These supposedly curative spring waters are traditionally associated with St Patrick – it is said he scourged himself here, spending much of the night immersed in what is now the Drinking Well.
The wells are in a scenic, secluded glen 3km east of Downpatrick and 3km south of Saul village. From Downpatrick, take the B1 road towards Ardglass, and turn left after passing the hospital.
Patrick must have been a hardy soul – the well-preserved but chilly 17th-century bathhouses here look more likely to induce ill health than cure it! The site has been venerated for centuries, although the buildings are all post-1600.
Between the bathhouses and the ruined chapel stands the Eye Well, whose waters are said to cure eye ailments.
