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Ossian's Cave [Dunkeld]

The Hermitage, Dunkeld, Perthshire.

Artificial Cave / Grotto.

Ossian's Cave is an enhanced natural feature, employing several large boulders to form part of the cave. These have been joined with undressed stone to form the roof and sides of a 'cave', with two small, irregular windows and a round headed doorway. The corbelled roof is made up of stones, set on edge and mortared into place. It is only one stone in thickness. To the left of the doorway, inside the cave, is a low stone seat, c.1.5m in length, 0.3m from the ground. The whole structure is only part mortared together, making its overall condition somewhat precarious. Steps have been taken to revegetate the top in recent years.

The dates of the cave and stone seat, below, are not exactly known. Estate records suggest that the cave was possibly built in 1755, before Ossian's Hall, however, there are no visitors' accounts until 1776 (ibid. 25), suggesting that the earlier structures are different. Originally, within the cave there was an inscription, purported to be an Ossianic poem. This no longer survives. [Canmore]

The hermit's cave was supposedly built around 1760 for the third Earl of Breadalbane, who unsuccessfully advertised for a permanent eremite. The guide in 1869, Donald Anderson, dressed up with a long beard of lichens and clothes of animal skins

During 1783, the Duke appears to have decorated Ossian's Hall (the Hermitage), which had been built at the Falls of the Bran by his father.

1821 - Early this year an attempt was made to destroy the Hermitage at Dunkeld, of which the Duke gives the following account in his Journal : -

"Feb. 6.-Went to Craig Vinian. . . . Great outrage committed in breaking open the door of the Hermitage, tearing down the blinds and setting them on fire, burning them, the carpet, and part of the floor, when luckily the fire appears to have gone out for want of air." The perpetrator of this wanton mischief was never discovered, though it was generally believed to have been done by one of the guides who showed the Hermitage grounds, who were at that time Peter and Thomas Murray, fiddlers at Inver, and Duncan Ritchie, formerly under-butler to his Grace, the two parties being jealous of each other, and each wishing to get the other displaced. The Duke settled the matter by discharging them all, and placing the guiding under Ross, the gardener.

September 5., 1868 - The Hermitage (Ossian's Hall), on the Bran, near Dunkeld, was blown up in the night-time by some miscreants, who, though their identity was more than suspected, were never convicted of the dastardly act.

Alternate Names: Hermit's Cave

Notes: Ossian's Hall at Hermitage Bridge on the River Braan should not be confused with Ossian's Cave which is located near the Hermitage further west. The earliest OS map also implies that Ossian's Cave was separate from the Hermitage and closer to what is marked on modern maps as Ossian's Seat.

Near to Ossian's cave, overlooking the river, is a feature made up of large boulders and a stone seat. Many of the boulders appear to have been stacked, ruling out natural deposition, and their location would suggest that they were actively positioned to enhance the site. The rocks have been arranged in such a way as to create a screen for rock shelves overlooking the river. There is little direct evidence of construction apart from a right-angled seat, made from mortared stones set against the side overlooking the river. It would appear that this was again, part of the original design of the Hermitage, affording good views over the river, and a romantic location. This may be the source of the confusion noted on the 1st edition maps, which show Ossian's cave and the Hermitage nearby each other. [Canmore]

Ossian's Cave is a B listed structure.

Given length approx. Photos in resources (below) taken by I. Greig, 30/09/25.