The Bonnie Wee Well
Scottish Song By Hugh MacDonald
The Bonnie Wee Well is a Scottish poem written by Hugh MacDonald (1817–1860) probably during the 1850s and was later included in several 19th-century collections of Scottish poetry such as The Glasgow Poets: Their Lives and Poems (1872) and was also included in Paisley Poets (published later in the 19th century).The well, which is the subject of this poem, stands on the Gleniffer Braes above Paisley and was constructed in memory of Hugh MacDonald, a writer and journalist born in the town in 1817. A medallion fixed to the top of the structure features a verse from one of his poems. The spring water still flows and is known for being clean and clear.
Walkers on the Braes often stop at the well, which has served as a source of drinking water for many years. At one time, an iron cup on a chain was attached to the stonework, allowing people to drink directly from the spring. This cup is no longer present.
The well serves both as a source of water and as a memorial to MacDonald's connection with Paisley. It remains open to the public and is still a common stopping point for local visitors.
Hugh MacDonald was born on 4 April 1817 in Bridgeton, Glasgow, as one of eleven children.
His parents had relocated from the Scottish Highlands to work in the textile industry; his father was employed as a dyer at Monteith and Company. At the age of seven, MacDonald began working as a 'tearer' in the same factory. He later apprenticed as a block printer at the Barrowfield calico-printing works and briefly operated a grocery shop in 1848. Following the shop's closure, he worked for Harrow, McIntyre and Co. in Colinslie, Paisley, initially commuting from Bridgeton before temporarily moving to Paisley.
MacDonald became involved in literary circles, joining the City Club in Glasgow and helping to establish the Ramblers Association. Around 1840, he began writing, contributing poetry and articles to Chartist publications like the Chartist Circular. In 1847, he gained public attention by defending Robert Burns's poetry in a letter to the Glasgow Citizen, countering criticism from Rev. George Gilfillan of Dundee.
Invited by editor James Hedderwick, MacDonald joined the Glasgow Citizen in 1849, writing under the pseudonym 'Caleb'. He authored articles on social and political topics and became known for his travelogues detailing walks around Glasgow. These writings were compiled into the book Rambles Round Glasgow, published in 1854 and dedicated to Hedderwick. The book was well-received and went through multiple editions. In 1857, he published Days at the Coast, focusing on the Firth of Clyde.
MacDonald served as sub-editor of the Glasgow Citizen and later contributed to the Glasgow Morning Journal and the Glasgow Sentinel. He also edited the Glasgow Times.
He married twice; his first wife, Agnes, died within a year of their marriage along with their newborn child. He later married Alison, a bridesmaid at his first wedding, with whom he had one son and four daughters.
In early 1860, MacDonald fell ill after a research trip to Castlemilk for a planned book titled Footsteps of the Year. He died on 16 March 1860 at the age of 42 and was buried in the Southern Necropolis in Glasgow.
Related Scottish Country Dances
The Bonnie Wee WellThe Bonnie Wee Well By Hugh MacDonald
That skinkles sae cauld in the sweet smile o' day,
Croons a wee sang just to pleasure itsel',
As it jinks 'neath the bracken and the bonnie blue bell.
Seems to me you're just a bairnie at play-
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae.
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae
Wins blessings on blessings o' mony ilk day,
For the wayworn and weary oft rest by its side,
Where man, wife and bairn are sae richly supplied.
For it springs frae the yird wi' a flicker o' glee-
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae.
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae,
Where the hare steals to drink in the gloamin' sae grey,
Where wild moorlan' birds dip their nebs and tak' wing,
And the lark wets his whistle ere starting to sing.
Seems to me you're just a bairnie at play-
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae.
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae,
Your mem'ry aft haunts me by nicht and by day,
For the freens I hae loved in the years that are gane
Hae knelt by your brim and partaken sae lang.
I drink to the anes wha come back nae mair-
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae.
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae,
My blessing gaes wi' ye wherever I stray.
In joy and in sorrow, in sunshine and gloom,
I dream o' your beauty, your freshness and bloom.
Seems to me you're just a child at play-
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae.
In the depths o' the city, 'mid turmoil and noise,
I'll hear wi' rapture your lane trickling voice,
While fancy tak's wing to your rich fringe o' green,
To quaff your cool waters in noon's gowden sheen.
Seems to me you're just a bairnie at play-
The bonnie wee well on the breist o' the brae.
Detail Of Medallion Bust On The Bonnie Wee Well At Macdonald's Rest
The Online Scots Dictionary Translate Scots To English.
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Text from this original Hugh MacDonald (Journalist) article on Wikipedia.
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