St Fillan's Cave

[Ermintruder]

After having resurrected the thread about the Margate Shell Grotto (see http://forum.forteantimes.com/index.php?threads/margate-shell-grotto.3288/) it struck me that I hadn't mentioned in FTMB the truly-atmospheric beauty that is St Fillan's Cave, in Fife.

This is a mysterious little adapted sea cave, now hundreds of yards from the waterfront. It has been modified over time, but may been use for a variety of pre-Christian worship phases before becoming used by St Fillan, and the established church (it is now officially used for some sevices, but it is an amazing place to look around).

At one time, it was completely lost and forgotten about, then rediscovered in the late 1700s.

St Fillan himself was an odd character, who was reportedly able to emit light from his limbs in the dark (especially his left arm) which he used to read the bible, deep in his cave.

I may write more about it....I must go back and visit it again. If you are ever in the Kingdom of Fife, you must go and see this hidden and often-forgotten gem.

 

[Mythopoeika]

St Fillan himself was an odd character, who was reportedly able to emit light from his limbs in the dark (especially his left arm) which he used to read the bible, deep in his cave.

Radioactive arm?
Or maybe he discovered bioluminescent organisms and put them in a glass jar?

 

[rynner2]

Or maybe he discovered bioluminescent organisms and put them in a glass jar?

It was a sea cave, and there are plenty of bioluminescent organisms in the sea.
The phosphorescence seen around moving vessels, especially in their wakes, is testament to that.

Perhaps St Fillan took regular swims, and for some reason his skin attracted these organisms.

 

[Frideswide]

I love this place! we took inlaws there a year or two ago and they also loved it.

 

[Coastaljames]

How wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing 'Truder.

 

[Ermintruder]

I love this place! we took inlaws there a year or two ago and they also loved it.

@Frideswide could you make any sense of the fact that the Pittenweem shore-line is now so much further away from the cave than must've been the case at one time?

We thought it was almost like erosion in reverse....it's rather weird. I can't see how it can be recaptured/recovered land, as it would've taken thousands of tons of rock.

Did you go up the internal spooky stone staircase? I went up it as far as I could.

 

[rynner2]

@Frideswide could you make any sense of the fact that the Pittenweem shore-line is now so much further away from the cave than must've been the case at one time?

It's well known that Scotland is rising above the sea, now the weight of ice during the last ice age has been removed.
(By contrast, down here in the south, sea levels are rising.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-glacial_rebound

 

[Ermintruder]

It's well known that Scotland is rising above the sea, now the weight of ice during the last ice age has been removed.

Ah, but the vertical difference between the contour that the cave is at, and the HWL, is quite considerable. I'll definitely check what that differential is, in metres.....(perhaps even in person, if my pony'n'trap is in Fife over the next couple of weeks)

 

[Monstrosa]

Google Maps says it's about 18m above sea level.
Himself says that it may be a zawn - when a previous collapse has partly infilled the original sea level entrance.

 

[Frideswide]

I have no explanation - but it does look very odd! as you say Ermintruder, it strikes one as being "different" from usual coastal stuff

My in-laws are christians of the Baptist flavour. Also totally humane and in favour of all the different "rights" They both reacted very strongly to the atmosphere of the cave, as did I, a RC. We sat down and listened and looked for so long that Mr Frideswide went off to find a coffee shop to wait for us lolololol.

Hard to describe the atmosphere. I'd go as far as numinous, rather than just calming or spiritual. Alas, I don't have any words to explain what I mean by that, sorry

 

[Ermintruder]

Did you have fun signing-out the key? We borrowed the cafe one.

For us, the cave was part of The Fife Coastal Path, which is an amazing experience. One of the other sets of caves on that walk is the Cailpie Coves

Plenty of facial simulacra there!!

 

[Frideswide]

ooooooh! not seen those!

Yes, it wasa the cafe key - which is why Mr Frideswide knew where there was a coffe
e place!

 

[Ermintruder]

ooooooh! not seen those!

What about Newark Castle, at St Monans?

Or the Kincraig gunnery & RADAR sites?

We love exploring the Fife Coastal Path. Being an almost-island (a bit like Cornwall) makes Fife an extremely-strange and absorbing place...I have many genetic links to The Kingdom, yet it is a place I will only ever just be able to scratch the surface of.

 

[Frideswide]

St Monan's church itself is an odd wee place - the space inside feels oddly arranged somehow?

 

[Ermintruder]

St Monan's church itself is an odd wee place - the space inside feels oddly arranged somehow?

Yes, I'm keen to see that one again.

Did you get to Ruddon's Point?

Lots of abandoned WW2 tank-traps and other atmospheric places