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Dun Ghallain, dun 1500m south west of Camasinas

A Scheduled Monument in Fort William and Ardnamurchan, Highland

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Coordinates

Latitude: 56.6729 / 56°40'22"N

Longitude: -5.8415 / 5°50'29"W

OS Eastings: 164751

OS Northings: 760051

OS Grid: NM647600

Mapcode National: GBR CCY2.R2H

Mapcode Global: WGZCX.7JKW

Entry Name: Dun Ghallain, dun 1500m SW of Camasinas

Scheduled Date: 13 December 2000

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM7805

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: dun

Location: Ardnamurchan

County: Highland

Electoral Ward: Fort William and Ardnamurchan

Traditional County: Argyllshire

Description

The monument comprises a dun, a small fortification of Iron Age date.

The dun occupies a rocky knoll, the highest part of a tidal island lying off the N shore of Loch Sunart. It comprises an irregular-shaped enclosure, conforming to the shape of the knoll's summit and measuring approximately 15m N-S by about 11m internally. The drystone wall of the dun varies in thickness from about 1.5m in the NE to about 3.5m in the SW, and stands to a maximum height of about 1m.

Several stretches of both inner and outer facing stones are visible. The entrance is at the WSW, and in the SE of the dun interior are the remains of a rectangular building measuring approximately 3m by 2m, which partly overlie the wall of the dun. Round the base of the knoll on which the dun is situated is an outwork measuring about 55m NW-SE by about 40m transversely, defined by stretches of large boulders and rubble. There are two entrance gaps in the outwork; one at the NW and the other at the NE.

The area proposed for scheduling consists of the western half of the small island, including the dun, its outer works and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It measures a maximum of 90m N-S by 65m E-W, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric settlement and economy.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NM 66 SW 5.

References:

Cameron, A. (1954) Loch Sunart memories, 31.

RCAHMS (1980) The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Argyll: an inventory of the monuments volume 3: Mull, Tiree, Coll and Northern Argyll (excluding the early medieval and later monuments of Iona), 108, No. 205, Edinburgh.

Thornber, I (1974) 'Dungallon, bone object', Discovery Excav Scot, 22.

Wordsworth, J. (1993) SSSIs, Scottish Natural Heritage.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

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