidence .................................................................. 210 4.3.7 Distribution of Holy Wells ....................................................... 222 4.4 Methodology and criteria employed in identifying holy wells ......... 230 4.5 Origins of Well-worship in Christianity........................................... 235 4.5.1 “Paganism” ............................................................................. 235 4.5.2 Christianisation ....................................................................... 238 4.5.3 Attributes of Holy Wells .......................................................... 242 4.5.4 White Ladies .......................................................................... 242 4.5.5 Guardians ............................................................................... 242 4.5.6 Healing ................................................................................... 243 4.5.7 Divination ............................................................................... 243 4.5.8 Fertility .................................................................................... 244 4.5.9 Other attributes....................................................................... 244 4.5.10 Dating of Holy Wells ...........................................................