| 629984 |
RECORDING |
FIELD VISIT |
This prominent cairn is situated near the shore in level grassland with occasional scattered rocks. An extensive area of partly grassed-over bedrock lies between the cairn and the foreshore. At the seaward (W) end is a jumble of very large boulders, the largest, lying at an angle, being 1.3m high and measuring 1.5 by 1.2m. This section of the cairn measures 8m N-S by 5m E-W and up to 1.5m high, and may represent an early feature, possibly a collapsed chambered cairn. A slab 1.3m by 0.7m lies in a clear area 3m by 1m and has been regarded by earlier observers as a possible cist cover. [...] |
2009 |
| 630001 |
RECORDING |
FIELD VISIT |
Within the old shoreline cliff-face just NW of the prominent Haystack Rock is a small cave. There is a low roughly-built wall, apparently of recent date, across the opening; it is 3.2m wide and from 0.5m to 1m high. The cave measures 6m NW-SE from the wall to the back. It is 3m wide at the front, tapering to1m at the rear. The whole cave is dry and sheltered. Immediately to the right of the entrance is a small chamber which was filled with firewood at the time of our visit. Other signs of recent use were newspaper and pieces of rope, and a small fireplace c.1m inside the entrance. In the inner part of the cave there is an accumulation of shell and other occupation debris at least 0.5m deep, suggesting that the cave has been used for many years. Near the rear of the interior on the sloping N wall are three apparently man-made hollows; the largest is 0.1m in diameter and 0.05m deep. These were noted by Dorothy Marshall (Marshall, D N 1985) in a survey of cup-marked rocks on Bute. On the N side of the entrance, on a near-vertical surface, is another group of depressions, 3 small and 1 larger; it is unclear whether these are artificial or natural. |
2009 |
| 629985 |
RECORDING |
FIELD VISIT |
A group of small stone structures are scattered across the area of this bay, some below the high water mark and some in the saltmarsh N of the sand. 10a, at NS03446 61824, is roughly circular (4x3m) and survives as a pile of largish stones, smaller at the base and larger on top. It appears to be the collapsed remains of a simple pen or enclosure. 10b, at NS03479 61879, is a ring of stones 2.2m in diameter, clear in the centre. It seems to be a smaller and slighter version of 10a.10c, at NS03427 61941, is a collapsed structure of large to medium stones built against a large natural boulder just above high water mark on the saltmarsh. It measures 3 by 3.3m and stands 0.8m high. The large boulder on the SW corner is 1.2m high.10d, at NS03384 61929, lies in the intertidal zone. It is a substantial feature built of medium to large beach stones, approximately 4m N-S by 2.5m E-W and standing 0.7m high. There is no apparent internal space and it may simply have been used as a platform.Feature 10e is at NS03378 61971 on the edge of the saltmarsh. It is a small, neatly built subcircular feature now with some stones in the interior. It measures 2.1m N-S by 2.5m E-W.Feature 10f lies in the saltmarsh at NS03387 61990. It consists of a huge boulder on the seaward side with an arc of stones behind it and extending round both sides. There are stones piled randomly in the interior. It measures 2.1m by 2.3m. It is not clear how this structure could be used as a shelter. There is no record of the purpose or date of these small structures, but local informants suggest that they may have been used as butts for shooting geese or ducks. An alternative suggestion is that they may be connected with local fishing or shellfish collecting, perhaps used for keeping bait or shellfish. |
2009 |
