Description

The monument comprises the remains of a fort of prehistoric date with later buildings and cultivation remains within it.

The fort occupies the whole summit of a low rock stack rising above a raised wave-cut platform. The stack itself occupies a rocky promontory with sea all around except to the NW and commands extensive views in all directions. The fort is approximately lozenge-shaped in plan, fitted to the edges of the stack. It has an outer wall between 2.1m and 2.7m thick, enclosing an area 29m N-S by 39m E-W. The mainly turf-covered wall is built on the cliff edge, and the outer face, preserved to a height of 1.2m at one point along the N face, can be seen for most of the periphery. The base course of the inner face can be seen occasionally, especially in the NE. The entrance is on the NNE.

The interior is occupied by the ruins of a relatively recent rectangular house and the turf-covered traces of two, possibly more, smaller rectangular buildings. Traces of lazybed cultivation cover much of the interior. Outside the fort in the W a wall about 2m thick has been constructed across the head of a slope between the stack and the sea, and a similar wall curves around the N side, with two ruinous rectangular buildings in the interspace. There are traces of a similar wall in the E. These walls appear to be later than the fort and are probably contemporary with the rectangular buildings.

The area to be scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is irregular on plan, defined around most of its perimeter by the high water mark of ordinary spring tides, and measures a maximum of 170m NNW-SSE by a maximum 160m NE-SW, to include the whole of the tip of the promontory, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as a good example of a multi-period settlement site. The prehistoric fort and later settlement have the potential to enhance knowledge of economy and social organisation over an extended period of time.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

The monument is recorded by RCAHMS as NM47NW 2.

References:

Feacham R W 1963b, A GUIDE TO PREHISTORIC SCOTLAND, London, 140, 1st.

RCAHMS 1928, NINTH REPORT WITH INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE OUTER HEBRIDES, SKYE AND THE SMALL ISLES, Edinburgh, 221, No.691.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland