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MHG33342 - Poll Duchaill, fort 250m SE of Clach Alasdair, Eigg

Summary

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

The site contains the remains of a fort of late prehistoric date, set on a coastal promontory. The area is irregular and measures a maximum of 160m NE-SW by 100m transversely. - EM 06/2004

This fort is situated upon a roughly triangular, cliff-girt knoll overlooking the island of Rhum to the N and the Bay of Laig to the E. These natural defences are further strengthened by a deep gully on the S, which contains outcropping rocky ridges. The fort measures about 55m from NW to SE by 50m transversely, within cliff edges on the NE and W and grass-grown, faced-rubble walls up to 3m thick and 1m high on the SW and SE. A foundation course emerging from the external face of these walls at a lower level on the SW, produces a funnel-shaped entrance that narrows to about 1m wide. A terraced path ascending the rocky scarp from the gully may once have made for a second entrance roughly centred in the SE wall, while another path approaching via the cliff top on the E heads for an entrance in the gap at the end of this wall that is possibly of relatively recent origin. The interior of the fort, which consists of broken ground that slopes gently N, contains traces of at least eight circular hut platforms. In addition, there is a later quarry that interrupts access to the SW entrance and traces of further quarrying occur on the ridges within the gully.
(EIGG01 250)
Visited by RCAHMS (AGCH, DCC) 30 August 2001

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

See link below to HES Canmore record for photos and plans of the site.

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NM 4543 8816 (100m by 100m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NM48NE
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	SMALL ISLES

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External Links (3)