Description
South of Invergarry along the west shore of Loch Oich.
The obelisk erected in 1812 sits on top of the well, tells the
story of the wells gruesome past, which took place in 1663.
The monument which stands above this ancient well was erected in 1812. Its carving of a hand holding a dagger and seven severed heads commemorates an incident which took place in September 1663. The accounts of this event are many and varied.
Alasdair and Ranald MacDonald of Keppoch were murdered by their uncle, Alasdair Buidhe of Inverlair, 'apparently to no great grief in the district'. On learning this, Ian Lom, the Keppoch Bard, borrowed 50 men from MacDonald of Sleat in order to bring the murderers to justice. On arriving at Inverlair and, finding the house barricaded, they set it on fire, forcing out the seven men inside who were killed. Their heads were severed and washed in the well before being presented to the Chief of Glengarry. However, it is not known whether any of these seven were involved in the murders. The remains of seven bodies were later discovered in a mound nearby