North Uist, Clachan, Loch Nan Struban

Dun, Loch nan Struban, Clachan.

In the southern end of Loch nan Struban, about ½ mile north-west of Clachan-a-luib, are the remains of a dun, which occupy the entire area of a small island. The ruins appear as a flat-topped mound measuring some 38 feet from east to west, and 33 feet from north to south, and rising about 6 feet above the water. The higher part of the mound is covered with vegetation, but round the edge of the islet is a mass of fallen stones covering a space about 6 feet in width. On the west a portion of the wall shows a thickness of 4 feet.

The dun is connected with the south shore of the loch by a submerged causeway about 35 yards long.

RCAHMS 1928, visited 7 September 1914.

OS map: North Uist xxxix (unnoted).

NF 8726 7470–NF 7463 1688 The 2022 field season for the Islands of Stone project set out to investigate a number of archaeological islets located in North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist in the Outer Hebrides. The primary aim of this fieldwork was to identify datable material culture associated with crannogs (or artificial islands), with a particular focus on the Neolithic. The target sites were identified from a database of archaeological islets generated through a variety of means: evaluation of existing NRHE/HER records, data mining, machine learning and preliminary ground surveys carried out by the Uist Community Archaeology Group (UCAG). Most of the sites investigated were already recorded in the National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) and/or Historic Environment Record (HER), but few had previously been surveyed in detail, with the majority having received only cursory investigation from the loch shore.

The 2022 field season managed to redress this limited knowledge by investigating 37 islets in 23 lochs. Twenty-five were previously known sites recorded in the NRHE/HER; the other 12 were ‘sites with potential’ newly identified through computer-based analysis of aerial imagery (machine learning).

Survey of all sites involved two primary aspects: above water and below water investigations. The primary means of investigation was in-water inspection. This was done on snorkel for shallower sites and on SCUBA for deeper sites by a team of five divers. When deemed useful and feasible, aerial (UAV) photogrammetry and LiDAR surveys, as well as on-islet in-person inspections, were conducted to provide further information regarding the nature and construction of each islet (and perhaps indications of period, if the surface supported structures). In total, Neolithic pottery was recovered from three lochs, and one new site (which produced Iron Age pottery) was identified. Numerous additional sites produced pottery (and other material culture) and/or organics that are still being analysed. More detailed reporting will be available once analysis is completed.

Previously-known sites visited (Grid Reference, Site Name,

Canmore ID):

NF 74696 75332, Eilean Domhnuill, 10069

NF 76612 74375, Loch nan Gearrachun, 10087

NF 76752 74189, Loch nan Gearrachun, 10076

NF 7678 7382, Loch nan Clachan, 10094

NF 8075 7266, Dun Eashader, 10375

NF 8726 7470, Oban Trumisgarry, 10353

NF 89076 74551, Dunan Dubh, 10367

NF 89309 74168, Loch an Duin, 10351

NF 89612 73914, Loch Bru, 10369

NF 8075 6450, Clachan, 10256

NF 8456 5757, Loch An Fhaing, 10191

NF 7985 4916, Gunisary Bay, 9922

NF 7969 4592, Loch an Daill, 9921

NF 76707 35686, Tobha Bheag, 270754

NF 76800 35678, Tobha Bheag, 270753

NF 76 30, Ormiclate, 9894

NF 74486 31154, Ormacleit, 270831

NF 7445 2723, Kildonan, 9846

NF 74824 25883, Loch Cnoc a’ Buidhe, 9826

NF 7427 1919, Eilean Chreamh, 9794

NF 7462 1907, Dun na Cille, 9788

NF 7468 1692, Loch an Eilean, 270796

NF 7463 1688, Loch an Eilean, 270812

NF 88885 73730, Dun Torcuill, 10364

NF 8430 6090, Dun Ban, 10261

Newly identified site (Grid Reference, Site Name, Canmore ID): NF 81130 48686, Ob Saile, 373291

Stephanie Blankshein, Duncan Garrow and Fraser Sturt – University of Southampton and University of Reading

(Source: DES Volume 23)

Clachan is an artificial islet located in Loch nan Struban, connected to the shore by a 38m causeway. The islet is oblong, measuring 14m by 17.5m, and rises around 2m above the loch at the time of survey. The islet is constructed from portable stones on a shallowing within the loch, with depths reaching up to 1.5m. Loch bed sediments are mostly coarse-grained, though fine-grained materials were noted to the east.

Despite good underwater visibility and thorough inspections, no clearly diagnostic archaeological materials were recovered, though quartz flakes were found in the shallows. The absence of pottery or organic materials makes it difficult to date the site or determine its construction and use. The clear artificiality of the islet, however, suggests it could be a promising site. Further investigation through underwater coring or test pitting is recommended to understand the site's full context.

Information from Islands of Stone Project, July 2022