Carfin Grotto

Carfin Lourdes Grotto, a Roman Catholic holy place in Scotland committed to Our Lady of Lourdes, was made in the mid 20^th century. The "Carfin Grotto", as the sanctuary is privately alluded to, was the brain child of Father, later Canon, Thomas N. Taylor, area minister of St. Francis Xavier's Parish in the little, mining town of Carfin, which lies two miles east of Motherwell, in the West of Scotland. Following an excursion to France's central Marian sanctuary at Lourdes, Canon Taylor's vision was to manufacture a religious remembrance to pay tribute to Our Blessed Lady dependent on the layout of the Grotto of Massabielle.
Understanding this vision was to wind up his labor of love. Since its opening in the mid 1920s, the "cavern" has pulled in pioneers in the many thousands and its environs have been altered and improved with rich Catholic images and structures. For as far back as 90 or more years, the cave sanctum has offered a journey season with Sunday parades, rosaries, outside masses and devoted Feast Day occasions which runs every year from early May until late September.