St Margaret's Cave

A small cave located in the centre of Dunfermline, St. Margaret's Cave is associated with Queen Margaret who came to meditate and pray here in the 11th century. One of Scotland's Holy Shrines and long-established as a place of pilgrimage, the cave was purchased for the town by Bailie Walker in 1891. In 1962 the town council decided to fill in the Tower Glen, in which the cave was located, to create a car park but after much outcry a compromise was agreed whereby a tunnel was built such that the cave remained accessible. The tunnel descends for 17m (56 feet) below ground and is ventilated by a down-draught generated by the Tower Burn which is culverted under the car park. In 1985, a secure entrance to this tunnel was created to prevent vandalism, while in 1990 the tunnel was improved and interpretation boards added. The new facility was re-opened by Provost Margaret Millar on 20th April, 1993 and is open to the public from Easter to September, via a small entrance building on the edge of Glen Bridge Car Park.

Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry