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Maggie Dunn's Cave

Cave (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Maggie Dunn's Cave

Classification Cave (Period Unassigned)

Canmore ID 57119

Site Number NT62SW 4

NGR NT 6216 2475

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/57119

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Scottish Borders, The
  • Parish Ancrum
  • Former Region Borders
  • Former District Roxburgh
  • Former County Roxburghshire

Archaeology Notes (23 November 1967)

NT62SW 4 6216 2475

(Name: NT 6224 2476) Maggie Dunn's Cave (NAT).

OS 6" map, Roxburghshire, (1923).

NT 6216 2475. It is now virtually impossible to gain access to this cave but from a distance it appears to conform to RCAHMS description.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 23 November 1967.

Activities

Field Visit (May 1939)

Maggie Dunn's Cave (621 247) is cut into the sandstone cliff on the right bank, at the point where the river swings from S to SE at the base of Castle Hill. The cave, which stands 15ft above the river bed with its major axis lying NW and SE, is difficult of access and has been damaged by weathering. Owing to a partial collapse of the roof the main chamber, which is 15ft long by 6ft 6in wide by 8ft high, is open on the river side except for a pillar measuring 4ft by 3ft at the base. Leading off the W angle of the main chamber there is a rectangular cell, 7ft long by 4ft 6in wide by 6ft high, with a recess 1ft 6in deep occupying half the floor space. A similar recess of smaller dimensions against the SE wall of the main chamber appears to have been used as a hearth. Burning is visible on the walls at several points.

RCAHMS 1956, visited May 1939.

Laser Scanning (29 January 2018 - 30 January 2018)

In late-January 2018 HES undertook a recording exercise on a series of artificial caves carved into the steep sandstone cliffs on the right (south) bank of the Ale Water at Ancrum. Health and safety concerns meant that none of the caves was entered on the date of visit and all dimensions given have been calculated from laser scan data obtained from the opposite bank of the river.

Information from HES Survey and Recording (GLB) 21 June 2019.

Note (21 June 2019)

The cave was laser scanned from the opposite bank of the Ale Water. The dimensions and description appear to conform to those recorded by RCAHMS in 1956.

Visited by HES Survey and Recording (GLB, LAD) 29 Jan 2018

Sbc Note

Visibility: This is an upstanding earthwork or monument.

Information from Scottish Borders Council

References

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