Description

The monument is an island dun, comprising a partially or wholly artificial island occupied by a complex and substantial stone-built roundhouse, dating to the Iron Age (800BC-400AD), and linked to the loch shore by a causeway. The monument is located within Loch an Duin, North Uist, at about 10m above sea level.

The roundhouse occupies almost all of a small sub-circular island. The island, which is either partially or wholly artificial, measures about 11m in diameter and is located near the northern shore of Loch an Duin. The roundhouse is sub-circular in plan and measures about 10m in diameter. The wall is about 1.1m wide and stands to about 2m in height. There are three upright stones on the wall head, to the north, west and east. The causeway runs from northeast to southwest. It is about 32m long and up to about 2m wide and built of stone. Due to a rise in the water level within the loch, it is now almost fully submerged.

The scheduled area is irregular. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map.  

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as it makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past as a well-preserved island dun with a causeway. It has potential to contribute to our understanding of the construction and function of island structures during prehistory. The stone roundhouse, which is broch-like in form, retains a good deal of its original structural features and there is significant potential for the survival of buried archaeological deposits within and around the site. The partially submerged nature of the site means that there is a high potential for the preservation of organic material relating to the site's construction and use that rarely survives outside of waterlogged contexts. The monument can significantly add to our understanding of domestic settlement, society, agriculture and economy during the Iron Age.

The monument is a particularly good example of an island dun and is therefore an important representative of this monument type. It is part of a wider cluster of island duns and brochs in this part of North Uist, including Loch na Caiginn, dun and settlement (SM5855, NRHE ID 10444), Loch Na Dubcha (NRHE ID 10445) and Dun Mhic Laithean, dun, Groatay (SM5807, NRHE ID 10439). It can tell us about the character, development and use of defended settlements, and the nature of Iron Age society, economy and social hierarchy in the Western Isles. As a relatively undisturbed high-status settlement site, it can inform our understanding of the Iron Age landscape of North Uist

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation

trove.scot

https://www.trove.scot/place/10446/

HER/SMR Reference

https://her.cne-siar.gov.uk/Monument/MWE10446

Source: Historic Environment Scotland