and its Queen's Well to testify to the fact; and on the Inch of Forfar
Loch, where Margaret had a residence, an annual celebration was long
held in her honour. She had a spring at Edinburgh Castle, described as
"the fountain which rises near the corner of the King's Garden, on the
road leading to St. Cuthbert's Church." St. Margaret's Well--once at
Restalrig, now in the Queen's Park--has already been referred to. At
Dunfermline there is a spring in a cave where, according to tradition,
she spent many an hour in pious meditation. The cave is about seven
feet in height, fully eight in breadth, and varies in depth from
eight to eleven. "This cave," remarks the Rev. Peter Chalmers in his
"History of Dunfermline," "is situated at a short distance north from
the Tower Hill, and from the mound crossing the ravine on which part
of the town stands. There is at present a small spring well at the
bottom, the water of which rises at times and covers the whole lower
space; but anciently, it is to be presumed, there was none, or at
least it must have been covered, and prevented from overflowing the
floor, which would either have been formed of the rock or have been
paved." A considerable amount of rubbish accumulated in the cave,
but this was removed in 1877. "During the process of clearing out
the cave," remarks Dr. Henderson in his "Annals of Dunfermline,"
"two stone seats or benches were discovered along the base of the
north and south sides, but there were no carvings or devices seen on
them. Near the back of the cave a small sunk well was found, but it
is now covered over with a stone flag."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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