Hi,

The Wells o' Wearie are located in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park at the foot of Arthur's Seat. They were located in private ground at the south end opposite Samson's Ribs and near the route of one of Scotland's first railways which opened in 1831.

Several Scottish songs from the early 1800s have a similar refrain. Among them are:

1. A song based on tradition by Perth native Alexander Maclagan (b. 1811) which is titled. "Wells o' Wearie" and begins:

"I daur ye meet me! I daur ye by the dirk!
And I'se meet thee, ne'er fear ye!
I sall rin thee through an' through, and slay thee in the mirk,
By the gloomie, gloomie Wells o' Wearie!"

2. A song by Alexander A. Ritchie who was born at Edinburgh, in 1816 titled Wells o' Wearie. Here are the first two stanzas:

Sweetly shines the sun on auld Edinbro' toun,
And mak's her look young and cheerie;
Yet I maun awa' to spend the afternoon
At the lanesome Wells o' Wearie.

And you maun gang wi' me, my winsome Mary Grieve,
There's nought in the world to fear ye;
For I ha'e ask'd your minnie, and she has gi'en ye leave
To gang to the Wells o' Wearie.

Motherwell wrote a poem titled "Wearie's well" which doesn't have a similar line.

"Water o the Weary Well," sung by Mrs James Christie is Child B but it's missing the opening stanzas.

Richie