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MHG11939 - Monastery - Aodann Mhor

Summary

A Celtic monastic site.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A pre-Norse monastic site occupies a peninsular rock lying parallel to cliffs and can be approached only by a dangerous knife-edge of rock. The rock-surface measures 36 yds by 10 yards with a seaward slope of at least 45 and bears two terraced rows of contiguous turf huts roughly 10ft square and one foundation 10 by 20ft. There are eight huts in the upper row but the lower row has been almost removed by wave scour. Nettles growing in the floors of the huts probably indicate an occupation deposit. A turf parapet runs along the upper side of the rock. ( cf: Kame of Isbister: HU39SE 4 etc).
Info contained in letter and plan from R G Lamb to OS 15 October 1971; R G Lamb 1971 and 1973.

This Celtic monastic site, defended on landward side by a rampart of earth and stone, is as described and planned by Lamb.
Surveyed at 1:2500 Visited by OS (N K B) 16 September 1977.

This site is included in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland online database. See link below for site entry. <1>

A rapid coastal zone assessment survey was conducted by GUARD in the Autumn of 1997 commissioned by Historic Scotland from the Viking and Early Settlement Archaeological Research Project based at the University of Glasgow.

The site is situated on a rocky headland parallel to the mainland, connected by a knife-edge arrete, with sheer rock on the SE side. The site was not visited by this survey as access was too dangerous, which may indicate that further erosion has occurred since the last recorded visit in 1977. <2>

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 4076 6922 (71m by 86m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC46NW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (3)