Archaeology Notes

Event ID 675276

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/675276

NM80NW 18 8030 0893

(NM 8031 0894) Dun an Garbh-sroine (NAT)

Fort (NR)

OS 1:10,000 map, (1975)

See also NM80NW 32.

Standing on a low ridge, near the shore, and just below the farm of Garraron are the remains of one of the largest forts in Argyll. It measures about 300' by 120' overall with straightish sides following the outline of the site. The fort is generally rectangular in shape with squared corners. The walls, averaging about 9' in thickness, have rectangular embrasures to seaward, and are composed of very large stones. The probable entrance, in the NE, is defended by a roughly constructed outer rampart made of exceptionally massive blocks.

Campbell and Sandeman (1964) suggest a late date or possible re-use of this fort. The New Statistical Account (NSA, 1845) mentions a well 9' by 6', filled with rubbish, suggestive of a cellar or dungeon, but now no longer visible. It is recorded that there was a Baron of Lergychonzie in 1292, and it is possible that his castle occupied this site.

NSA 1845; D Christison 1889; A Graham 1950; M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964.

This fort measures internally 84 metres NE-SW by 34 metres transversely, with a wall up to 3.1 metres wide and 2.2 metres high. Inner and outer faces are visible sporadically in the north and west, but continuously on the south and southeast sides, the maximum height of the outer face,in the SE, being 1.1 metres and the inner face one metre in the south. One short stretch of a ditch is visible outside the SW corner. There are gaps in the north, southwest and east of which that in the east is probably original, the other two leading directly onto sheer cliff face. There is no definite trace of an outwork in the NE or of any internal features.

Surveyed at 1:2500 scale.

Visited by OS (D W R) 6 October 1971.