New film on East Sutherland cave is to go on-line
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A NEW short film that uncovers the ritual marks found inside a cave in East Sutherland will premiere online later this month.
The subject of the film is Strath-Steven Cove, a place steeped in stories of refuge and protection, but protection from what?
Until the early 20th century fear of evil spirits was common in the far north of Scotland. The devil was seen as real and his dark forces were out to get you. To ward off such entities people carved marks on large lintel stones above doorways and fireplaces in their homes - letters and symbols calling upon the protection of Mother Mary as a divine saviour. But another kind of site was marked. A cave at Strath-Steven Cove is full of evidence inside – scratches made by nomads of the north stretching back over a millennium.
The sea cliffs at Strath-Steven Cove, two miles south of Brora, are made of Jurassic age limey sandstone with two caves in the most southerly promontory. The larger cave has its entrance some 25ft above the base of the cliff and is full of anti-witch style marks. In the back of the cave, two lozenge shaped apertures have been created giving access to another chamber at a higher level. In the interior the rock has been cut out to form seating areas and the walls bear witness to the use of primitive tools over a greater part of their surface.
The film tracks Brora-based researcher Jacquie Aitken on foot from Sputie Burn as she reveals the meanings behind the carved marks inside the cave.
She says: “The Coves have intrigued me since I was a child. I was afraid to look into its gaping dark entrance that seemed to watch me and know what I was thinking. When you’re in the cave you really get a sense of all the people who have been there before, and you wonder what compelled them to scratch their marks on the walls. Many people have made the age-old pilgrimage to the Coves to seek respite, comfort and security in an often troubled world.”
"The Coves also played a part in Brora’s industrial past, when in the early 1800s a coal shaft was sunk on the coast side of Uppat Lodge in an effort to trace the Brora coal seam. The late Frank McLennan also wrote about the overhangs just beyond the old quarry at Sputie which provided shelters for travellers. The late Hugh Baillie added to this testament in a Northern Times article from the 1990s, by recalling the words of a gentleman called Alick Donaldson, who lived in his chosen lair at the Coves: 'His worldly possessions in a parcel under the oxter . . .It must have been the sea coal and driftwood, which was carefully collected that made the winter months bearable’.”
Strath-Steven Cove was made by Sutherland born filmmaker Robert Aitken, whose previous film and live streaming sensation Threads from the Deep about internationally renowned tapestry artist Joan Baxter, was also filmed in East Sutherland.
Robert said: “As well as exploring the mysterious marks and carved furniture designs in the sandstone rock, I also wanted the film to use the power of imagination to make the viewer wonder what drove people over the centuries to see the cave as a place of refuge. In this respect Strath-Steven Cove is part factual, part science fiction lore, that provides a back story for the cave, which started its long journey as an escape-pod leaving a dying planet millions of years ago."
Strath-Steven Cove is the latest film included in an international project devised and led by Robert entitled "The Lore Film Project". The project aims to create and present a series of micro-films inspired by genres and themes of folklore from around the globe. The project seeks to combine the tradition of storytelling with creative filmed narratives for a new generation across the globe in the 2020s. A full length feature film is already in development to be filmed in the Highlands. Says Robert: “The far north of Scotland is an immense treasure trove of lore themed stories that can inform us all in this ever changing societal landscape."
Strath-Steven Cove will be available to watch online on Tuesday, July 28 at 7pm. For details on how to watch the live-streamed event please visit: https://strathstevencoveonlinefilmpremiere.eventbrite.com
