Description

This monument consists of the remains of a small township. At the heart of the township stands a cross slab next to a holy well. The cross-slab and well are already scheduled, with a small area around. The present rescheduling extends the protected area to include the associated deserted settlement.

The cross slab is thought to date from the eighth or ninth centuries and may have been moved here from a burial ground further south. The township is situated on the drove road from Keills. It consists of several buildings at the foot of a steep slope, facing over an area of flat ground.

The area to be scheduled includes the buildings, the cross slab, the well, part of the drove road and the area to the east which is likely to have been drained and cultivated by the inhabitants. The area is defined to the SE by the edge of the forestry road, to the NW by the top of the scarp and to the NE and SW by a line extending 20m out from the visible structures of the township. The area is roughly rectangular measuring approximately 200m SW-NE by 90m and is marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

This monument is of national importance because it is a small, well-preserved township with several unusual features. The cross and well are both unusual, with few Scottish parallels for the carving on the cross's W face. While it is possible that the cross slab has been moved from another site it is also possible that the township arose around a recognised holy site. Its position on the drove route from Islay and Jura would have affected the economy of the township. The site has the potential to provide further information about life in such post-medieval townships, in particular how sites were selected and the influence of droving traffic on the economy of townships on the routes.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation

Source: Historic Environment Scotland