Devil's Beef Tub facts for kids
The Devil's Beef Tub is a huge, deep hollow in the hills of Scotland. It's found north of the town of Moffat. This amazing hollow is about 150 meters (500 feet) deep. Four hills create it: Great Hill, Peat Knowe, Annanhead Hill, and Ericstane Hill. The Devil's Beef Tub is also one of the main places where the River Annan begins.
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What's in a Name?
The Devil's Beef Tub has a very interesting name! It got this name because of how it was used long ago.
Hiding Stolen Cattle
In the past, groups called Border Reivers lived in this area. They were known for raiding and stealing cattle. The Johnstone clan, a group of Reivers, used this deep hollow to hide the cattle they had taken. Their enemies often called them "devils," which is how the "Devil's" part of the name came about.
A Tub for Meat
The word "Beef Tub" might come from two ideas. First, the hollow looks a bit like a large tub used for storing or preserving meat. Second, the area around Moffat was famous for its sulphur baths in the 1700s and 1800s. Water from the Moffat Well, near the Devil's Beef Tub, was used in these baths. Some people think "Beef Tub" might actually be a changed version of "Bathtub."
A Look at History
The Devil's Beef Tub has seen some important events over the years.
The Story of John Hunter
On August 12, 1685, a man named John Hunter was trying to escape from soldiers called dragoons. He was a Covenanter, a group who faced difficulties for their religious beliefs. John Hunter tried to run up the steep side of the Beef Tub to get away. Sadly, he was shot and died right there. He is buried in a nearby churchyard. Today, a monument stands on the edge of the Beef Tub to remember him.
The Beef Tub in Books
This unique place has even appeared in famous stories!
Walter Scott's Description
The famous writer Walter Scott wrote about the Devil's Beef Tub in his novel Redgauntlet. He described it by saying it looked "as if four hills were laying their heads together, to shut out daylight from the dark hollow space between them." He called it a "damned deep, black, blackguard-looking abyss of a hole."
MacCleran's Escape
Walter Scott also wrote about a soldier who escaped from a battle after the Jacobite rising of 1745. This soldier rolled down the hill of the Beef Tub while enemies were shooting at him. He managed to get away safely. Because of this story, the Devil's Beef Tub is also sometimes called MacCleran's Loup, which means "MacCleran's Leap" or "MacCleran's Jump."
