Arbroath [Overview]

Generic reference to the sea caves, raised beach sea caves and natural arches along the coast between Arbroath and Auchmithie.

Notes: A list of over 47 caves (recorded in the database under their individual names and the alternative names Arbroath Cave [1], [2], [3], etc.). Note that some caves have more than one entrance and these are (mostly) tagged as 'Other' to avoid double or treble counting of caves.

Original coordinates are not for any particular cave but for the centre of Arbroath. There is no known cave at this location. Lengths and other details are given in entries for individual caves.

The coordinates given are for St. Ninian's Well at the east end of Victoria Park. There is no known cave at this location either but there is a parking area and the sea caves are immediately to the east.

The extensive list of references was compiled by Tony Oldham (with some later additions) .

In spite of a long history of interest in the caves of this area (see refs below), unrecorded caves are still being found - particularly those parts which can only be entered at low tide and in low swell, swimming or by boat. There is vigorous exploration by local and visiting wetsuited swimmers and users of sit-on kayaks and paddle boards, often using waterproof video cameras to film their exploits. However accurate surveying is quite challenging, even with the help of GPS etc, because of the closeness of caves to each other and the effects of cliff overshadowing satellite signals.

Links and Resources:

Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, p. 60.
GSG Bulletin, 4th Series, Vol. 3, No.4 (2008), p.53.
Oldham, Tony, 2007, Caves of Scotland: A Bibliography.
AA ( Anon.), 1965 , AA Illustrated Road Book of Scotland 105, contraction of Aberbrothock and caves, and 109.
Adam, John, 1886, Aberbrothock Illustrated ... with historical notes by George Hay. pp. 86, 124 etchings.
Anon [attributed to James Cramb], 1846/47, Visit to Arbroath. Dundee Literary and Scientific Institute Magazine 2 243-271 (A manuscript circulation magazine held in Dundee Libraries Local Studies Collection, Catalogue No D22022. Contents include cliffs and caves pp. 251-262).
Anon, 1908, Illustrated Guide to Arbroath. 24 & [20], illus. J F Hood & Sons, Arbroath. Caves pp. 16-18.
Anon, 1919, Arbroath Abbey and its Neighbourhood [2] & 62 & [12], illus. Herald Office, Arbroath. Caves pp. 55-69.
Anon, ND [1930?], Guide to Arbroath. 64, illus. Town Improvement Association. Caves pp. 28-33.
Anon, 1932, Arbroath Official Guide Book [36] & 55 & [25]. T Buncle & Co for The Arbroath Town Council. Caves 39-45. ditto 1933; ditto 1927 reprinted British Caver no. 9 pp. 8-9.
Anon [Atkinson, Norman], 1995, By the cliffs to Auchmithie. Angus and District Council Library and Museums Service. 21 pp.
Aitkin, Rev --- Old Statistical Account of Scotland 12 182-3.
Atkinson, Norman [1990?] By the cliffs to Auchmithie. Describes a cave in the north of the same bay as Forbidden Cave. see also Anon 1995.
Ballantyne, R. M., ND [c1900, 1st ed was 1865], The Lighthouse / being the story of a great fight between man and the sea. Thomas Nelson and Sons, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and New York. [An example of a real cave, accurately described, appearing in fiction. Walter Scott's The Antiquary 1816, is also set on this coast, and features a cave, but has considerably more artistic license, and more turgid prose!].
Broadie, J., 1904, Guide to the Cliff, Caves and coast scenery of Arbroath and District. pp. 44 & [58]. 26 illus, map. Arbroath Herald Office, Arbroath. [the most important reference work, plagiarised by all later writers and never acknowledged].
Buncle, T., Arbroath. pp 40-47, The Cliffs and Caves illus (72) Gaylet Pot, (76) Masons' Cave, (78) Dickmont's Den, (81) Mermaids' Kirk, (82) Stalactite Cave (dated 1842).
Chisholm, John, (compiler), ND [1973?], Official Guide to Arbroath. p. 80, illus, map. Arbroath Publicity Council. 30, illus.
Duncan, U. K., 1966, A Bryophyte Flora of Angus. Trans British Biological Society 5 (1) p. 1-82. 9 Masons Cove and Deil's Head.
Edward, Rev R., 1678, Edward's Description of the County of Angus, 39, reprinted in Warden, A., 1881, Angus or Forfarshire, vol. 2, pp. 234-252, reprinted by the Forfar & District Historical Society 1967, 24, translated from the Latin, 21-22 [earliest description of the caves from which most later authorities quote].
Elliott, Danny, Winter 1998-Spring 1999, Seaton Cliffs. Scottish Wildlife (36) p. 16-18.
Fraser, Duncan, 1967, Discovering Angus & Mearns. Standard Press, Montrose. Caves p. 131.
Fraser, Duncan, 1974, Discovering East Scotland. 271. Standard Press, Montrose. Caves p. 23, 5.
Fraser, Duncan, 1974, Glen of the Rowan Tress and other stories. Montrose, Standard Press. p. 126.
Gardiner, W., 1831, The Tourist No 4th. Journal of a tour through the eastern part of Forfarshire in June 1831. By the Editor [William Gardiner Jnr] Botanical Repository 1 part 4 pp. 143-160. (A manuscript circulation magazine held in Dundee Libraries Local Studies Collection. Contents include Arbroath cliffs and caves 147-149).
Gardiner, William, junior, 183,2 Remarks during a Walk on the Coast of Forfarshire Magazine of Natural History vol. 5 pp. 573-576.
Gibson, Colin, Nov 1949, Cliffs and Caves of Angus. Scots Mag 52 (2) pp. 85-91, illus.
Gibson, Colin, c. 1950, Folklore of Tayside. Dundee Museum and Art Gallery Publication. p. 13, Dragon's Den; p. 14, Piper's Cave; Dark Cave; p. 17, Hole Field.
Gibson, 1955, [A series of articles on the caves of Arbroath] Arbroath Herald. 5th 12th 26th, August p. 9.
Gibson, Colin, ND [c1956-59], Summer on Tayside. A Dundee Museum and Art Gallery Publication. p. 35.
Gibson, Colin, ND [c1956-59], Autumn on Tayside. A Dundee Museum and Art Gallery Publication. pp. 30-31, 36.
Gibson, Colin, ND [c1956-59], Spring on Tayside. A Dundee Museum and Art Gallery Publication. 11pp. 24, 37.
Gibson ,[Colin?], 1966, A wonderland of caves. Arbroath Herald. Christmas Edition, illus.
Gibson, Colin, 1907-1998, writer artist wrote many newspaper articles in his weekly `Nature diaries' and they appeared in the Dundee Courier and Advertiser from 1954 until his death., after which selected ones continued to be reprinted. Some early examples were collected in a series of booklets published by Dundee Museum between 1956 and 1959. Other articles appeared in the weekly `This is our heritage´ series in the Broughty Ferry Guide & Carnoustie Gazette 1976-84 Personal communication Colin McLeod 4 July 2005.
Gibson, Colin, 1974, Tales of Lunan Bay. Scots Mag. no. 101 (4) pp. 388-395, illus, map.
Gibson, Colin 1981, The secret passage of smugglers' caves. The Courier.
Gibson, Colin 1981 This is our heritage .. Castlsea Bay, Auchmithie. Carnoustie Gazette, Saturday, March 28. p. 5. Similar series of articles, undated Around Maiden Castle, The Gaylet Pot, The castle Gate, The Landscape around us, The Smuggling Trade, Smuggling, Local Coastal names. etc.
Gibson, Colin 1981, Stories and legends of Arbroath's mysterious caves. The Courier June 27. p. 7.
Gibson, Colin 1995, Nature Diary. Series of articles in The Courier, undated.
Geikie, Arichibald, 1887, The Scenery of Scotland, p. 57 Geary Pot.
Hay, George, 1876, History of Arbroath ... 448. Thomas Buncle, Arbroath. Chapter 5 Cliffs and Caves 432-442 illus.
Hay, George, see Adam, John.
Henderson, I. A. N., 1990, Discovering Angus and the Mearns. John Donald Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh. 51-52.
www.abdn.ac.uk/~u02jpg2/arbroath/ Sea Caves of Arbroath, accessed 7.10.05.
Hutchinson, Walter Victor, 1924-26, Britain Beautiful vol. 2 p. 886. The Needle Eye. Photo by Valentine & Sons. p. 894 caves passim.
Lord Ocherlony of Guynd, c 1682, Spottiswoode Miscellany, vol. 1 p. 320.
MacFadyen, Colin, 1996, The Whitehouse Den, Gannochy Gorge and Whiting Ness to the Ethie Haven Site of Special Scientific Interest. Earth Science Site Documentation Series. p. 16.
Macpherson, Euan, Feb 1997, The Golden Age of Smuggling / Euan Macpherson visits the Arbroath caves and cliffs, one coastal area historically associated with contraband. Scots Mag NS 146 (2) Feb 1997 130-135.
Miller, Hugh, 1877, The Old Red Sandstone ... xxxi & 385 & 16, illus. William P Nimmo, London. Caves 213-214.
Muirhead, F. (ed), 1947, The Blue Guide, Scotland, p. 280.
Pennant, Thomas, 1772, A Tour in Scotland and Voyage to the Hebrides 1772, Birlinn, 1998, pp. 495-496, Gaylet Pot, Arbroath.
Robertson, Dr D. A. (ed), 1972, (2nd ed) Arbroath Cliffs Nature Trail. p. 23, map, illus. 2nd ed. Dundee and Angus Branch of the Scottish Wildlife Trust. [1st ed May 1971, 4th ed late 1990s].
Scott-Moncrieff, Lesley, 1963, Scotland's Eastern Coast. Oliver & Boyd. Edinburgh & London. p. 62.
Seven Valley Caving Club Newsletter,June/July 1971.
Shell Guide to Scotland pp. 77 & 84 reprinted British Caver no. 54, p. 9.
Simpson, A. Nicol, 1888, Ornithology of Arbroath (Continued) Scottish Naturalist (New Series) 3 Pagination of full paper is pp. 289-296 & 337-344. Item 143 Rock Pigeon. p. 339.
Smith, J., 1894, The Geology of the Arbroath Sea Shore (from) The Arbroath Guide, December 8th.
1st or Old Statistical Account 1791-99, vol. 12, p. 183 Mentions the caves at Arbroath including Maiden Castle Cave [= Mason's Cave].
2nd or New Statistical Account, 1845, vol. 11, pp. 247, 491-492.
Steers, J A, 1969 4th ed The Sea Coast, pp. 78-79.
Valentine, Easton S., 1912, Forfarshire. Cambridge County Geographies. University Press, Cambridge. 4, 35-38.
Warden see also Edward, Rev. R.
Warden, A., 1880-85, Angus or Forfarshire, the land and people, description and history. Alexander, Dundee. 5 116. (nb A comprehensive index was compiled by Russell, G 1961, Arbroath Public Library).
Zealand, Gillian, 2001, Colin Gibson's Nature Diary. Selected from The Courier 1954-1998. pp. 64, 74,75.
Zealand, Gillian, 2004, Gibson, Colin's Nature Diary Selected from The Courier 1954-1998. pp. 2 14, 52, 84.

This entry was last updated: 2021-08-17 10:49:43

Errors or omissions in this information? Submit corrections/additions/comments for this entry to the registrars.

NGR:	NO 65830 41150
WGS84:	56.56106, -2.55755
Length:	Not recorded
Vert. Range:	Not recorded
Altitude:	Not recorded
Geology:	Not recorded
Tags:	Other
Registry:	second

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