The Tory Cave at Rocky Pond - Boylston History

From here:
(Note that Rocky Pond has an extensive rock pile site.)

TORY CAVE REVISITED
by Fred Brown, President

They seek it here, they seek it there, they seek it everywhere.  Is it to
the north, is it to the south?  That  d----d elusive Tory Cave.


The Boylston Tory,  Solomon Houghton,  lived on a farm located to the east
of the intersection of Linden Street and Mile Hill Road.  Being a Tory at
this time in Boylston could be more hazardous to his health than smoking.
So he hid in the East Woods section of Boylston until he could make his way
to Nova Scotia via Boston.  It is said he stayed in a cave for "some time",
with his wife and children bringing him sustenance


We don't have caves as we think of them in Boylston.  The caves we think of
(such as the Carlsbad Caverns, among others) have been carved by water over
vast periods of geological time, while the "caves" in Boylston are made of
high ledges.   Either through weathering or earthquake the face of these
ledges break free and tumble in a hodgepodge around the base.  When these
large boulders land against each other they often have large open areas
underneath them.  These open areas are large enough to accommodate me
comfortably (and those who know me know I am anything but small).

Where in Boylston can such ledges be found?  We have the Morningdale Ledges
to the left of Paul Tivnen Drive, the Scar Hill Ledges on the Nashua
(before the Reservoir was flooded), and a third, on the shores of Rocky
Pond.


Any of these could be the location.  Let's think about this for a moment.
A person hiding for a length of time would want to be near water and near
his home if his family were to provide him with the necessities of life.
This lets out the Morningdale Ledges - no water.   Further consideration
eliminates the Scar Hill Ledges, they would have been too far from
Houghton's home.  This leaves Rocky Pond.
...