Fillan of Pittenweem

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For other saints with this name, see Fillan.

Saint Fillan was a Scottish Benedictine monk from the Isle of May Priory, founded in 1153 by King David I of Scotland.

Fillan left the Isle of May for Pittenweem in Fife and converted the local populace to Christianity. The priory on May subsequently founded a priory there, which by 1318 had replaced the founding priory and which had been given to the canons regular of the cathedral priory in St. Andrews.

St Fillan's Cave[]

St Fillan's Cave has long been associated with Fillan, situated in Cove Wynd, Pittenweem. The cave has flat rocks that are presumed to have been used as beds and a small spring of "holy water" at its rear and a well.

Pilgrims conversed with hermits (and possibly Fillan himself) inhabiting the cave on their way to nearby St Andrews. It was also used by smugglers for some time, and as a store room for local fisherfolk (Pittenweem has been a fishing village since the time of early Christian settlement and later a harbour was constructed). It served as a prison during the witch hunts of the 17-18th centuries and was used as a rubbish tip which probably resulted in its disappearance for some time.

The cave was rediscovered about 1900 when a horse ploughing in the Priory garden fell down a hole into it. It was rededicated as a place of worship by the Bishop of St. Andrews in 1935.[1][2] It has since been refurbished and opened to visitors as of October 2000, and is owned by the Bishop Low Trust. It is entrusted to St John's Scottish Episcopal Church in Pittenweem,[3] and is open to the public.

  • St Fillan's Cave showing internal structure and altar.

  • St Fillan's Cave showing stairwell up to priory grounds.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ BBC "Central and Fife"
  2. ^ Sharp, Mick, The Way and the Light, Aurum Press Ltd, 2000. ISBN 1-85410-722-4
  3. ^ East Neuk Episcopal Churches "St John's" Archived 8 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
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