Description

The monument consists of a fort, occupying a coastal promontory about 350m WSW of Beinn Ceann a' Mhara. It lies only 250m SSW of the broadly contemporary dun on Eilean Dubh.

The fort benefits from natural defences on all sides except the ESE, where an approach is possible across a narrow neck (which may have been narrowed further by prehistoric quarrying). A stone wall surviving up to 1.1m high and about 1.5m wide runs across the promontory immediately inside the break of slope on the ESE side. At the W end of this wall a secondary structure has been built into and partly over the wall.

The original entrance has been at the E end of this wall, between two slightly staggered terminals. Two small outworks survive in ruinous condition on either side of the outside of the entrance. Within the area enclosed are four sunken enclosures, possibly but not certainly of later date than the defences.

Pottery of mid to late Iron Age date has been recovered from deposits near the entrance.

The area to be scheduled is irregular in shape, measuring a maximum of 165m NW-SE by approximately 35m, expanding to 55m at the ESE end, as shown in red on the accompanying map. It is bounded on all sides except the ESE by the top of very steep slopes and includes the fort together with an area in which evidence for its construction and use may survive.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because it is a well-preserved field monument which has the potential to provide information about later prehistoric defensive architecture. The monument is one of several, broadly contemporary sites within close proximity of each other, which therefore enhances its potential to provide information about the nature, organisation and development of Iron Age society.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Reference:

RCAHMS, Argyll 3, No. 144.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland