Archaeology Notes
Event ID 658109
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/658109
NG36SE 1 3740 6472.
(NG 3740 6472) Dun Skudiburgh (NR)
OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1903)
This fort occupies a conspicuous knoll near the shore 1 mile N of Uig Bay. It is oval on plan, measuring axially 150' x 120' within a ruined wall c. 10' thick. It is covered on the E side by a similar wall 320' long, and on the N by two walls, the outer of which stops short of the long wall to leave an entrance gap.
A small drop-shaped dun measuring internally 34' x 24' lies on the E arc of the ruined wall near the probable position of the entrance of the latter. The wall of the dun varies between 9'-12' thick.
R W Feachem 1963; RCAHMS 1928, visited 1921.
Dun Skudiburgh, a partly vitrified fort, overlaid by a dun, is generally as planned by the RCAHMS. There is an additional outwork on the W; it turns E on a change of slope, then S where it is overlaid by a more recent wall. There are remains of extra defence on the E where steep rock faces outside the main outwork have been joined by stretches of walling. There are traces of what may be a similar blocking wall on the W below the main fort wall, but this is confused by more recent walls in the same area. Lumps of vitrifaction were noted in the main wall of the fort in the W arc.
A medial stabilising wall is visible round the W and S sides of the dun, varying from c. 0.7m to c. 1.0m in from the outer wall face. The entrance is not evident, but was probably from the E, where there is a gap in the tumble.
Visited by OS (R L) 8 September 1971.
