Description

The monument consists of a galleried dun, a defensive settlement probably of middle Iron Age date (c. 200 BC to c. 200 AD) situated on a ridge of the SW flank of Cairn Galtar. The dun has been of oval plan, measuring a maximum of 16m N-S by 12m E-W, with walls on average 4m thick. A maximum surviving height of 1.6m is estimated, but the walls are heavily masked by fallen stones.

The narrow entrance passage is in the NW arc, and a gallery 1m wide can be observed at several points in the circuit. A wall of boulders surviving to 0.5m high has cut off the natural line of approach along the ridge from the NW.

The area to be scheduled is D-shaped, with the chord of the D forming the NW boundary and aligned NE-SW. The area is 35m NW-SE by 35m NW-SE, to include the dun, the fallen reamins of its wall, and the NW outer wall, all as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as a fine example of a small Iron Age fortification, the remains of which will conceal much information, accessible to excavation, concerning defensive architecture and domestic and agricultural economy during the middle Iron Age. It is also of importance as one of a local group of Iron Age sites, fortified and otherwise, which together can contribute much to our understanding of the variety of Iron Age settlement forms in Atlantic Scotland.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NL 69 SW 3.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland