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North Uist Geophysical Survey
Date 8 May 2007 - 16 May 2007
Event ID 558935
Category Project
Type Project
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/558935
NF 8907 7735 (Newton House), NF 8627 7532 (Cnoc a’ Chaisteal), NF 8646 7545 (Druim na h-Uamha) A souterrain at Newton House was discovered when a tractor partially collapsed the roof. This sparked community interest in the monument type and local residents were interested in two further possible souterrains at Vallaquie. Orkney College Geophysics Unit was subsequently commissioned to survey this group of monuments by the North Uist Access Archaeology Group, in order to better understand the context within which the monuments were situated and define any associated settlement. A combination of gradiometry, resistance survey and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey was undertaken from 8–16 May 2007.
The survey of the area around Cnoc a’Chaisteal seems to suggest the presence of at least one structure and associated midden deposits. As with all geophysical survey it is impossible to accurately or confidently provide a date for this group of anomalies. As well as the potential settlement associated with the souterrain there is also evidence to suggest that a castle, possibly occupied by Hugh MacDonald of Sleat in the later 15th century AD, stood in this area (Lawson 2004, 163). However, without further investigation it is impossible to ascertain the exact nature of the archaeological features that relate to the anomalies at Cnoc a’Chaisteal. The survey also identified a number of elements of the agricultural economy that pre-date the modern machair landscape.
Archive deposited with Geophysics Unit, Orkney College.
Funder: Access Archaeology.
