Archaeology Notes

Event ID 695691

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/695691

NR60NW 1 6119 0603.

(NR 6120 0603) Fort of Balemacruma (NR)

OS 6" map (1924)

Sron Uamha. The impressive remains of a small multivallate fort are situated on the southernmost point of Kintyre. The fort has been defended by three stone walls which enclose an irregularly-shaped area on the edge of the cliff measuring 32m in length by 13.5m in maximum breadth. It is possible, however, that the interior has been somewhat reduced by subsequent erosion of the cliff face at this point. The inner wall measures about 3.7m in thickness and follows the irregular shoulder of the knoll; at the NW end it surmounts a rocky boss which rises abruptly to a height of 4.6m above the rest of the interior. The middle and outer walls, which measure 2.1m and 1.5m in thickness respectively and lie close to the base of the knoll, are in an unusually good state of preservation, the outer face of the former standing to a height of 1.5m for considerable stretches on the N and NW.

The entrance is situated on the E where a track leads obliquely through the outermost wall and then directly through the other two. The only feature in the interior is a ruined wall of uncertain age which encroaches on the inner wall of the fort to the S of the entrance.

RCAHMS 1971, visited 1960

The fort lay on the farm of Balemacumra (hence the published name, which came on at 2nd edition).

NSA 1845 (D Kelly)

A fort as described by RCAHMS. The name "Fort of Balemacruma" is not in use locally.

Surveyed at 1/10,000.

Visited by OS (NKB) 6 October 1977