History and traditions of the land of the Lindsays in Angus and Mearns

MENMUIR — POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS. 2(35
inches, and the whole structure, as has been frequently remarked,
is one of the most extensive and elaborate ancient citadels in
Great Britain.
Alike with the vitrified fort of Finhaven, the real history
of Caterthun is veiled in mystery ; but, perhaps, since the place
has never been properly investigated, something may yet be
found among its ruins, to throw light on the manners of its
possessors, or the purposes of its erection. It was visited by an
anonymous writer about eighty years ago, who speaks of having
found stones upon it with hieroglyphic characters, bits of broken
statues, and old coins ; but none of these having been seen or
heard of, save through the columns of a contemporary magazine,*
the assertion is generally questioned. Mr. Black, author of the
History of Brechin, with a laudable curiosity which cannot be
too much commended, cut through a portion of the wall some
years ago, but found only a few remains of charred wood, and
burned human and animal bones.
But, as may be expected, though the learned of every age
have failed to satisfy themselves anent the use or gathering
together of these stones, local tradition at once solves the mys-
tery, and says, that the place was merely the abode of fairies^
and that a brawny witch carried the whole one morning from
the channel of the West Water to the summit of the hill, and
would have increased the quantity (there is no saying to what
extent), but for the ominous circumstance of her apron string
breaking, while carrying one of the largest ! — This stone was
allowed to lie where it fell, and is pointed out to this day on
the north-east slope of the mountain ! This tradition, it may be
remarked, however outre*, is curious from its analogy to that
concerning the Castles of Mulgrave and Pickering in Yorkshire,
the extensive causeways of which are said to have been paved
by genii named Wada and his wife Bell, the latter, like the
amazonian builder of Caterthun, having carried the stones from
a great distance in her apron !f
Perhaps the fabled occupancy of Caterthun by fairies had
the effect of preserving credulity both in Menmuir and Leth-
not. We have already seen its effects in the latter place ;
and it is a notorious fact, that at no distant period demonology
* Ruddiman's Mag,, Aug, 31, 1775. t Ord's Hist, of the Antiquities of Cleveland, &c.
2 H