Eilean Nan Clach, Loch Moy

NH73SE 3 7770 3405

(NH 7770 3405) Eilean nan Clach (NAT)

Formerly used as a Temporary Prison (NAT)

OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1903)

This island, evidently partly artificial, was used as a temporary prison and place of execution by the clan chiefs before the abolition of heritable jurisdictions. A gallows stood here within the memory of old people living in 1845 (ISSFC 1888).

According to Stuart, the island is built of stones resting on piles. ISSFC 1888; J Stuart 1868.

Eilean nan Clach was inaccessible as all available boats are laid up for the winter, but the name and tradition are still known locally. It is probably a crannog.

Visited by OS (NKB) 9 November 1966.

No change to previous field report.

Visited by OS (A A) 27 September 1972.

Eilean nan Clach, the ruin of a crannog of Iron Age or Dark Age date, now appears above water level as a large cairn of boulders, of similar dimensions to an average crannog.

E A Meldrum 1972.

Air photographs, taken by Jill Harden in 1989, are in Inverness Museum (8907.11-13 INVMG).

Information from J Harden 1989.

Scheduled as 'Eilean nan Clach... a crannog at the S end of Loch Moy...'.

The crannog is composed of well-compacted stones. On top of the island is a rough pile of stones, or cairn, 1.2m at its base and 0.9m high.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 21 March 2007.