33:
249:
220:
264:, but the near absence of records of these in south-west Scotland make this unlikely. The passage is lined with corbelled drystone walling, roofed with capstones, and leads into a natural cave section which may have been formed by wave action as it shows a water-scour likely to have been created by wave action. Some areas of undisturbed stratified deposits have been found, together with evidence of occupation, such as a hearth, bones, and a fragment of glass.
1321:
351:
211:". The most popular time to visit the well was on the first Sunday in May when water was collected for its supposed curative properties, and it is further recorded that on occasions the local minister was persuaded to visit the well to baptise children using its holy water. The well's name also implies the common practice of making wishes and offerings of coins and other items.
194:; however it now stands about 10 feet (3.0 m) above the level of the old raised beach that runs down to the sea. The cave is not very large (6 feet (1.8 m)high, 6 feet (1.8 m)wide, and about 27 feet (8.2 m)long) and is now best accessed by entering the Hawking Craig Wood near the 'Three Sisters' cliffs and carefully walking along the base of the escarpment.
239:
A shelter would most likely have once existed at the cave entrance although no recognisable signs survive of concavities etc used to support such an arrangement. Some apparent man-made workings on the rock face exist close by; however, there is an absence of religious symbols or graffiti of any kind.
231:
A significant find was a bone object with a rectangular hole at one end found on the second level and a flint object was found just above the basal level. An object made of slate was found. Some pottery fragments were found including a coarse, unglazed, reddish appearance and a thinner example with a
227:
When excavated in 1879 the cave was measured at 27 ft long and 6 ft high and wide for 15 ft to the rear. The excavation went down to a depth of 6 ft before hitting bedrock and three levels were discernible, each made up of layers of well-trodden ashes and seashells, the first at
334:
in 1263 a skirmish is said to have taken place on the raised beach area in front of the cave and a cairn or cairns once stood here that were said to be the graves of
Vikings killed during the engagement. Wilson records in the early 19th century seeing several graves made of six stones that only
335:
contained ashes and a large cairn at the base of the cliff where the skirmish took place in which coins were found. These were removed when the author was a boy. Local legend has it that three sisters, Meg, Jean and Lizzie, were witches and whipped up the storm that caused such havoc amongst
228:
18 in, a second at 30in, and the basal layer at 39ins deep. Many bones were found, including deer, cat, pig, horse, sheep, goat, ox, and rabbit bones. The horse bones were found between the upper and second level with dog bones between the middle and basal levels.
202:
A spring known as the 'Wishing Well' was located near the rock shelter or cave. One reference states that this deep well is actually located within the cave or at the entrance. The name 'Wishing Well' has been interpreted as deriving from
189:
The cave stands about 300 yards from the northern end of the red sandstone cliffs and was formed by wave action working at a weak point, a fissure, at the base of red sandstone cliffs that run from the
Brigurd Point to
260:. Until covered over the remains of a dressed stone frame formed an iron grille over a hole in the cave roof suggesting its use as a grotto in the 19th century. The visible remains suggested a
1114:
181:, better described as a rock shelter lying a short distance to the south. The main cave has been excavated and the finds indicate three periods of occupation over many centuries.
63:
32:
248:
907:
917:
912:
862:
1350:
219:
1124:
1202:
1245:
1046:
1260:
240:
However, the soft red sandstone is easily eroded by rain and wind action, and any such markings may have been lost even if they ever existed.
1222:
782:
643:
618:
553:
513:
407:
76:
1355:
1104:
1099:
1094:
990:
887:
1365:
1119:
1109:
897:
807:
578:
1276:
1074:
1296:
1031:
980:
970:
950:
855:
1144:
1360:
57:
1197:
1036:
938:
1129:
273:
233:
374:
1345:
1051:
965:
848:
1301:
1212:
1192:
1139:
1089:
1079:
1041:
1227:
1056:
288:
in Co. Carlow, who is supposed to have lived in the 6th and 7th centuries. Parallels can also be drawn with
1255:
1149:
1015:
955:
177:
however two caves exist in the
Hawking Craig Wood and 'Three Sisters' area of the cliffs, the other being
1182:
1010:
730:
297:
1286:
1281:
1177:
922:
902:
871:
309:
1306:
289:
281:
1167:
1084:
1005:
985:
1291:
960:
892:
803:
778:
639:
614:
574:
549:
509:
403:
324:
975:
313:
1325:
995:
356:
331:
1250:
1134:
50:
1339:
1217:
1000:
277:
166:
1172:
944:
364:
285:
236:
holds the bone implements and some pottery fragments (Accession
Numbers. HM 3-4).
695:
674:
453:
369:
191:
170:
162:
1187:
835:
830:
825:
346:
293:
261:
257:
46:
308:
The name 'Hawking Craig' refers to the medieval practice of collecting young
91:
78:
336:
317:
1207:
840:
218:
204:
844:
173:, also known as St Kentigern and is often referred to as the
232:
green-brown glaze similar to
Scottish Medieval pottery. The
636:
Legendary
Ayrshire. Custom : Folklore : Tradition
611:
Legendary
Ayrshire. Custom : Folklore : Tradition
546:
Legendary
Ayrshire. Custom : Folklore : Tradition
506:
Legendary
Ayrshire. Custom : Folklore : Tradition
400:
Legendary
Ayrshire. Custom : Folklore : Tradition
836:
The 'Three Sisters' and a Prequel to the Battle of Largs
256:
A cave exists near the site of the old Ardeer House in
1269:
1236:
1158:
1065:
1024:
931:
880:
327:was found by workmen at the Hawking Craig in 1826.
147:
139:
131:
123:
115:
107:
70:
56:
42:
20:
252:Smith's Cave or rock shelter at the Hawking Craig.
339:fleet. The 'Three Sisters' are named for them.
856:
8:
777:. Cambridge University Press. p. 268.
272:A similar cave or rock shelter survives on
863:
849:
841:
31:
17:
1125:Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland
775:Prehistoric Annals of Scotland. Volume 2
247:
1246:Action of Churches Together in Scotland
390:
1261:Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office
747:. Arthur Guthrie and Sons. p. 94.
598:. Arthur Guthrie and Sons. p. 94.
533:. Arthur Guthrie and Sons. p. 94.
493:. Arthur Guthrie and Sons. p. 94.
427:. Arthur Guthrie and Sons. p. 94.
718:Stevenston. The Kernel of Cunninghame
7:
1105:Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
1100:Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
284:, an early Irish saint and abbot of
1203:Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900)
720:. Burgh of Stevenston. p. 100.
826:The Holy Cave at the Hawking Craig
14:
1351:Protected areas of North Ayrshire
1120:Methodist Church of Great Britain
1110:International Presbyterian Church
831:Smith's cave at the Hawking Craig
1319:
1075:Associated Presbyterian Churches
349:
802:. Fort Publishing. p. 33.
745:West Kilbride and Neighbourhood
638:. Carn Publishing. p. 35.
613:. Carn Publishing. p. 35.
596:West Kilbride and Neighbourhood
573:. Fort Publishing. p. 33.
548:. Carn Publishing. p. 35.
531:West Kilbride and Neighbourhood
508:. Carn Publishing. p. 35.
491:West Kilbride and Neighbourhood
425:West Kilbride and Neighbourhood
402:. Carn Publishing. p. 35.
1145:United Free Church of Scotland
800:Ayrshire: Discovering a County
223:The entrance to the Holy Cave.
1:
571:Ayrshire:Discovering a County
209:Wise man or Instructor's Well
37:The opening to the Holy Cave
1356:Landforms of North Ayrshire
762:. Elliot Stock. p. 22.
760:Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire
663:. Elliot Stock. p. 22.
661:Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire
478:. Elliot Stock. p. 22.
476:Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire
442:. Elliot Stock. p. 22.
440:Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire
234:National Museum of Scotland
1382:
1223:United Presbyterian Church
966:Solemn League and Covenant
733:Retrieved : 2017-9-16
1315:
1213:Original Secession Church
1193:Catholic Apostolic Church
1140:Scottish Episcopal Church
1090:Congregational Federation
1080:Baptist Union of Scotland
696:"Hawking Cave on Canmore"
675:"Hawking Cave on Canmore"
454:"Hawking Cave on Canmore"
30:
25:
1366:17th century in Scotland
1006:Great Disruption of 1843
716:Clements, James (1974).
375:Peden's Cave (Auchinbay)
198:The Wishing or Holy Well
1228:United Secession Church
1095:Free Church of Scotland
773:Wilson, Daniel (2013).
276:(off the east coast of
1256:Scottish Bible Society
1150:United Reformed Church
1016:Tell Scotland Movement
971:Westminster Confession
956:Five Articles of Perth
951:Reformation Parliament
253:
224:
215:History and excavation
1173:Anti-Burgher movement
1130:Roman Catholic Church
1011:Catholic emancipation
298:Dumfries and Galloway
251:
222:
1361:Scottish Reformation
1270:Non-Christian faiths
1178:Associate Presbytery
873:Religion in Scotland
758:Smith, John (1895).
659:Smith, John (1895).
474:Smith, John (1895).
438:Smith, John (1895).
119:10 feet (3.0 m)
111:27 feet (8.2 m)
1326:Scotland portal
1032:Evangelical revival
981:Glorious Revolution
798:Love, Dane (2013).
743:Lamb, John (1899).
634:Love, Dane (2013).
609:Love, Dane (2013).
594:Lamb, John (1899).
569:Love, Dane (2013).
544:Love, Dane (2013).
529:Lamb, John (1899).
504:Love, Dane (2013).
489:Lamb, John (1899).
423:Lamb, John (1899).
398:Love, Dane (2013).
290:Saint Ninian's Cave
175:Hawking Craig Cave;
169:is associated with
88: /
1168:Old and New Lights
1159:Historic Christian
1085:Church of Scotland
991:Patronage Act 1711
986:Marrow Controversy
254:
225:
92:55.7162°N 4.8998°W
26:Hawking Craig Cave
1346:Caves of Scotland
1333:
1332:
1302:Paganism (modern)
1198:Evangelical Union
1115:Latter-day Saints
961:National Covenant
784:978-1-108-05480-5
645:978-0-9518128-6-0
620:978-0-9518128-6-0
555:978-0-9518128-6-0
515:978-0-9518128-6-0
409:978-0-9518128-6-0
325:Hunterston Brooch
316:for the sport of
268:St Molaise's Cave
207:and meaning the "
165:in the Parish of
155:
154:
1373:
1324:
1323:
1322:
1066:Extant Christian
1047:Popular religion
1001:Second Secession
976:The Killing Time
939:Christianisation
874:
865:
858:
851:
842:
814:
813:
795:
789:
788:
770:
764:
763:
755:
749:
748:
740:
734:
728:
722:
721:
713:
707:
706:
704:
702:
692:
686:
685:
683:
681:
671:
665:
664:
656:
650:
649:
631:
625:
624:
606:
600:
599:
591:
585:
584:
566:
560:
559:
541:
535:
534:
526:
520:
519:
501:
495:
494:
486:
480:
479:
471:
465:
464:
462:
460:
450:
444:
443:
435:
429:
428:
420:
414:
413:
395:
359:
354:
353:
352:
135:Caution required
103:
102:
100:
99:
98:
97:55.7162; -4.8998
93:
89:
86:
85:
84:
81:
66:
35:
18:
1381:
1380:
1376:
1375:
1374:
1372:
1371:
1370:
1336:
1335:
1334:
1329:
1320:
1318:
1311:
1265:
1238:
1232:
1160:
1154:
1067:
1061:
1020:
996:First Secession
927:
876:
872:
869:
822:
817:
810:
797:
796:
792:
785:
772:
771:
767:
757:
756:
752:
742:
741:
737:
729:
725:
715:
714:
710:
700:
698:
694:
693:
689:
679:
677:
673:
672:
668:
658:
657:
653:
646:
633:
632:
628:
621:
608:
607:
603:
593:
592:
588:
581:
568:
567:
563:
556:
543:
542:
538:
528:
527:
523:
516:
503:
502:
498:
488:
487:
483:
473:
472:
468:
458:
456:
452:
451:
447:
437:
436:
432:
422:
421:
417:
410:
397:
396:
392:
383:
357:Scotland portal
355:
350:
348:
345:
332:Battle of Largs
306:
244:The Ardeer Cave
217:
200:
187:
185:Cave and access
96:
94:
90:
87:
82:
79:
77:
75:
74:
62:
38:
12:
11:
5:
1379:
1377:
1369:
1368:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1348:
1338:
1337:
1331:
1330:
1316:
1313:
1312:
1310:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1273:
1271:
1267:
1266:
1264:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1251:Iona Community
1248:
1242:
1240:
1234:
1233:
1231:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1164:
1162:
1156:
1155:
1153:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1135:Salvation Army
1132:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1071:
1069:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1028:
1026:
1022:
1021:
1019:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
941:
935:
933:
929:
928:
926:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
884:
882:
878:
877:
870:
868:
867:
860:
853:
845:
839:
838:
833:
828:
821:
820:External links
818:
816:
815:
808:
790:
783:
765:
750:
735:
723:
708:
687:
666:
651:
644:
626:
619:
601:
586:
579:
561:
554:
536:
521:
514:
496:
481:
466:
445:
430:
415:
408:
389:
388:
387:
382:
379:
378:
377:
372:
367:
361:
360:
344:
341:
305:
302:
270:
269:
246:
245:
216:
213:
199:
196:
186:
183:
153:
152:
149:
145:
144:
143:Access to site
141:
137:
136:
133:
129:
128:
125:
121:
120:
117:
113:
112:
109:
105:
104:
72:
68:
67:
60:
54:
53:
51:North Ayrshire
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1378:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1359:
1357:
1354:
1352:
1349:
1347:
1344:
1343:
1341:
1328:
1327:
1314:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1274:
1272:
1268:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1243:
1241:
1235:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1218:Relief Church
1216:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1161:denominations
1157:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1072:
1070:
1068:denominations
1064:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1029:
1027:
1023:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
946:
942:
940:
937:
936:
934:
930:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
885:
883:
879:
875:
866:
861:
859:
854:
852:
847:
846:
843:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
823:
819:
811:
809:9780954446116
805:
801:
794:
791:
786:
780:
776:
769:
766:
761:
754:
751:
746:
739:
736:
732:
727:
724:
719:
712:
709:
697:
691:
688:
676:
670:
667:
662:
655:
652:
647:
641:
637:
630:
627:
622:
616:
612:
605:
602:
597:
590:
587:
582:
580:9780954446116
576:
572:
565:
562:
557:
551:
547:
540:
537:
532:
525:
522:
517:
511:
507:
500:
497:
492:
485:
482:
477:
470:
467:
455:
449:
446:
441:
434:
431:
426:
419:
416:
411:
405:
401:
394:
391:
385:
384:
380:
376:
373:
371:
368:
366:
363:
362:
358:
347:
342:
340:
338:
333:
330:Prior to the
328:
326:
321:
319:
315:
311:
304:Micro-history
303:
301:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
282:Saint Molaise
279:
275:
267:
266:
265:
263:
259:
250:
243:
242:
241:
237:
235:
229:
221:
214:
212:
210:
206:
197:
195:
193:
184:
182:
180:
176:
172:
168:
167:West Kilbride
164:
160:
151:By rough path
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
101:
73:
69:
65:
61:
59:
55:
52:
48:
45:
41:
34:
29:
24:
21:The Holy Cave
19:
16:
1317:
1277:Bahá'í Faith
1057:Sectarianism
945:Cum universi
943:
923:Contemporary
918:19th century
913:18th century
908:17th century
799:
793:
774:
768:
759:
753:
744:
738:
726:
717:
711:
701:16 September
699:. Retrieved
690:
680:16 September
678:. Retrieved
669:
660:
654:
635:
629:
610:
604:
595:
589:
570:
564:
545:
539:
530:
524:
505:
499:
490:
484:
475:
469:
459:16 September
457:. Retrieved
448:
439:
433:
424:
418:
399:
393:
365:Cleeves Cove
329:
322:
310:sparrowhawks
307:
286:Old Leighlin
271:
255:
238:
230:
226:
208:
201:
188:
179:Smith's Cave
178:
174:
158:
156:
64:NS 1794 5079
15:
903:Reformation
893:Prehistoric
370:Dunton Cove
337:King Haco's
323:The famous
274:Holy Island
192:Portencross
171:Saint Mungo
95: /
71:Coordinates
1340:Categories
1188:Buchanites
381:References
294:Glasserton
262:souterrain
258:Stevenston
163:Hunterston
132:Difficulty
80:55°42′58″N
47:Hunterston
1239:ecumenism
1237:Christian
159:Holy Cave
124:Entrances
116:Elevation
83:4°53′59″W
1287:Hinduism
1282:Buddhism
1208:Glasites
1037:Missions
898:Medieval
888:Overview
343:See also
318:falconry
314:goshawks
280:) where
43:Location
1307:Sikhism
1297:Judaism
1183:Bereans
140:Hazards
58:OS grid
1052:Saints
1025:Topics
932:Events
806:
781:
731:RCAHMS
642:
617:
577:
552:
512:
406:
148:Access
108:Length
1292:Islam
1042:Music
386:Notes
278:Arran
205:Saxon
881:Eras
804:ISBN
779:ISBN
703:2017
682:2017
640:ISBN
615:ISBN
575:ISBN
550:ISBN
510:ISBN
461:2017
404:ISBN
312:and
157:The
296:in
292:at
161:at
1342::
320:.
300:.
49:,
864:e
857:t
850:v
812:.
787:.
705:.
684:.
648:.
623:.
583:.
558:.
518:.
463:.
412:.
127:1
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
