Archaeology Notes

Date 1976 - 2007

Event ID 848094

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/848094

NM83SE 2 88266 34491

(NM 8826 3447) Dunstaffnage Castle (NR)

OS 1:10000 map (1976).

For adjacent chapel (NM 8808 3441) and marine research laboratory (NM 8810 3410), see NM83SE 3 and NM83SE 44 respectively.

For possible flint borer from Dunstaffnage Castle, see NM83SE 26.

For pier at NM 8833 3432, see NM83SE 45.

Dunstaffnage Castle occupies the summit of a prominent rock outcrop and is ideally placed to command the seaward approach to Loch Etive and the Pass of Brander as well as to exercise surveillance over the Firth of Lorn and the eastern entrance to the Sound of Mull.

The castle incorporates the work of several building periods, ranging from the mid-13th century, the date of the original construction, to the early 19th century. Roughly quadrangular on plan, it measures about 35 meters SW-NE by 30 meters transversely over walls varying in thickness from 2.6 to 3.3 metres. There are circular towers at the north and west corners, while the gatehouse, consisting of two floors and a garret chamber, forms a massive frontal projection on the east side. The nature of the original entrance arrangements is uncertain, but is probably indicated by an arch-pointed recess in the east wall of the gatehouse at a height of 5.3 metres above ground-floor level, and which shows evidence of a drawbridge structure.

There were two distinct ranges of buildings within the area enclosed by the walls - the NW range and the east range. The most conspicuous surviving feature of the NW range is the dwelling house that was formed at the NE end in 1725. Formerly comprising two main storeys and an attic,it is now roofless and unfloored. It appears to have incorporated substantial remains of a late 16th century kitchen together with other remains of earlier date. The remaining portion of the NW range lying between the 18th century dwelling house and the West Tower has probably been roofless since the 18th century and the SE or inner wall has completely disappeared. The east range has almost completely disappeared.

The North Tower, much the larger of the two towers has an internal diameter of about 5.8 metres within walls 2.4 metres thick at first floor level. The size of this tower and its position in relation to the east range suggest that it probably contained the principal private apartments of the castellan, though there are no visible remains of fire- places or original chimneys within the tower, However, the tower has suffered considerable damage and remains to be excavated.

The West Tower, which comprised four storeys contained an unlit prison. Like the North Tower, there are now no traces of any fireplaces or chimney flues within the tower.

The rock-cut well serving the castle is situated immediately outside the NW range and has a modern superstructure.

Originally a stronghold of the MacDougalls, Dunstaffnage Castle came under the custodianship of the Campbells of Lorn in 1321 or 1322 following its capture by forces of Robert Bruce. Apart from a period in the late 14th and 15th centuries when it was held by Stewarts, it remained thereafter in the possession of the Campbells.

RCAHMS 1975, visited 1970.

As described.

Surveyed at 1:2500 scale.

Visited by OS (RD), 25 August 1971.

Excavation has partially revealed three openings, all subsequently blocked, piercing the inner face of the 13th century circular N tower, the S aperture perhaps being the tower's original entrance.

J H Lewis 1987.

The removal of c.2m of recent debris and a similar depth of medieval rubble and midden deposits exposed the base of the castle's 13th century N tower. The single surviving course of an E-W wall, built on bedrock below the tower's floor level, probably belonged to an early curtain rather than a partition wall.

Three apertures in the tower's internal wall face comprised: a window, sealed with coursed masonry, on the N side; a blocked opening that may have led into an intra-mural passage in the thickness of the E curtain wall; and, on the S side, a doorway leading into the E range. This doorway had been choked with rubble and other debris prior to the insertion of a 17th-18th century fireplace in the range's N gable.

J H Lewis 1988

Excavation in 1987 and 1988 revealed three openings each blocked with masonry) piercing the inside face of the basement of the large, circular N tower (the donjon). On the N side was a window, sealed with coarsed rubble; on the E a doorway that may have led into a passage within the thickness of the E curtain; and, on the S, a doorway backing onto the fireplace in the n gable of the E range.

As an extension of this programme, excavation was renewed in 1989 with the aim of determining the relationships between the N tower and the E range, during the castle's early occupation and following its later modifications. This involved the removal of the 17th century to 18th century fireplace and the excavation below the hearth and within the northern half of the E range.

East Range

Within the 8.0m E-W by 7m N-S trench a thin layer of turf and topsoil overlay 0.30-1.3m of rubble, roofing slates, brick fragments, mortar, clay patches and dark humic soils, containing butchered mammal bones, pottery and glass fragments. The 19th century dates ascribed to many of the artefacts suggests that much of this debris was derived from the demolition of the castle's NW range which was occupied into the present century.

Although excavation is incomplete, three structural phases have been identified in this area.

Phase 1

The earliest structure in the NE corner of the range, comprised a few courses of a rubble-built wall (F211), faced with split boulders of schist. On the evidence of its alignment, F211 has been equated with the wall whose foundations were uncovered within the N tower (J Lewis, DES 1989) and which may have served as a temporary defence during the early years of the castle's construction. At some stage (probably still in the 13th century) the wall was demolished and replaced by the massive, extant E curtain.

Phase 2

The E range, measuring c12m by c6m, probably comprised a first-storey hall over a basement, whose function has yet to be determined but which probably conatined service accommodation.

In contrast to the building's E wall (the 6m high and 3m wide E curtain), the w wall survived only as 1.30m wide rubble foundations which petered out onto bedrock, c4.0m from the N tower. From this point the bedrock showed pronounced signs of wear for a distance of c1.20m, suggesting a basement-level entrance.

Further evidence of primary structures and occupation await future excavation.

Phase 3

At some stage the basement was sub-divided by a clay-bonded rubble partition wall (F206) which was partially exposed at the southern limit of the trench. A caly floor within the N chamber did not extend as far as the E or N walls, possibly because of 20th century attempts to expose and point the walls' masonry. Traces of probable occupational debris, overlying the floor, have yet to be investigated.

Fireplace.

The moulded-sandstone forepart and the brick base of the hearth were bedded onto the mortar, clay and sand which overlay mixed deposits of rubble and clay. Behind the back of the fireplace, mortared rubble sealed off the loose rubble and midden deposits that had infilled the N tower and which extended into the lower levels of the E range.

removal of these various structures and deposits revealed an ashlar-faced, dog-legged passage connecting the basements of the N tower and e range. The simple 13th century door jambs at the S end of the passage were overlain by the roll-moulded jambs of the 9possibly 18th century) fireplace, the latter masonry probably having come from other, dismantled castle buildings.

A narrow sondage, adjacent to the fireplace, revealed numerous deposits, including layers of sandy soil, rubble, clay, mortar and at least one more clay floor.

J Lewis 1989.

The fourth season of excavation within the castle was concentrated principally within a 3m-wide trench spanning the width of the bicameral E range, at its N end. The clay floor associated with the (now removed) 18th century fireplace had evidently been repaired on numerous occassions, as had an underlying mortar floor which was also of post-medieval date. Below were the remnants of several more clay floors which, on the evidence of the artefacts contained within the associated occupation deposits, were medieval in date.

Underlying the lowest floor surface were the remains of two substantial mortared walls and a robber trench. All of these features appeared to pre-date the e range and the adjacent N tower, both of which had been assumed previously to belong to the castle's primary mid-13th century phase.

In the S chamber rubble and midden material and an underlying layer of mortar, up to 0.40m deep and containing 19th century artefacts, overlay a spread of gravel that extended below the basement's ? 18th century partition wall. Removal of a modern wall at the S end of the room revealed the inside face of the building's ? primary gable. At the E end of the wall was an arched alcove, situated below the topmost step of a stair that may have given access to a first floor hall.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

J Lewis 1991.

Continuation of excavation at the S end of the castle's E range revealed the foundations of a stone stair, with its associated parapet wall, that had led to the first floor hall of the 13th century building and to a similar level in the adjacent 16th century gatehouse tower.

A single sandstone tread, 0.30m deep, survived at the base of the 1.70m-wide stair. The positions of some of the other treads was demonstrated by impressions within the mortar of the stair's foundations.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

J Lewis 1992.

Excavation, which began in 1987, of a ruinous intramural stair within the W wall of the castle's N (donjon) tower was completed by Scotia Archaeology Limited. The stair connected the first floor of the tower with its upper storeys; although there was no indication as to how access was gained from ground floor level. Extending 1.10m into the N wall of the tower was the socket for a large timber joist, one of the supports for the floor at first storey level.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

J Lewis 1994.

NM 882 344 An excavation was carried out in the basement of Dunstaffnage Castle in December 1999, to assess the deposits in this area prior to lowering the ground surface for visitor management purposes.

Two trenches were excavated: Trench 1 at the W end of the S wall and Trench 2 at the E end. The trenches were 0.8m and 1.1m deep respectively.

The deposit filling Trench 1 contained mortar chunks, slate fragments and stones. Sherds of transfer-printed white earthenware and stoneware jars, as well as bottle glass and some animal bones, were found within this deposit. The dateable material includes late 19th/early 20th-century material and possibly a few pieces dating to the 18th century. The W wall was not recorded in detail, but it was noted that it featured a blocked arch with a window being provided within this blocking.

The infill deposit seen in Trench 2 was basically the same as in Trench 1, and the finds were also similar in composition and date. There was a gun-loop or firing slot in the area above the W side of Trench 2.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

A Radley 2000

NM 882 344 Archaeological monitoring was undertaken in February 2004 during the excavation of a new soakaway for a septic tank 32m S of the visitor centre. The excavations revealed levelling materials, including ashlar blocks apparently originating from the castle fabric, but the specific architectural functions of which were not discernible.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

D Stewart 2004.