Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society
The final item of business today is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-05710, in the name of David Torrance, on congratulating Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament congratulates the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society on its efforts to preserve the caves for future generations; understands that the caves are of significant historical value and that further study of the symbols and carvings, which include an unusually high quantity of Pictish art work, could progress understanding of Scottish cultural history, and believes that the caves have the potential to be a major tourist attraction in the Wemyss area and Fife.
17:07
I welcome to Parliament Mike McFarlane, chair of Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society, and members of the committee, volunteers and supporters and friends of the society.
Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society was formed in 1986 after vandals drove a car into Jonathan’s cave, set fire to it and destroyed the swan drawing that is part of the Wemyss coat of arms and is now lost forever. The society’s aims are to protect the caves, educate people and spread greater awareness of the caves’ importance to a worldwide audience.
Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society must be congratulated on not only its efforts to preserve the caves but its vision for the future, in recognising the caves’ potential for the Wemyss area and the benefits that they will bring locally and to the general Fife economy.
Sadly, though, the Wemyss caves are once again under threat from not only human interference but nature itself. Many of the caves will soon be lost through coastal erosion or land slips and, consequently, one of the jewels in the crown of Scottish history will be gone forever. It is essential that everyone helps Mike McFarlane and his team to resolve that issue as quickly as possible, to ensure the caves’ preservation for posterity.
The Wemyss caves are of vital historical importance to Scotland, as they contain more historically significant markings than all the other caves in Britain. The historical importance of the Wemyss caves has been reiterated by a leading academic in early Scottish history and culture, Dr James Fraser, who stated:
“From the perspective of Scotland’s early medieval past and its study, the significance of the Wemyss Caves can scarcely be exaggerated because they are a truly unique phenomenon. Objects and locations bearing the markings that have come to be known as ‘Pictish symbols’ represent the single largest body of evidence that has survived from the centuries when the Picts dominated political and cultural life in Scotland. The symbols are, so to speak, Scotland’s hieroglyphics. To lose the examples in the Wemyss Caves—by far the richest, most numerous and most complex assemblage of all—would be an unutterable tragedy. All efforts to ensure their preservation and recording for posterity are to be encouraged.”
The Wemyss caves include Jonathan’s cave, the unnamed cave, St Margaret’s well, the sloping cave, the east and west doo caves and the well cave. The caves, which are all different shapes and sizes, have been used by many groups of people for a wide variety of purposes over thousands of years, including prehistoric cave dwellers, the Picts, early Christians, Norsemen, Jacobites and smugglers. The markings in the caves can be classified in three groups: pre-Christian, Christian and Viking. The symbols and markings left by individual groups throughout the ages provide us with a valuable insight and understanding of their different cultures and living practices.
The drawing on the east wall of Jonathan’s cave is one of the oldest drawings of a ship in Scotland—it is probably that of a Pictish ship. Pre-Christian drawings are mostly of Pictish origin and include elephant figures, animals and ornaments. The Christian drawings are mainly Pictish, but this time include early Christian symbols and cross markings. Those markings left by the Vikings show symbols of Norse gods: Thor with his hammer, followed by the sacred goat; Freya, portrayed as a goose; and Odin pictured as a trumpet form. However, there is still potentially much more to discover. In all probability, many hidden archaeological treasures are waiting to be unearthed in those sections of the caves that are partially or completely filled in.
The Wemyss caves have attracted a great deal of academic interest throughout the years but just how widespread that interest is internationally is perhaps best exemplified by the following. In 1990, while on a skiing holiday in Bulgaria, I engaged in a conversation with a couple from Germany. When I told them that I came from Fife, they proceeded to show me a four-page article from a German newspaper about the Wemyss caves. They could not understand why we had not protected and developed such an important historical site that was part of our heritage.
The well-known author, photographer and educationalist, Hamish Brown MBE, in his widely read book, “Along the Fife Coastal Path”, remarked:
“It seems extraordinary that so little has been done to protect this unique site.”
I recently attended Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society’s annual lecture, which was delivered by Joanna Hambly of SCAPE—Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion—which is an organisation committed to the research and promotion of Scotland’s coasts. Joanna’s lecture, entitled “Visualising Wemyss caves”, gave an excellent overview of how the plan to utilise state-of-the-art survey and visualisation methods to digitally preserve the interior of the caves and their carvings would enable people to explore the caves virtually in incredibly realistic detail. The project also affords an excellent opportunity for engagement with the local community.
Six of the Wemyss caves are situated on the western part of the east Wemyss coastline and form part of the Fife coastal path, which, at 117 miles, is the longest trail in Scotland, attracting thousands of walking visitors a year. That highlights the need for a purpose-built visitor centre, which would simultaneously raise the profile of east Wemyss by generating jobs and, hopefully, lead to greater investment in the area. It would also allow people to further their knowledge about this important part of Scottish history and provide many positive opportunities for active learning experiences, which would fulfil one of the aims of Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society.
I thank the Scottish Government and Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, for their efforts in bringing the matter to the attention of Historic Scotland, which is willing to provide technical advice and is considering grant support to achieve a long-term viable solution to ensuring that the caves remain intact for future generations.
Only yesterday, I had a meeting with David Paterson of Fife Council about the Wemyss caves, and I recently had a discussion with the National Lottery about the caves. It is now a case of bringing all the interested parties together to develop a long-term strategy for the caves in the Wemyss area, of which Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society, with its wealth of knowledge about the area, will be an integral part.
I thank Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society for its commitment and dedication in the past to the Wemyss caves and I thank all those involved for their continued fight for the caves’ future and determination to highlight their historical importance to Scotland and the local area. Despite often having faced an uphill struggle over the years, they have not wavered in their belief in the importance of the Wemyss caves to our historical landscape. They have championed their cause with passion and enthusiasm in the belief that ultimately, by realising and bringing to fruition the full potential of the caves in many different ways, they will not only benefit the area but preserve something of real historical value and one of the jewels in the crown of Scottish history for the benefit of future generations. That is why I will continue to offer my support and help them in any way I can to achieve their objectives.
I urge the minister and members here today to avail themselves of the opportunity to see the importance of the Wemyss caves by visiting on one of the open Sundays, which run from April to September.
17:15
I welcome the opportunity to speak in this evening’s debate and I congratulate David Torrance on securing this slot. I welcome members of the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society to the chamber. I hope that they find the debate an interesting and positive contribution to their work.
The society was established in 1986. I recognise its commitment and hard work in highlighting the importance of the caves and campaigning for their preservation. The society does a lot of work to gather and record information on the caves and to encourage others to take an interest. This debate is not its first engagement with Parliament. In 2000 it brought a petition to the Parliament following the loss of the foreshore path to coastal erosion and it received support from the Public Petitions Committee for further efforts to be made to protect the caves.
The Wemyss caves are a group of seven natural caves that lie along the coast immediately to the west of the village of West Wemyss. They are statutorily protected scheduled ancient monuments and are recognised as being of national importance.
The drawings in the Wemyss caves are unique. They depict Pictish symbols, early Christian imagery and Viking representations. They tell the story of the coast and the communities that lived and traded there and of those who smuggled there. The drawings provide important information for our understanding of Pictish imagery and how it represents life as well as death. They expand our knowledge of early drawing and carving techniques. Most importantly, they connect modern generations to history in a way that textbooks just cannot do.
The caves are difficult to access and the society is to be congratulated on the opportunities that it offers people to visit them through guided tours. The knowledge of the guides adds much to the experience of visiting the caves. It is not always easy to see the drawings, so the guides’ expertise adds greatly to the experience.
There is potential for greater public engagement, but there are significant challenges to achieving that. Over the years the caves have been vulnerable to vandalism. A combination of wilful damage and neglect has led to a compromising of the quality of what the caves have to offer. The society recognised that fact when it formed, partly as a response to vandalism and fires being lit in the caves, which led to some of the work being lost for ever.
It is worth recognising that the caves are on private property. Clearly Fife Council and Historic Scotland have key interests in the future of the caves and, given their national importance, surely the Scottish Government also has a role in ensuring their future. However, the caves are on private land as part of the Wemyss estate, so there should be some responsibility and engagement at that level, too.
Although vandalism, natural weathering and inherent geographical instability have all played a part in the deterioration of the caves in their landscape, coastal erosion has been and continues to be the greater challenge. Since 1989 Fife Council and Historic Scotland have invested in coastal defence works, but the challenge of success in this area must not be underestimated. This stretch of coastline is experiencing considerable coastal erosion. The coastline has retreated by at least 30m since 1974, which presents challenges not only to the caves but to many villages and communities along Fife’s coastline. The caves are at the mercy of the elements.
The Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion Trust—otherwise known as SCAPE—has been involved in recording the Pictish carvings in particular. As Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, recently recognised,
“SCAPE has led the field in highlighting the erosion of coastal sites and it is a credit to its members and research that it has found a way to use incredibly accessible mobile technology to improve the national records through the creative use of local expertise.”
We need to consider all options for the caves. Coastal erosion presents significant challenges to achieving a long-term or permanent solution, but we need to consider the options for long-term management.
A sustainable solution needs to be found that means that the knowledge that the drawings give us and the insight that they provide into the history of the shoreline and of Scotland can be saved. We should not underestimate the threat of coastal erosion or how difficult and costly coastal protection is, but we can be committed to a future for these important historical depictions.
Thank you. I should have pointed out that speeches should be four minutes. I call Richard Lyle, to be followed by Murdo Fraser.
17:19
I, too, thank David Torrance for bringing the debate to the chamber, and I welcome members of the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society to their Parliament.
In today’s modern society we are often encouraged to look to the future and to the next big thing around the corner. It is important, however, not to forget our past, which has helped to shape who we are as individuals and as a nation, and our heritage.
In this debate we are considering the Wemyss caves and the history that has been preserved there. The caves appear to have been created by sea action thousands of years ago, and they house a large collection of carvings on their walls. It has been said that there are more carvings on the walls of those caves than in all the other caves in Britain put together. The caves at Wemyss have been used by various groups including prehistoric cave dwellers, Picts, Norsemen, early Christians, Jacobites and smugglers throughout history—a fact which perhaps explains the large number of carvings.
Despite the obvious historical relevance of the caves and the fact that they are a registered scheduled monument, they are now under threat. I note that steps are being taken to prevent further damage from coastal erosion, landslips and human interference. Some caves have already been lost, along with all the historically important carvings that they contained.
The Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society must be commended for its work to date in preserving the caves. Since the society was formed in October 1986 following wilful damage to the caves by vandals, its members have sacrificed a great deal of time and expense to promote and preserve the caves. The volunteers’ work is varied and creative, and it covers everything from book publications to hosting annual historical lectures. In particular, the society holds a series of open Sundays, when visitors are given the chance to explore the caves and the museum dedicated to them.
Scotland’s history has proved to be vitally important to the economy on both a national and a local level, and the Wemyss caves could provide a vital tourist attraction to Fife if they are preserved properly. They also provide excellent educational opportunities to the local schools—they represent an active learning opportunity.
It is important that all possible avenues are explored to preserve and protect these historically significant caves and the carvings that are contained within them. That includes the project that is being run by the Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion Trust, which plans to use digital technology on the caves. The project is welcome, as it has the capacity to make the cave carvings accessible to a wider audience, which it is hoped will in turn increase the level of interest in the caves.
Digitally reproduced images are no substitute for actually visiting the caves and seeing them at first hand, and I encourage as many people as possible to do so. Living in the west of Scotland, I might not live near the Wemyss caves but, like David Torrance, I compliment and support the work that the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society is doing to keep this important heritage for Scotland.
17:23
I congratulate David Torrance on securing the debate and lodging the motion, and I join members in congratulating the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society on all the great work that it does. It is fair to say that the vast majority of Scots are completely unaware that Wemyss plays host to the greatest cave grouping in Britain and northern Europe. Indeed, I was basically unaware of that myself until the topic of the debate appeared among the list of motions. I hope that, simply by being held, the debate will bring some much-needed public awareness of this somewhat undiscovered attraction in Fife. David Torrance is to be commended for highlighting it.
As Mr Torrance said, it was after vandalism destroyed the swan carving in 1986 that the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society was set up, with the remit to preserve and promote cave carvings that date back some 3,500 years. The society’s volunteers stage seven open Sunday events between April and September, as we have heard. They are an opportunity for members of the public to take part in expert-led guided walks and other activities to learn more about the caves. Such is the appetite for the events that visitors travel from all four corners of the UK and from further afield to take part. I am sure that members of all parties will acknowledge the hard work, dedication and determination of all the volunteers who, for the past 31 years, have helped to stage the open Sunday events.
The 12 individual caves play a special role in Wemyss’s culture. The name of the nearby town, East Wemyss, comes from the old Scots word “weem”, meaning cave. The significance of the caves was underlined in 2004, when a “Time Team” documentary was filmed at the site. During that film, Douglas Speirs, the head archaeologist at Fife Council, said:
“The archaeological study of the internationally important Wemyss caves has the very real potential to revolutionise our understanding of the Pictish period. Something of extreme importance was happening at these caves during the Pictish period but only excavation can explain what this was.”
Despite that, we are still very much in the dark when it comes to understanding the Pictish culture and way of life. However, the caves hold great significance, because they represent the drawings and feelings of ordinary Picts who were not among the elite classes. Deciphering of those symbols could unlock the mystery of those early Scots.
Because of the caves’ national importance, more needs to be done to secure their long-term sustainability. As has been mentioned—it was also mentioned in the documentary to which I referred—coastal erosion threatens their existence. Although the option of erecting coastal defences was ruled out several years ago, partly due to cost, technology has improved in the meantime and such an approach could be feasible in the future.
A briefing from the Scotland’s coastal heritage at risk project demonstrates the pressing danger of natural erosion. It will be difficult to stop erosion, but contingency plans must be drawn up to save the cave drawings if natural forces cannot be turned back.
I echo the call that David Torrance made regarding the feasibility of a visitor and heritage centre.
A Fife coastal path report of 2007 estimated the annual number of path visits to be between 480,000 and 580,000, generating between £8 million and £10 million for the local economy. A visitor centre could profit from that footfall and generate funds that could be used to preserve the caves. The financial benefits that a visitor centre could bring to the local economy would also be significant.
To that end, I encourage the Scottish Government to engage with the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society and to consider the feasibility of creating a visitor centre that could act as a focal point for the caves. It would also, of course, provide the area with a tangible economic legacy.
I hope that we will hear positive things from the minister in response to the debate.
17:27
As a fellow Fife MSP, I congratulate David Torrance on bringing the debate to Parliament and highlighting the work of the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society.
I welcome Mike McFarlane and his volunteers and friends, who are in the gallery.
I understand that the society has been working hard since 1986 to promote and protect the caves and their unique heritage. That heritage first captured significant academic interest in the mid-19th century, when Sir James Young Simpson—who was renowned for his contribution to anaesthesia—visited the caves in 1865 and recorded the carvings inside. Since then, academic interest has flourished.
Local historian Frank Rankin has written extensively about the caves, and his booklet “The Wemyss Caves” is popular with visitors and enthusiasts alike.
As well as the expected interest from academia, the caves have captured the imagination of Kirkcaldy-born crime author Val McDermid, who used the caves as part of the setting of her novel “A Darker Domain”. I have not read the book, but I understand that it is a gripping novel of its type.
As Murdo Fraser already said, United Kingdom-wide attention was brought to the caves in the summer of 2004 when “Time Team” visited them. The visit was an all-round success, because the team discovered the holy well in the wells cave, which was used by medieval pilgrims.
The excavations unearthed deeply stratified archaeological deposits inside the caves, providing evidence of many centuries of occupation. Layers in the sliding, or sloping, cave showed evidence of occupation as long ago as the fourth century AD by the Picts, and provided further evidence of activity during the medieval period by Christian hermits and pilgrims.
The society has worked hard since its inception to ensure the preservation of that historically distinctive setting. The caves are an important and valuable part of Fife’s and Scotland’s history, so it would be a great shame not to take steps to preserve such an important piece of our heritage from the effects of coastal erosion, landslips and human interference, as David Torrance and Claire Baker outlined.
The caves are at the mercy of the elements, but on a more positive note, the society has worked hard to gain funding so that all visitors can enjoy the unique opportunity to view a special part of our nation’s history. That paid off when the society received £25,000 for a new access path to the caves to ensure safer access.
A principal aim of the society is to work hard to obtain funding for a purpose-built visitor and learning centre, as the current museum is less than ideal for its purposes and access to the Wemyss environmental education centre is limited. More important is that there is no appropriate access to the facilities for individuals who have disabilities. The society wishes to offer all individuals, as far as that is possible, the opportunity to explore and learn more about a fascinating part of our history. Any financial cost of preserving and promoting the caves would undoubtedly be dwarfed by the cultural and educational gains that we would receive from such an undertaking. I commend the society’s efforts in that respect, and David Torrance has outlined a lot of the efforts that are being made to raise funding.
We certainly need to take more steps to protect and preserve the unique site. We need to ensure that the caves are marketed as a historical highlight on the Fife coastal path, as Murdo Fraser mentioned. The walk is already incredibly popular with visitors from far and near.
The history of Scotland is an important aspect of tourism here generally, and it plays a key role in supporting the economy at local and national levels. The caves were already a historical jewel in Fife’s crown, so we could and should do more to invest in their future.
It is not only the economy that could benefit from the caves, because they offer a unique insight into the past and provide opportunities for learning at all stages across Scotland.
I wish the society the best of luck for the future. I hope that tonight’s debate has helped to raise the profile of its work and of the caves themselves. I am pleased to support David Torrance in bringing such an important part of Fife’s history for debate today.
17:31
I congratulate David Torrance on securing the debate and bringing it to the chamber. I also welcome members of the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society, who have come in great numbers. I also pass on an apology from the cabinet secretary, Fiona Hyslop, who is on Government business in Germany. She asked me to respond to the debate on the member’s motion and I know that she would have welcomed the chance to recognise the good work of the society.
Scotland’s local historical and archaeological societies make a substantial contribution to protecting and managing our historical environment. Indeed, the best and sometimes the only way to get involved with archaeology and history is through the local societies. They arrange talks, walks, guides and events nearly every week in Scotland, and they do much to provide opportunities for us all to use, enjoy and understand our cultural heritage. On the Scottish Government’s behalf, therefore, I am happy to recognise the work of the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society. As many members have commented, since 1986 the society has done so much to promote public understanding, awareness and enjoyment of the Wemyss area and the caves in particular.
I also put on the record our understanding of the national significance of the caves. They are a scheduled site and, as such, their national significance should not be underplayed, although I agree entirely with Murdo Fraser’s comment that perhaps many people in Scotland do not know enough about them. Hopefully, tonight’s debate, secured by David Torrance, will help to raise that awareness.
The society’s work typifies the passion, commitment, hard work and enthusiasm that we see in many local archaeological and historical societies across Scotland. I am aware of some of the guide books that it has produced for the caves and of the walks that it leads year after year to show local people and visitors the rich heritage of the area. I am sure that we all recognise that that work is given freely on weekends and after work by people who are balancing family life and commitments with the wider benefits to the community. I am also sure that those people will not mind me saying that having looked at the work that they have done since 1986, I believe that it is fair to say that the society is tenacious—and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.
The society’s work shows us why it is vital that we recognise and empower local groups and communities to continue to be involved in managing and promoting our archaeological sites. To that end, the Government supports the work of Archaeology Scotland, which helps people from all walks of life to get involved with archaeology through learning about and promotion and support of Scotland’s unique historic environment. Many members will be aware of the great work that is done through the Scottish archaeology month each September.
We recognise the fact that local communities face difficulties in protecting and understanding archaeological remains in coastal areas. As Claire Baker mentioned, we fund the work of the SCAPE trust to provide a national approach on the issue. SCAPE—a charity based at the University of St Andrews—undertakes national monitoring programmes and archaeological investigations of key monuments that are affected by coastal erosion. The charity is focused on engaging with coastal communities to complete those programmes.
Using technologies such as phone apps, Scotland’s coastal heritage at risk project, which was developed by SCAPE, provides information for local communities to use to monitor and record sites at risk. I am glad that one of SCAPE’s projects is at the Wemyss caves, where it is working with the society and with university researchers to laser scan the sites.
I know that David Torrance supports that recording project and I am also aware that he and other members feel strongly about the physical protection of the caves. The caves have suffered from vandalism, as we have heard, as well as from the presence and long-term effects of mining and from coastal erosion of the sites and paths. Each of those issues requires different approaches for the long-term management of the caves.
The archaeological heritage of Fife is rich and varied, especially in the coastal areas. The national significance of the Wemyss caves is acknowledged by the scheduled monument status of six of the 12 caves. That designation allows Scottish ministers to provide support and advice to owners and to others who seek to undertake positive works.
The Scottish Government recognises the strength of local feeling and commitment to the protection of the caves. We also acknowledge that the management problems have been significant and complex, with no practical and necessarily cost-effective solution to date.
Existing coastal defences, which were funded by central and local government in the 1990s, had some effect but did not by any means present a permanent solution. Members have quite rightly asked about Scottish Government actions and about what assistance we can provide. Accordingly, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Ms Hyslop, has asked Historic Scotland to set up a working group to review the situation since the 1990s and to look at the management issues and the options moving forward. Ms Hyslop has written to Fife Council to seek its participation in the group and I am glad to note that it has accepted.
Key to the success of that group, of course, is the participation, support and knowledge of the society, the local community and the owners—Wemyss estate. I am glad to note that SCAPE will provide its expertise on the group as well. I am told that the group will meet for the first time in the next few weeks, when a suitable date for all has been confirmed. I understand that the cabinet secretary intends to visit the site in late summer to review the group’s progress.
The group will look at the erosion effects and mitigation options; the aim is also to review the full range of issues affecting the site such as access, interpretation and visitor amenities. Ultimately, the aim is to provide a framework for future management of the site that is agreed by all parties—a point well made by Murdo Fraser. I agree that visitor numbers are important for sustainability and a visitor strategy will be part of the discussions of the working group when it meets.
Quite rightly, there are concerns about archaeological sites being lost through coastal erosion. As we have heard, climate change is having an increasingly negative impact on our environment, including the historic environment, with rising sea levels and increased storm events causing more attrition of archaeological sites each year. Perhaps the work of the working group will serve to benefit not just the Wemyss caves but many sites around our coastal area.
The key to good management of this resource is the integrated work of all parts of the historic environment sector to allow long-term planning and concerted action at the right time. The Government will continue to support the work of local groups such as the society, public authorities, local communities and research institutions to value and manage our coastal and maritime heritage.
I thank David Torrance for securing the debate and for raising awareness of the issue. I also thank him for organising the attendance of the society today. I thank the society for its work since 1986. Its input to the working group will be extraordinarily helpful, not just for the Wemyss caves but for many historical sites across Scotland.
Meeting closed at 17:39.