Portan Drain

NS09NW 16 0190 9755

See also NS09NW 15 and NS09NW 24.

(NS 019 976) 'Portindrain' - depopulated township, no further information.

(Undated) information in NMRS.

A single unroofed building is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire 1873, sheet cli), but it is not shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1977).

This building may be part of a larger settlement and also see NS09NW 15 and NS09NW 24 which may also be the part of the same site.

Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 13 August 1998.

NS 0190 9755 (vicinity) Small ruined settlement with structures of apparently different periods, located about 400m from the shore of Loch Fyne in a hollow behind (i.e. inland from) a wooded hill. Between it and the shore are traces of a settlement surrounded by a drystone wall (DES 2000, 18-19), and 500m along the shore to the NE of that is the later settlement of Portindrain.

Furthest to the W is a rectangular stone and turf house foundation at NS 01887 97557, 12 x 6m externally. A turf and stone dyke extending from the NE corner of the house round to the SW corner encloses a yard on the N and W sides of the house. To the NE of the house, abutting the outside of the dyke wall, is a small rectangular stone annexe, 2.8 x 4m internally.

To the E, at NS 01904 9755, is a second rectangular stone house foundation, 11.4 x 5m externally, aligned parallel to the first house. A stone annexe, 3.4 x 4m externally, is attached to the NW corner. The whole structure stands on a mound.

To the NE of these, at NS 01913 9756, is a rectangular turf-covered stone foundation, 10 x 7m externally.

To the S of this, at NS 01917 9754, is a house ruin, 6.4 x 4.1m internally. What may be a twinning pen is built up against the exterior of the SE wall at the S corner, with a similar structure, though much tumbled, in the interior up against the same corner. A dyke extending from the S corner eastwards and northwards round to the NW wall encloses a yard.

To the SW of this is a rectangular stone foundation, 5.7 x 4.8m externally. To the S of it is a straight section of tumbled stone wall parallel to the house foundation forming part of the N edge of an enclosure measuring about 9.7 x 8.2m; the rest of the perimeter is a semi-circular turf bank.

Fuller details have been lodged with the NMRS.

Sponsor: Cowal Archaeological & Historical Society

D Dorren, N Henry, I Fyfe and M Fyfe 2003