2010

NM7815 : Ardmaddy Wishing Tree

taken 14 years ago, 3 km from Balvicar, Seil, Argyll And Bute, Scotland

This is 1 of 6 images, with title Ardmaddy Wishing Tree in this square
Ardmaddy Wishing Tree
Ardmaddy Wishing Tree
The Wishing Tree at Ardmaddy stands towards the head of the Bealach Gaoithe, which is the pass carrying the old road from Ardmaddy to Degnish. At this point there are spectacular views west across the Sound of Seil to the Isle of Seil and north-west across the Firth of Lorne to the Isle of Mull.
The Ardmaddy Wishing Tree is a nearly-dead hawthorn, a tree which is often associated with magic and ritual. Now fenced about to protect it, it is remarkable for the thousands of coins which have been hammered into its wood, or laid in natural bowls on its fallen limbs.
There are still some green shoots at the stump of the tree, and these are adorned with “clooties” or strips of coloured cloth.
The practice of leaving coins and clooties on special trees is associated with people seeking good luck or to have wishes granted. The practice is ancient and similar to more formalised votive rituals where objects of value to the donor were consigned to the gods or local spirits.
In Scotland, such trees are known as "rag-trees" or "clootie-wells", which hints to the ancient practice of making votive offerings into water.
It is not known how old the tradition of the Ardmaddy Wishing Tree is, but most of the coins appear to be 20th Century and later. Copper coins are abundant and obviously have contributed to the death of the tree. The more modern “coppers” – new pennies and two-pence coins – contain far less copper and are rusting, rather than becoming verdigris.
The Wishing Tree is accessible from the end of the public road at NM791168, where limited car parking is available. Good tracks are signposted the 2.2km from the road end to the tree. Walkers can continue across the peninsula to the end of the public road from Kilmelford at NM786127.
In 2013 archaeologists from the University of Manchester carried out a small-scale excavation at the tree. They found 700 coins in six test pits around the tree, showing that many coins had fallen from the tree over the years. The oldest coin they found was a 1914 penny. They kept a blog of the dig which can be found at LinkExternal link.
Keywords: Ardmaddy, wishing tree, votive, paganism, Ceri Houlbrook


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Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Patrick Mackie and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Category: Wishing tree
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · Wishing Tree [10] Other Photos: · Track to Ardmaddy Title Clusters: · Ardmaddy Wishing Tree [6] ·
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Grid Square
NM7815, 14 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Patrick Mackie   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Sunday, 2 May, 2010   (more nearby)
Submitted
Sunday, 2 May, 2010
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NM 789 151 [100m precision]
WGS84: 56:16.6456N 5:34.3856W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NM 789 151
View Direction
North-northwest (about 337 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Supplemental image
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