The programmes

Grid reference: NS 231 102

Filmed 21-26 July and 14-15 November 2003,
first screened 4 July 2004

Mysterious caves

For this programme, the Extreme Archaeology team went to Culzean Castle, Scotland, to investigate local smuggling legends. The castle is perched precariously above the Firth of Clyde, on 30-metre high cliffs; and since the 17th century there have been tales of smugglers inhabiting the mysterious caves that go deep into them.

The caves are fronted by impressive fortifications, complete with walls, doors and windows. What were they built for and when? No records exist of the fortifications and previous investigations have revealed nothing, only adding to the mystery.

In an attempt to reveal at least part of the mystery, the EXA team threw its full technological weight at the caves. They used cutting-edge laser survey and radar to profile the chambers in 3D as well as the more traditional archaeological approach of digging trenches in their search for clues. Meanwhile, keeping a wary eye out for giant cave spiders – so large they scared off one previous expedition to the caves – provided one of Extreme Archaeology's more unusual challenges.

Within hours of accessing the cave, though, the team had forgotten all about the spiders. The discovery of human remains was to bring the investigation to an abrupt halt until the police had satisfied themselves that there was no recent murder to look into.

Expert opinion

Derek Alexander, the west region archaeologist for the National Trust for Scotland, looks into the history of Culzean and what Extreme Archaeology added to it

The castle and caves

Culzean Castle and Country Park, on the coast near Ayr, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Scotland. Yet few visitors realise that the famous castle was built over a warren of caves. The defensive cliff-top location may have been a castle site belonging to the Kennedys from as early as the 12th century.

There are two main cave systems which front onto the seashore beneath the castle: one set below the castle, the other below the stable block. There are three caverns in the cave systems, which have been roughly mapped. Each cavern covers an area roughly 35 by 10 metres, the tallest parts being up to eight metres high.

Smugglers and ghosts

The caves have a long and interesting history. Perhaps being occupied since prehistoric times, certainly being lived in during the medieval period, and the subject of folklore and mystery; they are even mentioned in the poem, 'Hallowe'en', by Robert Burns. The caves are also said to be haunted by the 'Ghost Piper', who was sent in to rid the caves of ghosts and never returned.

The Firth of Clyde was a notorious centre for smuggling and the fortified caves beneath Culzean were ideal for hiding contraband from the Revenue officers. For centuries the Culzean Kennedys and others on the estate were either directly involved in smuggling or turned a blind eye to it, in exchange for a share of the profits. Smuggled goods would have included wine, port, rum, tobacco and whisky.

Invaluable techniques

Prior to the work undertaken by Extreme Archaeology, cave enthusiasts had undertaken only a little exploratory work in the 1960s. The EXA work was well timed as the National Trust for Scotland was considering how to undertake research work into the caves.

The use by EXA of a battery of modern techniques was fantastic. The laser-scanning technology used to model the interior of the caves proved invaluable – no other technique could have adequately captured the irregular shape of the cave interiors. Attaching this survey data to the GIS allowed the relative position between the caves and the castle to be calculated.

Geophysical survey, using ground penetrating radar, has also shown the way forward for investigating deposits that may be buried below roof collapses. Most remarkable, however, was the EXA discovery of human bones within the cave – which given their early historic date now adds a new layer to the complex history of Culzean.

Further information

For further information on archaeology and the National Trust for Scotland visit www.nts.org.uk

For further information on Culzean Castle visit www.culzeancastle.net