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Creagan Fhamhair
Fort (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Creagan Fhamhair
Classification Fort (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 11967
Site Number NG87SW 1
NGR NG 8216 7291
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/11967
- Council Highland
- Parish Gairloch
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Ross And Cromarty
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
NG87SW 1 8216 7291.
(NG 8216 7291) A fort (R W Feachem 1963) or dun (W Thomson 1924) on the summit of Creagan Fhamhair, the Rock of the Giant, a mass of gneiss, commanding the passes of the Kerry and Shieldaig rivers from a height of 100 ft.
The summit is flanked on the S and E by a 6 ft thick wall of rough stones, incorporating a massive rock on the NE. The N and W sides are naturally defended by 50 ft high cliffs. The 'enceinte' has measured about 100 ft each way, and is generally grass-covered and flat, although the level changes and a flat rock protrudes in the centre.
The entrance has been towards the W end of the S arc, in the angle formed by an outwork which springs from the main defence to run at a distance of 20 ft to cover the S and E sides at a lower level, and can be traced for a distance of 60 ft. The construction of this outwork is similar to that of the main work, i.e. with the largest stones forming the outer and inner faces. The outer faces of the walls are clearly traceable and reach a maximum height of 2 ft. The walls are said to have stood 6 ft high until they were robbed for the construction of the road in the early 19th century.
R W Feachem 1963; W Thomson 1924; Visible on RAF air photographs CPE. Scot.UK 246: 4422-3.
Note (21 January 2015 - 30 May 2016)
This small fortification is situated on a rocky hillock named Creagan Fhamhair - the Giant's Rock - overlooking the junction S of Gairloch between the A832 and the minor road to Badachro. Protected by cliffs some 15m high on the N and NWW, a wall about 1.8m in thickness has been drawn around the more accessible approach on the S and E, from a massive rock on the NE round to the crag on the W, thus enclosing an area measuring about 24m from NE to SW by 22m transversely (0.04). The entrance was thought by William Thomson to be adjacent to the cliff-edge on the SW, where he identified an outwork springing from the wall. The Scheduling document also identifies this as an outwork swinging round this flank, but a more recent visitor has suggested this may be no more than a later dyke (Highland HER).
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 30 May 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC2728
