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Archaeology Notes
Date 1977
Event ID 698146
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/698146
NR95SW 2 9277 5029.
(NR 9277 5029) Torr an t-Sean Chaisteil (Fort) (NR)
OS 6" map (1924)
Balfour describes an oval fort, 231 x 117ft on Torr an t-Sean Chaisteil. He adds that it is not possible to obtain an estimate of the original height and thickness of the walls, but the debris indicates they were probably unimportant. McLellan, however, considers that the evidence has been misinterpreted by Balfour and describes the fort as defended by a broad crescentic wall about 107 yds long around the vulnerable side of the summit, the other side being sufficiently precipitous as to form a natural defence. Towards the W end of the crescentic wall, composed of large blocks lying in confusion, a narrow wall runs out along the flat bog to the SSE. This is obviously not part of the original structure, and would seem to be of much later date, perhaps a cattle enclosure. There are the ruins of a small rectangular building, possibly a shieling, towards the E end of the crescentic wall.
Source: J Balfour 1910; R McLellan 1970
The ill-defined remains of a fort occupy the summit of a rocky steep-sided knoll above Lochranza Bay. There is a 90.0m long wall, surviving as a 3.5m wide band of large stones, around the easily approached south side of the knoll. This curves round northwards at each end to almost meet the natural slopes on the north side and although there is no entrance visible it was probably at one end of this wall.
The name Torr an t-Sean Chaisteil could not be confirmed locally. Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (BS) 7 December 1977
