east-lothian-1924/05-087

Transcription

DIRLETON.] -- INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN EAST LOTHIAN. -- [DIRLETON.

from the coat of the de Vaux of Dirleton, which
showed : argent a bend gules ; the colours of
the Levingtoun coat also according to Lindsay.3
The impaled arms are those of Fawside, in-
dicating a wife of that family (cf. Art. No. 193).
The 1695 initials are those of George Levingtoun,
who died before 1705 and was the last male of
the line.4
The place was still inhabited c. 1790, but
" the principal part of the building " was
" removed for agricultural improvements 20
years ago " (i.e., c. 1823-4).5

1 Reg. P.C. iv., 357, v., 625 ; 2 Heraldry i.,
p. 104 ; 3 cf. further Introd., p. xxiv ; 4
Stodart's Scottish Arms, ii., p. 322. ; 5 Lamp
of Lothian, p. 122 note.

v. N.W. 6 July 1913.

CAVE DWELLINGS.

29. Caves, Hanging Rocks, Archerfield.-
At Hanging Rocks, in a small bay south-east of
Eyebroughy (or Eyebrochy), is a rocky bluff,
in which are two caves about 15 feet from high
water mark. The first and larger cave faces the
east, measures 30 feet in width and about 18
feet in height at the mouth and extends
inwards for a distance of 50 feet. Across the
mouth are the remains of a well built wall of
stone and sandy clay, which at one time may
have closed the opening completely. The
wall, which has a slight batter, is 5 feet
6 inches thick and rises to a height of
4 feet 6 inches in parts. Near the middle is
a doorway 4 feet in width on the outside and
broadening to 4 feet 5 inches on the inside.
This doorway has been built up at a later date,
for a height of 3 feet, with a wall 2 feet 3 inches
thick at the base and 1 foot 5 inches at the top.
In the north side of this entrance are two
barholes 5 inches in breadth and 7 inches in
height ; the lower of these, which is placed
2 feet from the ground and 3 feet 4 inches from
the outside, runs 9 feet into the wall ; the other
is dilapidated. At the north end of the wall,
which at this spot contracts to a width of 3
feet, is a gap between the building and the
rock, through which there is a good view to
the east. To the south of the door two recesses
for fires appear in the wall ; the first, which
is square at the back, is 4 feet 6 inches from

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the door and measures 2 feet 5 inches in width,
2 feet 2 inches in height and 1 foot 10 inches
in depth ; the second, which is rounded at the
back and 1 foot 2 inches from the first, is 2
feet wide, 2 feet 1 inch high and 1 foot 8 inches
deep. Both are provided with flutes, that from
the first fireplace being carried vertically in
the wall for 11 inches, then diagonally to the
south-east for 5 feet 10 inches, when it emerges
on the outside of the wall 10 feet from the
door and 5 feet above the foundation of the
wall ; the second flue seems to have been
carried almost vertically to the top of the wall.
At a distance of 10 inches south of the last
fireplace is a recess 3 feet in length and 1 foot
1 inch in depth, the wall terminating at the
south end of the recess. A space 3 feet in
width and paved with flat stones is left between
the wall and the rock. In front of this opening
is a large rock parallel to the wall leaving a
paved passage between the wall and the rock,
which narrows from 2 feet in the interior to 1 foot
in width at the north end. A large block of
sandstone built into the jamb of the first fire-
place has evidently been used for sharpening
tools. The south-eastern portion of the floor
of the cave, which dips to the south and east,
has been levelled up and paved with large flat
stones.
This cave, which was almost entirely filled
with blown sand, was excavated in 1908, when
the above structure was laid bare. To prevent
further destruction the top of the wall was
slightly restored by " stepping," and the whole
structure was pointed with cement.
The second cave, which lies about 30 yards
west of the first, faces north. Before ex-
cavation the mouth, which is now 30 feet in
breadth and 7 feet in height, was completely
blocked with sand. This cave continues east-
wards from the mouth till only a thickness of
10 feet of rock separates it from the inner end
of the first cave. It shows a length from east
to west of 47 feet while the breadth is 23 feet.
The roof slopes rapidly from the mouth, so
that less than two-thirds of the area could be
occupied.
The relics recovered during the excavation of
the caves betokened an early occupation. The
few fragments of pottery found included
several pieces of so-called Samian ware. Two
fragments of glass armlets were recovered, one

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Douglas Montgomery

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