Torrs Cave

NX64SE 5 6767 4459.

(Name centred: NX 6767 4459) Torrs Cove or Dirk Hatteraick Cove (NAT). OS 6" map (1957)

Torrs Cove or Dirk Hatteraick Cove, is recorded by OSA as being 60ft in length, 12ft in maximum height, with a stone door, complete with lintel, now fallen, which appears to have been used as a hiding-place.

The mouth of the cave was closed by a mound to within 5ft of the roof, but on excavation, this revealed the ruins of a wall, presumably that recorded in OSA, below the foundations of which black-glazed pottery of 18th c date was found. Below this, other structures were found, including a cist-like feature, and nine occupation layers were identified, ranging from Iron-Age to Medieval, but mostly undateable. The excavator concluded that the early structures were 'blockhouses', the purpose uncertain, but he drew parallels with other 'fortified caves' in Scotland used by Early Christian 'saints'.

Amongst the objects recovered and presented to Kirkcudbright Museum were numerous bone implements, fragments of two Samian vessels, a blue melon bead, and fragments of iron weapons.

S V Morris 1937

NX 6767 4459. This cave, as described and planned, is known locally as Torrs Cave. The finds were not seen in Kirkcudbright Museum.

Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (RD) 15 April 1971

Roman finds consisted of a fragment of 1st to 2nd c. glass bottle, a 1st to 2nd century blue melon bead and two fragments of 2nd century Samian. The bead and the Samian are in NMAS.

A S Robertson 1970

See also Graham and Truckell reference in NX64SE 16.

The cave is as described; the wall closing off its mouth is clearly visible.

(KTA02 390)

Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 14 August 2002