Who is the Queen of Cùl Lodain?

From the Scottish Gaelic, “Cùl Lodain” translates to “back of the small pond” — but who is the Queen Cùl Lodain?

The English pronounce it ‘Culloden’ and today the area of Cul Lodain is most famously known as the preserved historic battlefield site of Culloden, under the care of the National Trust for Scotland.

The Battle of Culloden was the last pitched battle fought on British soil and took place in 1746 between a Jacobite army under the command of Charles Edward Stuart and British government forces under the command of the Duke of Cumberland. The Jacobites were decisively beaten by the British at 'Culloden Fields', thereby ending an uprising.

The “Clootie Hole” in Culloden Woods, near the battlefield site, is a holy place where visitors leave strips of colourful cloth ( as offerings for cures). People traditionally visit the Clootie Hole of Cul Lodain on the first Sunday of May.

It is believed that the tradition of leaving offerings at the Culloden ‘hole’ began with Celtic (pre-Christian) May-day rituals that consisted of presenting small offerings to the water spirit who inhabited this 'holy' spring. In the case of Culloden, the goddess-spirit is recognised as the Queen of Cùl Lodain (the “Queen of the small pond”). The spirit was said to help people overcome ailments and disease.

A more well-known Clootie Hole, possibly the one describe in Neil Mach’s ‘Moondog and the Galium Satyr’, is located near Munlochy Scotland, dedicated to Saint Curetán.

Saint Curetán was supposedly a relative of Saint Peter and Saint Andrew. Saint Curetán’s ‘day’ is celebrated on March 14th. His 'hole' is also, very probably, of pre-Christian (Celtic) origin.

People still perform healing rituals at these places of pilgrimage

At Clootie Holes (also known as Clootie Wells) —sacred springs with nearby trees—visitors tie strips of cloth or ribbons (cloots or clooties) onto overhanging branches.

The "cloot" should have come into contact with the sick individual before the visit to the holy water, and the strip of cloth would be tied to overhanging branches by the pilgrim. The 'miracle' was said to be accomplished with the help of the resident water spirit (or the intercession of the saint) associated with the site. it was believed that illness or disease would subside once the cloot decomposed.

Clootie Holes are found in Celtic areas, typically Scotland, Ireland, or in Cornwall.

At a Clootie Hole, local people pray 'through' their locally recognised saint, though pre-Christian prayers and offerings were (and still are) dedicated to the nature goddess or the ‘water spirit’ that ‘resides’ at the site, for example the spectral 'Queen of Cùl Lodain.'

Clootie Holes are frequently surrounded by hawthorns, a tree that represents hope in British folklore. Branches of 'thorn' were used as anti-witchcraft charms by country people. It is from these thorns and other branches that clooties hang (see above,)