Description

The monument consists of the remains of a dun on a promontory over 30m above sea level. The site was probably fortified in the Late Iron Age and occupation may have persisted until early Mediaeval times.

The dun is situated on a natural mound that drops sheer to the sea on the N and E sides. Part of the dun is encroached upon by a croft to the SE. The stone and turf wall completely enclosing the level summit of the mound has fallen over the cliff in the NW portion. There is a reasonably well preserved portion of wall along the E side: here the wall thickness is c.3.3m and the height c.0.8m. The mound rises 10m above the surrounding land. The central court of the dun is a flat area with shallow lazy-bed cultivation which cuts through the wall in the NE. The overall measurements of the enclosed summit are 35m E-W

by 22m N-S. The dun can only be safely approached from the SE.

The area to be scheduled is irregular, measuring a maximum of 50m E-W by 50m N-S centred on the dun and following the outline of the cliffs on the N, W and E sides, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as a site of defensive occupation which holds evidence retrievable through excavation that is potentially important to research into aspects of late Iron Age settlement and society in the Western Isles.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NB 53 SE 3.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland