Wemyss Caves — The Court Cave

Nearest town:
Leven (7km ENE)
OS reference:
NT342969
OS sheet:
59
Latitude:
56° 9' 36.56 N
Longitude:
3° 3' 34.35 W
Added to TMA by

Articles

Wemyss Caves – The Court Cave

Project will create digital archive of historic cave drawings

moss
moss Feb 6, 2014

Archaeologists have revealed the initial results of a project to preserve ancient cave drawings in a Fife town.

Wemyss Caves hold the largest collection of Pictish carvings in north-west Europe.

However, they are under constant threat from coastal erosion.

The project, a joint effort between St Andrews University, York Archaeological Trust and a local community group, aims to scan the images and save them for future generations.

The academics will showcase their findings online to reach a wider audience.

The community conservation group wants to turn the caves into a prominent tourist attraction before they are destroyed forever.

A virtual tour of the caves will be accessible online from April.

news.stv.tv/tayside/263035-wemyss-caves-project-to-create-digital-archive-of-carvings/?

Wemyss Caves – The Court Cave

Wemyss Caves Carvings Laser Scanned

Rhiannon
Rhiannon Jun 3, 2004

A major project to excavate and record the famous Wemyss caves and their ancient carvings begins today. The joint project between Fife Council and Channel 4’s Time Team is expected to last for five days and aims to preserve a wealth of information for future generations.

Although there is evidence (now lost due to cave collapse) that some of the carvings dated from as early as the bronze age, the vast majority of the carvings visible today are Pictish, probably from the 6th-9th centuries AD. They are the the largest single grouping of carvings of this date to be found anywhere in Europe. The wider archaeological significance rests on the potential of the deposits within and immediately outwith the caves to shed further light on their use over the past 4000 years.

For many years, these caves have been suffering from vandalism and erosion caused by both natural weathering and, more recently, as a result of a dramatic increase in coastal erosion. Many attempts have been made in the past to preserve them but these have only been partially successful and Fife Council decided to preserve the caves by record.

When Channel 4’s Time Team heard about the proposal, they asked if they could become involved and a partnership project was developed. Running from today until Monday, with filming taking place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the project consists of major excavations both inside and outside the caves conducted by the Time Team in partnership with Fife Council archaeological unit and an intensive programme of high- definition 3D laser scanning of the caves.

It is hoped the excavations will shed further light on the use and occupation of the caves, during the Pictish period when most of the carvings were produced. However, information about the caves during the bronze age, iron age and during the medieval period when they were occupied by Christian hermits should also be recovered.

Using laser scanners, the project will also produce an extremely accurate 3D measured visual record of the caves and their carvings. This information will provide a lasting record of the caves and will be used for multi-media presentations and interpretation work in Lower Methil Heritage Centre and at other Fife Council museums. It is hoped that the scanning might also discover new carvings and add increased definition to the ones already visible.

The Courier
test.thecourier.co.uk/output/2004/06/03/newsstory5982886t0.asp

Wemyss Caves — The Court Cave

S
stevem Jul 24, 2003

i am some what freaked out at the discovery of this site – the result of actually trying to find out more about the druidic or megalithic way of thinking leads me to one of the most ancient sites that I look out upon nearly everyday in the magical kingdom of fife.

the caves are in poor shape – but somehow they still maintain a sense of the mystical past they so obviously hold.

As we explore this little part of Fife there is an overwhelming sense of stepping back through history.

What a Great place Fife is.

Wemyss Caves — The Court Cave

B
big sandy Jul 17, 2002

These caves are formed in the sandstone cliffs to the north east of East Wemyss. They have been of interest since 1865 when they were catalogued by Professor James Young Simpson for Dr John Stuarts second volume of “The Sculptured Stones of Scotland” published in 1867. The Court cave has a main cavern with a narrow cave at its entrance, in the narrow cave there is a incised figure holding a spear with an animal beside him. Some claim this could be a viking carving of the god Thor with his sacred hammer. In the main cave there is a Pictish double disc with z rod symbol and on a higher ledge a double disc symbol. The Doo caves roof has now collapsed, but was apparently a well marked cave containing a double disc and z rod symbol with a beasts head touching it, the same symbols can also be seen on the silver plaques which were excavated from Norrie’s Law. Jonathan’s cave contains many distinctive symbols of Pictish origin such as double discs, an upright fish and several animals. It also contains a carving of an oared ship. The sliding /sloping cave should only be visited with great care and has upon it rectangular markings and a double disc symbol. These caves have been used by our ancestors for thousands of years, but are now in danger from coastal erosion, great care should be taken when visiting them

Folklore

Wemyss Caves — The Court Cave
Cave / Rock Shelter
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Dec 30, 2010

King James IV. in a frolick once joined a company of gypsies, who were here making merry, and when the liquor began to operate, the gypsies, as usual with people of their character, began to quarrel among themselves; upon this his Majesty attempted to mediate between the parties, but they, ignorant of the rank of their new associate, were about to handle him pretty roughly for his goodness, which obliged the King to discover himself; in allusion to this affair, the cave was afterwards ironically called the Court Cave.

From the Old Statistical Account for Wemyss parish.

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