North Uist, Vallaquie, Cnoc A' Chaisteal
Midden (Period Unassigned), Souterrain (Prehistoric), Unidentified Pottery
Site Name North Uist, Vallaquie, Cnoc A' Chaisteal
Classification Midden (Period Unassigned), Souterrain (Prehistoric), Unidentified Pottery
Alternative Name(s) Nf87ne 11
Canmore ID 10300
Site Number NF87NE 15
NGR NF 8627 7532
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/10300
- Council Western Isles
- Parish North Uist
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Inverness-shire
NF87NE 15 8672 7532.
At NF 8627 7532 there are the remains of an earth-house in an eroded sandy cliff on the north side of Vallaquie Strand.
It is situated approx 1.7m below the present ground level and consists of an entrance passage 0.6m wide, of which 1.6m of walling is still intact, with a lintel at its west end. The height of the passage is unobtainable due to debris.
The chamber, thought locally to be oval and corbelled, seems to be about 2.5m in diameter, with the roof supported by a central drystone pillar. Around the earth-house is a dense scatter of shells, animal bones and potsherds both above and below the earth-house. About 5.0m of walling can be traced in the sand to the west of the entrance, and may be a continuation of the north wall of the passage.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (N K B) 24 June 1965.
'Rim and wall sherds from beside the earth-house, Vallaquie Sound (NF 863753) were donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) by Mrs M E Parkinson, Northallerton.'
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1967.
Project (8 May 2007 - 16 May 2007)
NF 8907 7735 (Newton House), NF 8627 7532 (Cnoc a’ Chaisteal), NF 8646 7545 (Druim na h-Uamha) A souterrain at Newton House was discovered when a tractor partially collapsed the roof. This sparked community interest in the monument type and local residents were interested in two further possible souterrains at Vallaquie. Orkney College Geophysics Unit was subsequently commissioned to survey this group of monuments by the North Uist Access Archaeology Group, in order to better understand the context within which the monuments were situated and define any associated settlement. A combination of gradiometry, resistance survey and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey was undertaken from 8–16 May 2007.
The survey of the area around Cnoc a’Chaisteal seems to suggest the presence of at least one structure and associated midden deposits. As with all geophysical survey it is impossible to accurately or confidently provide a date for this group of anomalies. As well as the potential settlement associated with the souterrain there is also evidence to suggest that a castle, possibly occupied by Hugh MacDonald of Sleat in the later 15th century AD, stood in this area (Lawson 2004, 163). However, without further investigation it is impossible to ascertain the exact nature of the archaeological features that relate to the anomalies at Cnoc a’Chaisteal. The survey also identified a number of elements of the agricultural economy that pre-date the modern machair landscape.
Archive deposited with Geophysics Unit, Orkney College.
Funder: Access Archaeology.
Ground Penetrating Radar (8 May 2007 - 16 May 2007)
NF 8907 7735 (Newton House), NF 8627 7532 (Cnoc a’ Chaisteal), NF 8646 7545 (Druim na h-Uamha)
Orkney College Geophysics Unit undertook a ground penetrating radar survey at Vallaquie.
Archive deposited with Geophysics Unit, Orkney College.
Funder: Access Archaeology.
Resistivity (8 May 2007 - 16 May 2007)
NF 8907 7735 (Newton House), NF 8627 7532 (Cnoc a’ Chaisteal), NF 8646 7545 (Druim na h-Uamha)
Orkney College Geophysics Unit undertook a resistivity survey at Vallaquie.
Archive deposited with Geophysics Unit, Orkney College.
Funder: Access Archaeology.
Magnetometry (8 May 2007 - 16 May 2007)
NF 8907 7735 (Newton House), NF 8627 7532 (Cnoc a’ Chaisteal), NF 8646 7545 (Druim na h-Uamha)
Orkney College Geophysics Unit undertook a gradiometry survey at Vallaquie.
Archive deposited with Geophysics Unit, Orkney College.
Funder: Access Archaeology.
