The Witch Craig Woods is an 8 hectare site that combines both a memorial garden and a hilly, woodland environment with walking routes. At the top of the hill is the Witchcraig Wall - a small enclosure built in 2003 to provide a resting place for hill walkers whilst exhibiting the geological heritage
There is also a 13th Century Refuge Stone near the Witch Craig Wall - which marks an area ruled by the church law of the Torphichen Preceptory under the Knights Hospitaller.
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In the nearby stone dyke, there is a “Refuge Stone” with the Cross of Lorraine etched onto its surface. This is one of several which formerly created a circle at a radius of one mile from the central stone in Torphichen Preceptory. In Medieval times sanctuary could be claimed within this area.
The 12th century ‘refuge stone’ marks the boundary of Torphichen which was held by the Knights of St John Hospitallers of Jerusalem where they established a Preceptory in 1124. One side of the Refuge Stone has the Past Preceptor Cross, which is almost identical to the Cross of Lorraine.
The Refuge Stone
It is often cited that there were four refuge/sanctuary stones located one Scots mile, north, south, east and west of the Preceptory. The central stone is in the Torphichen Kirkyard. The stones offered sanctuary to anyone who reached them, protecting them from oppressive forces, assault or revenge attacks. All of the space within the circle formed by these stones was as much a legal sanctuary as the church itself, and offered protection against the law to every criminal or debtor who entered and remained within its precincts.
The Refuge Stone location is about 40m from the cache and has been added as a waypoint so you can navigate to it. A waypoint has also been added for Parking. There is a Bookmark List for this series of caches in The Bathgate Hills, here.
NOTE - THERE IS AN UNLISTED GEOCACHE NEAR THE TREE AT THE REFUGE STONE ITSELF - ABOUT 35M FROM THIS CACHE. IT IS NOT VIEWABLE ON THE GEOCACHING APP AND MAY HAVE BEEN PLACED BY A LOCAL YOUTH GROUP. SO IF YOU FIND A 'TUPPERWARE' BOX THERE, IT IS NOT THIS GEOCACHE.
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