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Mhor, Uamh (E, main entrance) [Bholsa or Port a' Chotain, Islay]

Islay, Killarrow and Kilmeny, Rhubha Bholsa, Argyllshire.

A large raised beach sea cave in 20 m high cliffs near the mouth of the Allt na Uamha Moire (stream of the great cave) near Rhubha a' Mhaill. Located on the north coast of Islay, six miles [8.5 km] from the nearest road at the Bunnahabhain distillery. Two large entrances separated by a rock pillar with earthworks across the foreshore and drystone walls/enlosures across both entrances. Inhabited from prehistoric times and known more widely since at least 1695. The dry-stone walls were in good condition when the cave was recorded in 1959 but are now much reduced.

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12 m wide. 7 m high (main entrance), access easy.

Despite its remote location perhaps one of the most celebrated, visited and photographed caves on Islay. However, other than its volume and man-made structures, it is not especially interesting [depends on what you find interesting]. ... This extensive, double entranced cave has probably been inhabited since prehistoric times. There is a wall complex fronting and extending into the cave, part dry stone wall, part constructed using mortar. It now holds a modern sheep-pen and has suffered from a recent wall/roof-fall, 27 m in and before the sheep-pen. Beyond the sheep-pen, the floor is sandy and littered with bones. The right-hand entrance is also walled and has two gate-post like stone pillars. [Caves of Islay]

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A vast cave with much evidence of human use & constructions from a range of periods. 2 test pits dug but neither produced cultural remains other then a few sherds of late 19th to early 20th century bottle glass & ceramics. [Islay Caves Project] Probably recorded as Port a' Chotain (4).

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Uamh Mhor (Great Cave) - A large cave, the interior of which is divided in compartments by stone walls & and used as a sheepfold. Situated in a small precipice close to the [shore?] immediately south of Port a' Chotain. In c. 1878, the property of Charles Morrison. [ScotlandsPlaces]

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There are several forts built in the isles that are in fresh-water lakes, as in Ilan-Loch-Guirn, and Ilan-Viceain; there is a fort called Dunnivag in the south-west side of the isle, and there are several caves in different places of it. The largest that I saw was in the north end, and is called Vah-Vearnag [Uamh Fearnag]; it will contain 200 men to stand or sit in it. There is a kill [kiln] for drying corn made on the east side of it; and on the other side there is a wall built close to the side of the cave, which was used for a bed-chamber; it had a fire on the floor, and some chairs about it, and the bed stood close to the wall. There is a stone without the Cave-Door, about which the common People make a Tour Sunways. [Martin Martin]

Martin continues: " A mile on the south-west side of the cave named Vah Vearnag is the celebrated well called Toubir in Knahar [sic Tobar an ?], which in the ancient language is as much as to say, 'the well that sallied from one place to another'; for it is a received tradition among the vulgar inhabitants of this isle, and the opposite isle of Colonsay, that this well was the first in Colonsay, until an imprudent woman happened to wash her hands in it, and that, immediately after, the well, being thus abused, came in an instant to Isla, where it is to continue, and is ever since esteemed a catholicon for diseases by the natives and adjacent islanders; and the great resort to it is commonly every quarter day."

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NR 399 783. The 'great cave' (Uamh Mhor on OS 6" map) lies 200 yards E of that noted on NR37NE 7, opening on to a flat area about 20ft above the sea. It is at least 50 yards deep and contains recent drystone walls in its entrance, presumably sheep pens. A trench just behind these cut through 1ft of cave earth into a layer of clean yellow sand and large boulders, the bottom of which was not reached after 3ft (MacKie 1974). Miss Hoppett (1960) notes this cave, also a grass-covered enclosure, 40ft by 35ft, bounded by walls 1 1/2-2ft high, 27 yards in front of it. There are also traces of cultivation, probably lazy beds, around the cove. Period in use was probably 1750-1850 (Hoppett 1960; Celoria 1959). This may be the cave referred to by Martin (reprinted in Mackay,1934) who sites it only to the 'north end' of the island ...'. The cave lay a mile north-east of a chapel and well (possibly NR37NE 3).

E W MacKie 1974; I N Hoppett 1960; F Celoria 1959; M Martin 1695 (reprinted 1934).

NR 3982 7834. Uamh Mhor (name verified) is as described by MacKie (1974). It measures at least 70.0m long with two adjoining entrances 12.0m and 7.0m wide, and about 5.0m high. Apart from the complex of sheep pens at the entrances, there is no evidence of occupation other than of a recent temporary nature. Lazy beds occur on the raised beach in front of the cave.

Surveyed at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (NKB) 29 June 1978.

NR 3982 7839 (NR 37 NE 1) A vast cave with much evidence for past human use in the form of constructions from a range of periods. Two test pits were dug, though neither of these produced any cultural remains other than a few sherds of late 19th to early 20th-century bottle glass and ceramics. Sponsors: NMS, Prehistoric Society, Munro Fund, University of Edinburgh, Hunter Trust, Russell Trust. K Hardy 2002

NR 3983 7841. In 2003, this site was examined by EASE Archaeology as part of the Coastal Zone Assessment of the island of Islay. The condition of the site at that time was recorded as 'Fair', while the site was described as follows: IY66: Uamh Mhor - Caves and enclosure. Description - A cave complex, known as Uamh Mhor or the Great Cave, extends inwards for some 70m and has a lofty roof and dry floor. It comprises two large interconnected chambers and has been utilised in recent times and possibly in the more distant past. There are drystone walled and mortared walled enclosures built around its two entrances. These form pens, most likely for sheep. There are traces of other drystone structures within the cave, but none appear to be other than of relatively recent date. Previously, a test pit excavated in the larger chamber found layers of clean sand over boulders (MacKie, 1974). Immediately outside are the remains of a subrectangular enclosure. This measures 11m by 5m and has walls of stone and turf. Literary references suggest that the cave was in use as a habitation in the 17th C. RCAHMS, Canmore. MacKie, E, 1974, 11. Period - 18-20th C. Moore, H. & Wilson, G., EASE Archaeology, 'Report on a Coastal Zone Assessment Survey of Islay', (2003) [WoSAS]

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NR 3779 7732. Chapel and Burial Ground (AP). Martin notes a chapel and well one mile SW of NR 37 NE 1, and may possibly refer to this site. The well which he calls Toubir in Knahar, was celebrated as having moved from Colonsay to Islay of its own accord; and as having healing qualities associated with ritual sunwise tours and votive offerings which were left on the stone cover of the well. The chapel appears to have been subsidiary to the well, people who benefitted from drinking the waters returning to the chapel to give thanks. There is no local knowledge and no trace of the chapel and well 'one mile SW' of Uamh Mhor (NR 37 NE 1) or at the RCHAMS site; the latter was presumably an air photograph site as all that is visible is a circular patch of braken [Trove.scot]

Alternative Names: Big Cave, Bholsa (Great Cave of), Great Cave of Bholsa, Fhearnaig (Uamh), Uamh Fhearnaig, Vearnag (Vah), Vah Vearnag, Bholsa (Uamh), Uamh Bholsa, Bolsa Cave, Great Cave of Bolsa, Bolsa (Great Cave of). Port a' Chotain (4)

Notes: Although this is almost certainly the cave referred to as the Great Cave of Bholsa (by the Ordnance Survey), it is a considerable distance east of Mala Bholsa and Rubha Bholsa and about 1.5 km northeast of the farm or settlement of Bholsa after which it was named. In the past several other caves in the nearby area have been referred to as the cave of Bholsa (mostly by the uninformed finding any large cave near Bholsa of which there are several and assuming it was the great cave). Rhubha a' Mhaill is 6 km north of the road at Bunnahabhain along a hiking path and Uamh Mhor is about 3 km further west along rough ground.

There are many spectacular natural arches and largish caves making this stretch of coast well worth a visit but it is remote and if you want to spend any time there you will have to camp overnight. The Great Cave is the largest but is actually easy to distinguish because its entrance is surrounded by sheepfolds.

Uamh Fearnag most likely translates as the Cave of the Place of the Alder Tree. Uamh is 'cave', Fearn is 'Alder' and the suffix 'ag' means place. However, there are currently no trees nearby.

While Uamh Mhor is assumed to be Martin Martin's Uamh Fearnag, the site of Toubir in Knahar - 'the well that sallied' or 'well that sailed' - is not known. There is no known well or spring in the area, however, the settlement of Bholsa is about 1 mile SW of Uamh Mhor.

The sunwise turn - deiseal (Irish: dress - right and sel - turn), the right-hand way (or clockwise turn) - belonged to a whole order of movement: around people, stones, boats, baptisms, bridals and burials, with the sun was blessing and against it (widdershins or tuathal - the left-hand turn) was disorder. The word 'deiseal' can be taken to mean 'bless you'.

Hydrographic Feeds: None

Hydrographic Resurgences: None