Popular saint

“I was interested to read the recent article about Saint Margaret in Dunfermline in The Courier recently,” writes Thomas Brown of Bankfoot.

“In my own parish of Auchtergaven, a popular saint was worshipped up until a century ago. Her name is St Bride, although her true name was Bridgid. She was an Irish nun who could be associated with Mother Teresa of Calcutta – canonised by the Pope, Bridgid became known as Saint Bride.

“This was at a time when old Celtic beliefs coincided with the early Christian church and wells in particular were held sacred to the Celts’ places of worship.

“Such a well existed near the farm of Balmacolly near Bankfoot.

“To banish the old religions, the Catholic church blessed many wells in the name of Christ and of a particular saint and the well near Bankfoot became known as St Bride’s Well.

“But the old beliefs persisted and one of Bankfoot’s early ministers was furious when parishioners of one kirk, one of many in the parish, continued to pay homage to the well and he threatened to excommunicate them.

“An old story tells that some parishioners rebelled and held a devilish ceremony in which they cursed the minister and the kirk. In 2014 the parish kirk was engulfed by fire and at the time I thought of that story. Nothing remains of the well, but St Bride is remembered in Bankfoot with the name Logiebride.”