6 7 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 188611 Y .

I. EXCAVATIOE NOTICTH F EO T MEDAN' S F NO S CAVCHAPELD AN E , KIRKMAIDEN, WIGTOWNSHIRE. BY DK ROBERT TROTTER. COM- MUNICATED, WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES, By Sin HERBERT EUSTACE MAXWELL, BAKT., M.P., F.S.A. SOOT. (PLATE II.)

This ruinous buildin s situatei g d neao extremth r e south-ease th f o t parish of Kirkmaiden, on the western shore of the Bay of Luce, and is distant fro e Milmth l farm-house eastwards about hal milea f , from East Tarbet * northward d froan ,m Portankill 2 southwards, abou e sameth t . This portio e shorth f enfringo w consiste lo Lowe f roc th o a e f kf o o rs Silurian, from 10 to 50 feet in height, contorted in every possible manner, and stained a dark red by oxide of iron. The strata in general in Kirkmaiden are almost vertical, and their general direction in the whole district is from east to west; in this particular space they arc crowned by boulder clay, sometimes of a considerable thickness, and they contain numerous dyke f porphyritio s c trap, usually followine th g o gulliestw r directioo , e stratao locallth On f no .y called slocks,3 have been worn out by the sea, and also one or two small caves, one of which is the subject of the present notice. Prehistoric objects of antiquity are very numerous in the immediate vicinity, includin e immensth g e fortified e Tarbets camth it t d a p san outworks, fort f variouso s forms chiefle westerth n yo n coast caved an , s with floors above high-water mark, bearing distinct mark f humao s n habitation. Elfshots, stone whorls, adderbeads, jet rings, bronze ornaments, gold torques, querns d sucan , h like, have been found close everythind an , by g e pointexistencth o considerablsa t f o e e population ther t somea e remote period. d chapeol e s besi l Th t approached from Portankil] smala , l harbour made by a stream cutting its way through the drift clay into the sea. 1 Tairuinn bdta, boat draught, a narrow neck where boats were drawn from one sea othere toth avoio t , rouge dth h passage roun e Mull.—H.Edth . M. 2 Portdn cille, the port of the chapel or burying-ground, close to the site of the old parish church dedicate t Catherine.—H.E.MS o dt . gully.—H.E.Mr s o SlocM, n de a . EXCAVATION OF ST MEDAN'S CAVE AND CHAPEL. 77

This would appear from its name to have been the port used by devotees e onlth comin ychapele s i landing-placth d o gt an , e excep Tarbet.e th t 1 site f whath eo Nea s i s knowi tt t Catherine'i rS s a n s Chapel, formerly parise th h kir f Kirkmaideno k e soutth n h O sid .f Portankil o e a s i l high projecting point of land or stron, formed by the sea on one hand and smala l streae otherth d crownen mo an , smala y b dl fortification called " The Dunnan,"2 credited with having been a favourite haunt of the fairies. The fort is a circular area of 33 feet in diameter, with an earthen rampart abou 3 feet e tlandwar th hig n o h d side. Outsidf eo this is a fosse or cutting, 14 feet wide at bottom and 36 feet at the top, an feed4 t deep t righcu , t acros e nec th sf land o k . Outsid f thio e s again is another fosse of smaller dimensions, with a squarish space between fee0 2 , t7 fee2 broa td frodan m sid sideo et . Outsid f thieo s again has been another fosse, which has been nearly obliterated in making an earthen fence for the field alongside. There is a small spring a greabetwee e sead th tan , manford e nth an t y marks, which mighe b t considere e foundationdth aboriginaln a f o s village. Unfortunately this fine little fort is being rapidly destroyed by the stream from the thrash- farm.e milth g f in ,o l whic pitya t i coul s hs i a ,effectualle db y protected shillingsw fe cosa e f th o tt . a After passin Dunnae gTh necessars i t ni leavo yt beace epasth d han s along the top of the heughs, from which the curiously contorted strata are well seen verA . y deep gully runnin inta googy e land oth wa d , and known as Slockanalkin, is then passed; and a short distance beyond it a curious natural arch is visible, known as The Devil's Brig. It is formed by a vertical bed of rock suddenly assuming a horizontal position, and then as suddenly dipping to a vertical position again on the other side. It is about 30 feet in height and 8 feet wide, with the sea at the bottom. Thera comparativel s i e y d eassafan ey pat t thia h s place leadin e chapelth o gt , probabl e regulath y timesd r ol roa n ,i d whic h

Ther , howevereis cava , ee chape closth o t el whei drawee b boat y lano nt sma d 1 on a gravelly beach in quiet weather. It is still called Portavaddy, a name borne by two other similar inlets on the west shore of the parish, from the Celtic Port na bhata boae (bh v)th = t port.—H.E.M.

Dundn, smala l fort.—H.E.M. 2 78 PKOCEEDIXGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 11, 1886. could be easily restored. Curiously enough, it appears not to be used by the natives, who approach it by a very steep and difficult path directly over the chapel, which is nowhere visible from above and not eas findo n descendinyt I . g this path visitors hav squeezo et e alonga chink in the rock till within 10 feet of high-water mark, without seeing

l ig. 1. Ground Plan of St Medan's Chapel and Cave (rouglily to scale), from f a drawing by Dr Arthur Mitehell. anything of the building, although they have actually passed for nearly 30 feet along the top of its southern wall, which is formed of the solid rock. The area of the chapel is a space 14 feet 10 inches from east to west, by 14 feet from north to south, made by widening and levelling up the mout a smal f o h l e nortcave d soutTh an h. h wall s wil sees(a o b l n fro accompanyine mth g ground-plan, fig) consise smooth1 .th f o t , per- EXCAVATION OF ST MEDAN'S CAVE AND CHAPEL. 79

pendicular surfaces of the vertical beds of rock, and are 10 feet in height at the east ends, sloping up to 19 feet, where they join the preci- pice at the west, several little vacancies and irregularities of the slope being carefully filled up with stone and lime. Across the east or front of this space a wall has been built, 3 feet 6 inches thick, and made of e dar slatd th kre y stone adjacent, cemented with lime made partly from whel limped kan t shells, and partly from stalactites, whic e plentifuhar l Wese rocke oth nth t tsa Tarbet. Nea south-ease rth thif o doorwaye sd th wals ten wa l , whic bees hha n 3 feet 5 inches wide at the outside, splayed to 5 feet on the inside. The piece of wall between the door and the rocky south wall has been fee4 outside t fee2 lon th e stoneinsidee d tn gth o th lon e an t n sgo bu , forming the edge of the doorway alone are left, the corner having been g outdu , foundatio d alln somi an ,n e searc r treasurefo h . Midway betwee north-ease th dooe d nth ran t cornewindow—a s wa r 5 feet from the doorway and 5 feet from the north corner of the wall—the sill of which is 6 feet from the ground outside. It is 9 inches wide outside, and is splayed to the width of 3 feet 6 inches on the inside. The sides are entirheighe inches2 th 1 greatese o f et Th o t . t wale heighth lf o t is now 10 feet north of the window and 7 feet 6 inches south of it. Along the inside of the wall under the window was a low wall, 5 feet long fee2 , t fee2 high d t broadan , , whice th h f enable o loo o t t e kou don window, from which a considerable portion of the Bay of Luce and the opposite shore of Glasserton can be seen. This wall consisted chiefly of one large stone and its supports. Agains e heugh th e fac d f coverinth to ean moute , th p f whaghu o t remains of the eo or cave, is another wall, forming the western gable of chapele th fee9 1 , tende higth st ha wher t joinfeeei 4 2 rocke tsth d ,an high in the middle where it merges into the precipice above, and crowned wit hdensa e mas f sloeso , thorns protectioe ivyth d o an t ,, f o n which it probably owes its existence. It appears to be very much older than the other, and instead of being cemented with lime, it is laid with commo boulded nre r clay, simila scaure thao th t r n i ts alon heughe gth , and the stones are much larger than those in the east wall. It is wonderful how strong this clay-cemented wall still is; much firmer, 80 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 11, 1886.

indeed, than the carefully and regularly built lime-cemented wall at the other end of the chapel. Part of the north end of it, however, is com- ing down, chiefly from the action of a small current of water, which runs dow rocke t weathernth we s upon e d shamepartli th an t , ni y yb - ful maliciousness f visitorso . This west wall (fig. 2) is 3 feet 3 inches thick, and has a projecting cours f stoneeo s alon e footgth , apparentl r supportinyfo gwoodea n floor, s thera e appearancear e f similao s r courses having existed alone th g

Fig. 2. "Wall forming the western gable of St Medan's Chapel, with entrance to the Cave beyond (from a drawing by Dr Arthur Mitchell). other walls. Six stones, each about a foot broad by 4 inches thick, project about 6 inches from the wall, two of the largest being at a height of about 8 feet, and two others about 13 foot up. They do not reac e otheth h e wall r werd th sid an f , eo e probably use s corbelda o t s support beams from the roof. a distanc t feeA 2 6 inchef t eo s froe soutth m h wala doorway s i l , much dilapidated, which has been repaired at a comparatively recent date, being daubed ove somn i r e places with stone lime wedged an , d here EXCAVATION OF ST MEDAN'S CAVE AND CHAPEL. 81

therd an e with piece f coarsso e roofing slate. This doorwa splayedt no s yi , and has spaces at each side for the insertion of door-posts, nearly at the centre of the wall; the wooden posts having apparently been put in while the wall was heing built. The doorway, which is covered by a rude archf wha o s bees ha i ,t n calle e Celtith d c type e openine th , th t a g ground being 2 feet 9 inches wide, and at the spring of the arch 2 feet 6 inches course Th f stone.eo s above this project s uppeit t a sr edge 1J inche eacn so h side lowee th , rsecone edgth f eo d course projectin incheg2 s t eaca h side ove e stonee edgeth rth f thiso sd s beinan ; g levellede th , upper edge project incn sa h mor eacn eo h side, reducin widte gth t thiha s parfoo1 inche ove9 o d t an r s; thi lonsa g stone linte inchel4 s thics ki placed closing the arch; while above this lintel is placed another arch, forming about one-thir a circle f do , built with stones abou a foot n i t length. Between this arch and the lintel is a space 2 feet 5 inches long by 7 inches high filled in with stones. This upper arch is the place which s beeha n repaired e heigharce Th th h f . to fro projectine mth g ledgr efo supporting a floor is 1 foot to the spring of the arch, and 1 foot 7 inches from that to the lintel, or altogether 2 feet 7 inches. From the present chapee fee4 flooth inches 9 i tf t o ri l s high frod e presenan m,th t floor of the cell or cave inside, it is 5 feet 9 inches. This doorway is the entranc a cel o lt e which is merel a naturay l cave, formin a rudg e triangular area, without any appearance of a tool-mark or attempt at improvement soute Th h. side extends inwards for about 13s i feetd an , a continuation of the perpendicular south wall of the chapel. The north side and the roof shelve gradually towards this wall, decreasing in height and width till the extremite y th meet t A . narroya w fissure abou foota t wide extends about 8 feet into the rock, the available area of the cell being about 10 feet by 7. The present floor is about 18 inches lower than that of the chapel, but the original level it is impossible even to t guesi havin treasury , b at s p gu ebeeg hunterdu n s time d wayan s s without number. There are no figures or inscriptions of any kind on e chapee th wallth f r caveo o sl , nameexcepw fe f M'Gawso a st , M'Cullochs, and others, scratched by visitors, the oldest date being 1794. When M'Diarmid, author of Sketches from Nature, was at the chapel VOL. xx. F 2 8 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUARY 11, 1886.

n 1822i e easth , t wals nearlwa l y entire d formean , e a h gabled d an , describes the door in it as a rude Gothic arch. A very aged mason belongin e neighbourhoodth o gt visiteo wh , t di frequentl y when entire, state splayea s d thawa dt i tsemicircula r arch, wit stonha e lintel running stoneo tw e s th whice sprine archthroug d th th t an f h,a g o -forme t hi d this lintel are still there, with lime on two sides and on bofh ends of them e alsH o. stated thae windo e th gable ts abouth 0 wa n "wi 2 t inches high, wit hsquara e top. Furnished with a permission from the kite Colonel M'Dowall of Logan e proprietorth , d accompaniean , y Bernardb d O'Wheeligane w , set about the exploration of the chapeFof the "co" in May 1870. The interio wildernesa s e founb wa r o t d f nettleo s d bramblessan , through whic a hpatd bee ha hn trodd'e e entranc th e cel r inneth o o t ln o t er chapel. When these were' removed, ther s discovereewa n immensa d e accumulatio f stoneo n d rubblishan d , mixed with coarse roofing slates with large holes iirthem similad slate an ,th e o Dundrut re foun th n di m slate quarries near Portnessock. This mass of rubbish was honeycombed with pits, m/de at various periods by treasure hunters; and another pit was founde south-easth t a ' t comebuilding—the th f ro e usual positiof no foundatioe th n stone vere on d y . s celr deean "o o Insid t wa l"c ppi e eth two' smaller ones, evidently made for a similar purpose, and loose stones were lying about in all directions, most of them evidently detache t somda e period from the wallsoutee Th r.linte e stonth f lo e of the inner doorway had been broken through the middle, and a portion, 18 inches long by 6 inches broad, detached, was lying at the foot of the wall. The small space in the doorway, between the chapel and the cave, was the only place in the whole erection which had not been previously dug over. This deposit of rubbish was dug out to an average dept 6 feet f ho , wher a more e solid nearlan d y level stratum t wawithme s , which, however d beeha , n broken throug n severai h l place y previoub s s diggers. No attemp s mad wa o tdisturt e b this, e appearancwhicth d hha f beineo e originagth e chapell th floo d f o ran , pite th s were levelled oved beates an ra r nrestoro fa t down s s a a t ei o s , possibl s pristinit o t e e condition n clearinI . t i outge projectin th , g stones already mentioned aroun e chape sidee th th df o sl were laid bare, EXCAVATIO MEDAN'T S F O N s CAV 3 D CHAPEL8 EAN . d als an a olarg e stone 4 fee, t 2 feelon y tgb fee2 highd t an ,broad , which was built up so as to form a sort of platform under the east window. Over five hundred long, narrow, coarse roofing slates were found among the rubbish and piled up in a corner, and also pieces of decayed wood, probably part of a roof. Large quantities of bones were also found, chiefly those of sheep, only about a fourth being those of cattle, and none of them had any marks of a saw on them, though many were broken. Two large stones, said to have formed the lintel of the east door, were found near that place twelvd an , e piece brigha f d sofso re t t sandstone, containin ggreaa t numbe f specko r f whitso e glittering mica, were found within the area. These on being fitted together formed a draped female figure 2 feet 9 inches in height without head or feet, and with the arms crossed in front of the breast. One of the elbows was also awanting d soman , e small pieces wante filsmalo p dt u l l spaces could not be found. These pieces of freestone were put behind the inner wall of the chapel in a dark corner, and covered up with rubbish. Some brass ornamented articles, heavil ye side plateon , n wero d e also found, which we considered to have been the mountings of the cover of a small square book, as they somewhat resembled the brass mountings see modern o n n family Bibles. These wer t jusgo et outsid e easeth t door. Nea wese th r t doo numbea r f nailso r , small pebbles d brasan , s buttons were found, mostl f moderyo w e cavfe th n a en formsi d an ; halfpennies were got, chiefl f Georgo y e III d Victoriaan . e onlTh y. place where anythin f consequenco g s gotwa e, possibly becauss wa t i e the only part of the chapel that had not previously been thoroughly explored, was the small space of the doorway, which had not been thought worth digging up, and there a dozen small copper coins were found, chiefly bodies and placks of Charles I. and II., and farthing f o coinWilliao s tw sr d Maryo likm an e e on farthing; s with fleurs-de-lis on one side, and one with a lion rampant crowned on one side. Outside the chapel and 4 feet from the east wall, we found a sunk wall abou fee6 t t long, apparently mad sustaio et footwaa n fronn yi f o t the building. In the south-east corner, where it joined the rock, was a large deposit of wood-ashes, 18 inches in depth, containing many 4 8 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JANUAR , 188611 Y .

charred pieces of heather and a few small portions of oak • and outside of this, and in some places mixed up with it, were great quantities of beef and mutton bones. Judging from the size of the bones, the cattle must have bee na muc h smaller breed tha e Gallowaysth n whicr fo , h the county is now celebrated. In the interior of the cave nothing like the remains of a floor of any kind could be found, only a confused mass of stones and clay with deep pits in it, one of them much deeper than the foundation of the west wall. The place was therefore levelled up again as well as could be done with the means at command. e holTh y wells, whic e situatear h d abou 0 yard3 t s south-ease th f to chapel, were next attended to, as it was expected a number of offerings woul e largefoune db th n di r well, which containe large don e stond ean several smaller ones, which occupied about one-third of its depth. These " wells," three natural cavities in a mass of porphyritic trap, are within t higa a h se watetide e th efillef e th ordinarr o markar y db d ,an y tides. largese Th circulars i t fee5 , diameten feei 4 t tope d t th deean , t ra t p a one side, shelving s wideothere i dow th feed 5 t an a o rn,tt inside than top—somethine th t a g lik e"kailpot,a e closo s th s o ei t t i fact n "i d an ; edge of the rock, that at one place its side is not 2 inches thick. The other wells almost touch it, and are about 1 foot 6 inches wide and deep respectively. They had a great reputation for curing " back-gaun weans," and people flocked to them to have their childern cured, especially on what was known as " Co Sunday," being the first Sunday of May, old style, their powers being then considered most efficacious. The licence debaucherd an y indulge thosn o n dei occasions forme theme th d f maneo y a denunciatory sermon in days gone by. People occasionally bring their children to them yet, sometimes from, long distances. According to one who has witnessed the performance, tho child was stripped naked and taken by " the spaul," that is by one of the legs, and plunged head foremost into the big well till completely submerged; it was then pulled out, and the part held on by was dipped in the middle well, and then e wholth e bod finishes ywa washiny db e smallese eyeth gth n si t one; altogether very like the Achilles and Styx business, only much more thorough. An offering was then left in the old chapel, on a pro- EXCAVATIO T MEDAS F NO N S CAV CHAPELD AN E . 8t>

jecting stone insid cave th ee behin wese th de cur s t th door ewa d an , complete. Unfortunatel r exploratioou r e wellsyfo th f Sundaa n,o y intervened between e clearinchape th d thei t an lou rg inspection n thao td an , d hear dae nativeha f th yth o do e "wh s howking, a part d y"an from Stranraer came down like a judgment on the scene of our labours, sood t matteran npu s int improven oa d condition. They bega overy nb - turning the large stone under the east window, and digging a large s sitholit en ;eo undermined piecee wall d pulleth f an ,so d down parts of it; threw the big bones and most of the slates into the tide, and left the rest covered with profanity; carried off the brass ornaments, the rusty nails, the old buttons and the coins; smashed up the graven image as a relic of Popery, and threw the larger fragments into the sea. They also made excavations over the place, and finished up by hole balin th . yt it "Whethe well gf stonee ou takind o th t an , l sou gal r they found anything of any value we could not ascertain, but they left a thorough revolution, The smaller coins, the bodies and placks, were afterwards e recoverefarmd th an n ,o dy bo fro a m give o Colonent l M'Dowall mose e possessioar th t d n i likel an , w nyno s sonohi fe presen,th t proprietor. e otheNonth f ro e things were recovered. Colonel M'Dowall promised to repair the pathway to the chapel, and also the chapel itself, so as to prevent its further destruction, but various obstacles having been placed in the way this was never done, and this interesting reli f formeo c r times will soo e onlb n confusea y d heaf po surmisede b y rubbishma ,t I fro . havins mit g been chiefly resorteo t d on the first Sunday of May, and the holy wells being most powerful at that time, that notwithstandin famouthe g s histor MedanSt yof and a r lover he welle d th , cav d beesan eha n considered sacred e prioth o t r introduction of Christianity, and that the pagan priest who presided over the superstitious rites had made the cave his residence, as shown e facth t y b thae offeringth t s mad y visitorsb e ,e preth eve -o t n sent daye nevear , e chapelrth s left alwayit e n cavi bu t,th r o en i s doorway. Possibl e originath e s welyth wa l institution e cav th ,shelte a e r o r 6 8 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JANUAR , 188611 Y .

dwellin r thfo ge geniu o discoverewh s e miraculouth d s virtuee th f so water and his successors, and the chapel a later addition for the benefit e clergyoth fsupplante o wh d ,religio ol e graftiny dth b n g Christianity upon it, St Medana being a still later institution. The fact of the virtue of the wells having been greatest at the time the sun was rising above the horizon, would almost favour the supposition that the ancient religion had some connection with sun-worship. The only previous explorations of which any account could be had were about 1825, by an Irishman named Brown; and in 1844 or 1845, by some soldiers and others employed on the Ordnance Survey. Brown, who lived in Kirkmaiden, had on three successive nights dreamt tha foune h t da treasur particulaa n ei chapeld ol r e plac,th n ei and he and another man went and dug at the place, and found a quantity of silver coins, two of which I have seen—one appearing to me to be a coi f Alexander e otheo Davidf no th e d on r an , . othee Th r exploratio s representei n havo t d e bee nvera y destructive one, the digging up of the supposed foundation stone having necessitated destructioe th e south-easth f no t chapele corneth e d witf th o ran ,t hi entrance doorway. The west doorway is also said to have been damaged at the same time, and other demolition effected. They are said to have silvefounw fe rda coins during this exploration t nothinbu , g definits i e known. After going ove e plac rth repairind ean g damage couldmucs e sa w s ha , we explore da smal l cave abov yard0 10 e s e chapelnortth e f hTh o . entranc abovs ei e enteree high-wateb o t s d thaha w t lo i t r o marks d an , on the hands and knees, and throughout its whole length—about 20 yards—i s nowheri t e hig he extremit th enoug t A stano t t hi y . in d widen sorlittlea sa f platford o t an , m raised about 18 inches above eth s foundfloowa r , forme f biggiso d h angular stones, unlik e otheth e r fragments found in the cave, which were rounded more or less. An thip attempu sg mads platformdi t wa o proveti t e t bu ,d unsatisfactory from wan f roomo t d nothin otteran e n ,skul a th s founf t ,o glwa bu d almost black with antiquity, and judging from the teeth, belonging to an anima laged thadied ol f .ha tdo EXCAVATIO T MEDAN'S F O N S 7 CAVCHAPEL8 D AN E .

ADDITIONAL NOTE BY SIR HBRBKET MAXWELL.

Whe r Cochran-PatricnD completedd ha I d 1884n kan i , excavae ,th - tion of St Ninian's cave at Glasserton (a description of which is given in the last volume of the Proceedings), we resolved to take the first oppor- tunity of examining St Medan's cave. We were encouraged to expect, from the variety and number of the relics found in the other cavern, that St Medan's, from its more remote and inaccessible situation, as well s fro a e existencmth r morfa f eeo extensive architectural remains, would prov e repositoreth n equaa r f greateo o yl r numbe f traceo r f earlso y Christian occupation. Accordingly,in June 1885, Mr M'Dowall of Logan accompanie e spot provided th an ,o t s du d workme e purposth r f nfo o e exploration. We were unaware, at the time, that anything like the systematic exploration, describe r Trotter'D n di s paper d eveha , r been undertaken, and were, consequently, disappointed to learn from Mr Hardy of Mull Farm that suc bee d resolvede casee hha W th n . , however cleao t ,e th r e chapeflooth caved f o resulre an l th , f whico t h consiste e collecth n di - tion of some bones, limpet, winkle and whelk shells, and a few flint flakes (the latter apparently " strike-a-lights)," not necessarily of great antiquity. disturbee Th d e floostatth f r eo render e originasth l relative position of the bones, &c., extremely dubious. The remains were submitted to Professor John Cleland f Glasgoo , w University kins wa d o enougwh , o ht examin repord ean t upon them pronouncee H . e bonee thosdth b o est , sheepoox f , birds pig'e on ,s tooth; "also (and parcethia n s i f thing o l s from belo flooringwthe deer') a red portiother a a tins ewas eof of n e moshornth r t , fa importanrubbee pointplaceo y th tw B t a n sd.i t object is the lower two-thirds of a left human tibia, highly platycnemic. The platycnemic tibia is rare among races of the present day, but t frogo m s i barrow d cavean s s e Continentbotth n Britain hi o d n.an The saie yar d alway havo st e well-marked muscular roughnesses thid an s, specimen has them well marked. Possibly the form indicates a light built and nimble race of men." 8 8 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JANUAR , 188616 Y .

deducee b Wha y ma td fro scante mth y remains discovered withie nth cave, fro e bonem th d shell san s mingled with piece f stalagmitso d an e charcoal lons thas ha i ,g t i beet n usehumaa s da n dwelling-place; that aboriginae th l platycnemic race live Wigtownshiren di othen i s a ,r lands, either before they were extirpated or absorbed by a more powerful invading people r beforo , e their structural peculiaritie d becomha s e obliterated by a change in their mode of life. Subsequently, after the lapse of an unknown number of years, the cave fell to be occupied as a cell by a Christian preacher, who may have built, or caused to be built, shrine th e outsid cavee eth . t MedanS o t s ,A from who cave mth e take s namesit , much difference of opinio date o t eved s nan a ,n sex s existed ha parise , Th f Kirkho . - maiden (anciently Kirkmaiden in Ryndis) seems to have taken its name from the saint, as well as the other parish of Kirkmaiden, now united to Glasserton, distinguished as Kirkmaiden in Fames. Both places are referred to in the Breviary of Aberdeen, in the chapter devoted to Sancta Medana, vitgo et martyr, r historHe s theryi e give follows:—Medans na Irisn a s h maidenwa a , who took upon herself a vow of perpetual chastity. Being persecuted by the attentions of a certain noble knight (miles quidarn illius provincie noltilis), lefe sh t Irelan smala n di l boat (navicula) accompanied only yb two handmaidens, and came to Scotland, ad paries Galvidie super-fores que ryndis dicuntur, to the upper parts of Galloway which are called the Einns, where she led a life of poverty. The knight followed, alia preparata navicula; but when Medana saw him approaching she placed hersel maido f tw wit sr upohe he sea th a rocn .n i kThi s rockn i , answer to her prayers, became a boat, in which she sailed 30 miles to the land which is called Fames (where, says the Breviary, the remains e virgi orepose)th fw no n . Stil e indefatigablth l e lover pursuedt bu , would have been unable to find the house where Medana lay, had it not been for the crowing of a cock. Medana, mil-item sibi adherere sentiens, climbed into a tree, whence she addressed him in these words— " What is it that you see in me which excites your passion?" " Your face and eyes," he replied; whereupon,, having torn out her eyes, she flung knighte feets theTh hi mt . a , struck with horro penitenced ran , departed;

EXCAVATION OF ST MEDAN'S CAVE AND CHAPEL. 89

Medana having descended frotreee mth , washe a sprinr fac n he di e g which miraculously sprung fro bowele mth f theso . earthcoce s Th kwa . punished for his unlucky vociferation by being deprived of the power of crowing, and Medana spent the rest of her days in sanctity and poverty unde blessee th r d Ninian. accepe w f I t this legen s foundea d n tho de facte th s o whict d le h dedicatio t Medan'S f o n s cave, Kirkmaide e Rinnsth d Kirkn i an n, - maiden in Fames,—facts from which the local topography offers no discrepancy,—then the origin of the sacred regard for St Medan's cave must be taken as coeval with that of St Ninian, namely, from the early fifte yearth hf so century . But, apart froe evidenc mth e Breviar th f o e f Aberdeen yo y ma e w , regard the shrine outside the cave of St Medan as by very much the earliest piece of ecclesiastical architecture remaining in Galloway. The ruined Isle chape Whithornf th o e t a l , standing probabl e samth en yo spot, and possibly containing some of the same materials as did the Candida Cas f A.Do a . 397, canno e referre b n tearliea o t dr period thae thirteentth n . MuiS h . centuryrT r describeM . t Medan'S s s shrine in his quaint little publication, The Lighthouse, which, for long covetea d literar beeyw raritynno s republisheha , tastefua n i d l volume DavibyMr d Douglas, with other Muir.paperMr sby 1 Plate II. represents a view of the chapel from the cliffs on the north side, the Mull of Galloway and lighthouse appearing on the southern horizon. In the intervals of our labour at the cave, we obtained several interest- g tracein f primitivo s e traditio o hardyn tw froe , mth fisherme o wh n worke. us r dfo e fortifieTh d promontor Mulle th f ys locallo 2i y believe havo dt e been the last stronghold to which the Picts of Galloway retired before an over- whelming force of Scotic (?) invaders. At last all were slain except two men a fathe, d son wero an r ,wh e offered their live n conditioo s n that they would revea theio t l r enemie much-covetee th s d secret recipr fo e

E/xlesiological NotesIslandse someth n o f . f MuirScotland,o S o . T , y Edinb - 1 burgh, David Douglas, 1885. 2 Mael, bald, bare—hence, an exposed headland or barren hill. 90 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 11, 1886.

brewing heather ale, a beverage highly esteemed at the time, and the preparatio f whicno knows hwa ne Pictis onlth o yt h race. "I will reveal to you the secret," said the father, "on one condition, namely, that ye fling my son first over these rocks into the sea. It shall y racm e f neveo tha Tcnowe e I thavb ron eo t n betraye e sacreth d d trust." The son accordingly was thrown over and drowned, whereupon the pinnacla o t n f rocra eo n k overhanginma d ol seae d exclaiminggth ,an , "Now I am certain there is none left to betray the secret: let it perish for ever," cast himself after his son into the waves. Littl this ea s narrativGallowae th lase deate f th th o t f f ho yeo Picts accords with the probable survival of their blood in the people of the dis- tric thio t t s day interestins i t ,i fino gt d this wild legend current among a populace subject to compulsory education. He who narrated it to us may be himself descended from those Picts, whom he believes to have finally perishe names e Mullhi th r t da ,fo ; M'Aulay, form designatioe sth n of two places within the parish of Kirkmaiden, which have come down to us from Celtic times, viz., Terally ( = tir Amhalghaidh, Aulay's land), and Macherally (= machair Amhalghaidh, Aulay's field). The latter place, in spite of its modern spelling, is pronounced locally Macherowley, corresponding exactly to the Gaelic pronunciation of Amhalghaidh. On being asked if the fishermen observed any custom in setting out to sea, Mr M'Aulay told us that some of them were careful to veer the boat's head with the sun (deiseil), but that for his part he attached no importanc practicee th o et .