Description

The monument comprises an artificial island , or crannog, situated about 35m from the E shore of Loch Finlaggan and 0.7km S of Eilean Mor, an important site associated with the Lords of the Isles from the fourteenth to late fifteenth centuries.

The island is subcircular on plan and measured about 23m from NE to SW by 19m transversely in 1976. There is an inlet for a boat-landing and jetty. The SW sector of the stony margin of the island includes a boulder footing-course of a perimeter wall visible over a length of about 5m. The summit of the island is occupied by the ruins of two substantial drystone buildings of oblong plan, aligned at right angles to each other and separated by a narrow passage.

Among the rubble debris on the island is a probable quern-stone fragment. The site has no recorded history, but on typological grounds the construction and occupation of the buildings can probably be ascribed to a period between the fourteenth and seventeenth century. The site is therefore possibly contemporary with Eilean Mor.

The area to be scheduled is approximately rectangular on plan and measures 55m from SW to NE by 40m transversely, to include the crannog and an area around in which evidence associated with its construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because it has the well defined field characteristics of later Medieval crannogs which are a feature of many of the inland lochs on Islay. It has the potential to provide information about late Medieval lifestyle and society, particularly through the likely survival of well preserved organic remains, and to be able to elucidate the relationship of the establishment of the Lords of the Isles with contemporary society.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NR36NE 23.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland