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Wallace's Cave [Cartland Craigs]

Near New Lanark, Cleghorn Glen, Castle Qua (Quaw), Mouse Water, Lanarkshire.

In the north[west] cliff, a few yards above Cartland Bridge over the Mouse Water is 'Wallace's Cave' said to have hidden the hero after his vengence on Hazelrig, the English Sherrif.

A natural cave or hollow in the cliff in the western extremity of Cartland Craigs on the north[west] side & about fifty feet above the bed of the stream. It is 6 feet in height 2 wide & 8 in length. Access to it is my means of a winding foot path from the top. According to tradition this cave afforded concealment to the Scottish patriot Sir William Wallace on several occasions, hence its name. "The popular tradition that a cave in this ravine (Cartland Crag) once afford [afforded] a refuge to the patriot Sir William Wallace, gives addition [additional] interest to the scene". [Statistical Account, OSA]

A cave in the ravine known as Cartland Craigs, is traditionally said to have been used as a refuge by Sir William Wallace. [NSA]

Wallace's Cave is a natural, inaccessible rock cleft. [Canmore]

Alternative Names: Wallace's Cave [1], Cartland Craigs Cave [1]

Notes: 'We took an early dinner at Lanark and then walked to Cartland Craig, a singularly fine rock said to be rent asunder by an earthquake. At this, the Water o Mouse met the River Clyde. On one side is Wallace's cave after he is supposed to have concealed himself' [Lucy's Diary]

The identification of the Castle involved as Castle Qua (which appears on modern maps) may be a misreading of the early maps. A potential explanation for the name Qua was given in the 1790s by a Mr William Lockhart of Baronald in the Statistical Account, "from the Gaelic Uaidh, a cave, in allusion to the caves or strange artificial archways afterwards to be noticed". However, Castle Qua stands above the Water of Mouse and while both names may originally have derived from Uaidh the name Qua is possibly erroneous (a cursive M for Castle Mua intersecting a squiggle representing part of the rocky crags?). However Mr Lockhart also identifies some 'artificial caves' [souterrains?] at the castle site now identified as an iron age settlement.