MHG7730 - Fort - An Dun, Gairloch
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (2)
- PROMONTORY FORT (Early Bronze Age to Pictish - 2400 BC? to 900 AD?)
- (Alternate Type) DUN (Iron Age - 550 BC? to 560 AD?)
Protected Status
Full Description
The defensive structures are not on the outer part of the promontory, but on the higher point closer to the land edge. No overall plan of defences is clear as there is projecting natural rock in places through the turf. But on the SW edge of the area there is disturbance to the site (animal burrow?) and drystone walling can be clearly seen within. A little further to the E of this close to the approach path an area of rock appears to be vitrified (see photo) - HAW 5/2004
NG87NW 6 8027 7534.
Site of Dun (NR). (Supposed Pictish Fort).
A small fort (R W Feachem 1963) consisting of one enclosure on a promontory, named 'An Dun', which is cut off by a ditch crossed by a causeway. The enclosure, about 65' each way, is formed by the grass-grown remains of a wall about 2' high, with, on S, an entrance flanked by vitrified matter.
The ditch varies from 7' to 10' in width and causeway, formed by an undug traverse, is 7' wide.
The tip of the promontory is cut off by a natural gully, but there is no evidence to suggest that it has been a separate fort.
There is a local tradition of a mediaeval castle on or near this site. (J H Dixon 1886)
R W Feachem 1963; A Graham 1951; J H Dixon 1886.
The fort, measuring 20m N-S by 14m E-W, is as described above.
There are faint traces of a grass-covered stone bank, on landward side of fort, above a fairly steep rocky slope extending along the top of cliffs. This is possibly an outer line of defence, or traces of the later castle.
Surveyed at 1/2500. Visited by OS (N K B) 5 April 1965.
This site was included in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland online database. See link below for site entry. <1>
Sources/Archives (6)
- --- SHG1203 Text/Publication/Article: Graham, A. 1951. 'Notes on some brochs and forts visited in 1949', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 83 1948-9, p.12-24. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 12-24. 23-4.
- --- SHG2125 Text/Publication/Volume: Dixon, J H. 1886. Gairloch in north west Ross-shire: its records, traditions inhabitants and natural history with a guide to Gairloch and Loch Maree. 21, 24, 98.
- --- SHG2187 Text/Publication/Volume: Feachem, R W. 1963. A Guide to Prehistoric Scotland. 1st. 149.
- --- SHG25450 Collection/Project Archive: Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH). 08/2011. Digital site gazetteer and archive for ARCH Community Timeline Project: Gairloch. Yes. Site 10.
- --- SHG43 Text/Publication/Article: Nisbet, H C. 1975. 'A geological approach to vitrified forts, part II: bedrock and building stone', Science and Archaeology, Vol 15, pp 3-16. p 13, no.37.
- <1> SHG27950 Interactive Resource/Online Database: Lock, G. & Ralston, I.. 2017. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. SC2727.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NG 8026 7534 (100m by 100m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NG87NW |
| Geographical Area | ROSS AND CROMARTY |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (3)
- http://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/records/SC2727.html (Link to online Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland site entry)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM6234 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/11959 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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