TAMH: Tours

The Arbroath Cliffs Tour - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Arbroath

Cliffs: Monk and Maiden's Leap

The headland overlooking the bay by the Stalactite Cave is known as the Monk and Maiden's Leap reputedly after a poem by David Balfour of Arbroath written in the early eighteenth century. Mary Scott, grieving for her dead mother, was comforted by a local abbot. As a result of this 'comfort' she fell pregnant and the abbot arranged her murder. He became insane through guilt and died soon afterwards. Both are said to be buried here and, in a twist on Barbara Allen, a wild rose is supposed to have blossomed on Mary's grave with a stunted thornbush on that of the abbot.

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