North Uist, Loch Huna, Dun Ban

Dun, Loch Huna.

At the south-eastern base of Uineval, some 2 miles east by north of Westford, lies Loch Huna, a loch about a mile long studded with a number of small islands, one of which, lying some 60 yards from the southern end of a long narrow promontory on its north-western shore, is crowned by an interesting dun (Fig. 117). Between the promontory and the dun there is a well-built causeway submerged for the greater part of its length to a depth of over one foot for the most of the year. It runs almost due north and south with a slight bulge towards the east, and has measured about 4 feet 6 inches in width at the top. The island is shaped like a flat-crowned hat with a broad flat brim, the rocky elevated central part rising about 15 feet above the water and 12 feet above the surrounding low part. It is of a roughly circular shape and measures about 60 yards in diameter. A massive stone wall in a very dilapidated condition rises from the water's edge, following the irregularities of the margin of the island. The outer face of this wall is almost entirely hidden by fallen stones, which extend at least about 10 feet beyond it outside, but under this debris it is apparently well preserved. For the greater part of its length it is still 5 feet in height outside, and at one place on the north-west 6 feet, and on the east in places shows 2 feet of building. It has an average width of about 7 feet, but in some places is thinner, as on the north where it is only 5 feet 3 inches thick and near the southwestern corner 5 feet 9 inches thick. At various places there are hollowed-out places in the thickness of the wall, and some on the west side in the fallen debris outside the wall. These are apparently shooting butts, as at Dun Raouill, South Uist (NF73NE 3).

The main entrance to the enclosure lies 17 feet west of the end of the causeway and it measures 3 feet 6 inches in width; its western wall is clearly defined, showing the wall to be 8 feet 9 inches thick at this part. The eastern wall of the passage is almost obscured by tumbled stones. At the south-west is an entrance showing a width of 6 feet 6 inches low down on the inside, possibly for the passage of boats, as it leads into a well-defined hollow 17 feet long and 7 feet wide bounded on the west by a row of stone blocks. The walls on either side of this opening are curved at the outside. There seems to be a similar entrance near the middle of the western side, but only the southern side showing a fine curve is traceable. On the north-western sector of the wall is a splayed opening measuring 2 feet 1 inch in width at the outside and 4 feet 1 inch about 4 feet 6 inches from the outside, where it is blocked up by stones and earth.

The elevated summit of the island is crowned by a long, rectangular building of stone erected partly on the site of an earlier structure, of which only a small part remains outside the north-western corner. The first building seems to have been circular on plan, but only some 18 feet of the building survives, showing a height of 3 feet for a short distance. It is composed of large blocks of stone built with an inward batter and is strongly suggestive of broch masonry. The later building lies almost north and south and measures internally some 55 feet in length and 18 feet 6 inches in breadth, the wall which stands 4 feet high in places inside measuring some 4 feet 6 inches in thickness. The only openings now visible are in the east side and these consist of a door some 13 feet 6 inches from the south end and two windows between it and the north end. The door is 2 feet 9 inches wide, the nearest window3 feet wide inside and 3 feet 6 inches wide outside, and the almost northerly window 3 feet3 inches wide on the inside. On the flat between the high central part and the outer wall there are four rectangular buildings, one on the east and three on the west and northwest. The eastern building measures internally some 25 feet from east to west and 15 feet from north to south and has a door in its northern wall about 3 feet 6 inches wide. Of the three buildings on the opposite side, which are intercommunicable, the best preserved lies to the south and it measures internally some 26 feet 6 inches long and 15 feet broad. It has an entrance in its southern side as well as another on the north leading into the adjoining structure. While the main axis of the southern chamber lies east and west, that of the two others follow the medial line between the raised part of the island and its enclosing wall. Impinging on the outside of the northern gable of this building is a smaller enclosure 10 feet in length from east to west and 9 feet in breadth.

RCAHMS 1924, visited 21 July 1924.

OS map: North Uist xxxiv.