Description

The monument comprises a fort of later prehistoric and early historic date, visible as very well-preserved upstanding remains.

The monument occupies a rocky knoll which rises, vertically in places, from the level flood plain of the Glen Finart burn, close to the seaward end of Glen Finart. The knoll is roughly oval in shape, and colonised by rhododendrons and scrub. Recent clearance of much of the scrub has revealed a series of very well-preserved stretches of walling still standing up to 1.5 m in height and up to 2m across, with areas of vitrification (where the stones of the wall have been subjected to such intense heat that they have partially melted and fused together).

The visible walling forms a small enclosure, possibly a small dun, near the northern end of the knoll, with other transverse lengths running across the main body of the knoll. A gully which cuts off the northern third of the knoll has walling running along either side, and may have formed the main access point onto the site. The site is very similar to the nucleated fort of Dunadd, in the Kilmartin area of Argyll, and like Dunadd, may have had several phases of use, in the later prehistoric period and in the early historic period.

The area to be scheduled comprises the knoll and an area around the base of the knoll within which related material may be expected to be found. It is an irregular oval on plan, and measures approximately 140m from its northernmost point to its southernmost point, by a maximum of 80m transversely, as marked in red upon the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because it has the potential to contribute to an understanding of fortified settlement sites in the later prehistoric and early historic period. It is of particular importance on account of the fact that it shows evidence of vitrification amongst the material that serves to make up the surviving stretches of its ramparts and as a result its further investigation has the potential to improve our knowledge of this as-yet poorly understood phenomenon.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument NS 18 NE 19.

Reference:

Rennie, E. B. (2004) 'Dun Daraich platform (Dunoon & Kilmun parish), platform', Discovery Excav Scot, vol. 5, 24.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland