...the Tories, who left their imprint on our Connecticut folklore because of their lack of faith in a government separate from the Crown, and who found it necessary to "hole up" when irate revolutionaries sought revenge. There are several Tory caves in Connecticut, and Litchfield County having more than her share of these loyalists and the rocky terrain to shelter them when pursued, leads the state in caves of this kind. The "Tory Den," located among the Tondem ledges in the southwestern corner of Burlington, is most notable. "The Tories of Chippeny Hill" by E. LeRoy Pond tell of the use of this unique shelter by certain Tories of the nearby village of East Church. The surrounding country was inhabited mainly by these loyalists, and descendants of them still live there.
The Tory Den was formed when a large slab of rock fell from a perpendicular position onto other rocks and became supported in such a way as to allow considerable space beneath. One entrance, facing southeast, is ten feet wide and five feet high. The interior is the same width as the entrance and approximately six feet high, with a roof opening in the center large enough to allow one to pass up through. It could have been used as a chimney. The northern entrance is four feet high and five feet wide. Length over all is about 30 to 35 feet with a slight turn at about the center of the cave. It is very suitable for cave-keeping should anyone like to revert to primitive life....
