Geirum MÓr, Mingulay

Dun, Geirum More.

The small island of Geirum More, which lies about 200 yards from the south-western point of Mingulay, at the west end of the Sound of Berneray, is marked ‘dun’ on O.S. map. This islet rising over 50 feet direct from the sea is with difficulty accessible at the east end, and only in very fine weather. No traces of fortifications are noticeable from either of the adjoining islands of Berneray or Mingulay, but it is said that the foundations of a church of stone and lime can be traced on it and that there is a boat-slip above high-water mark on the eastern end.

RCAHMS 1928, visited 10 June 1915.

OS map: Barra lxx.

This large cliff-girt stack has been fortified with a drystone wall set halfway down its eastern flank in a position that dominates a broad wave cut platform on the E that provides the only access. The landing here is relatively easy, and the outcrops provide a natural route to the summit, rising steadily northwards beneath the terrace upon which the wall is sited and climbing round to reach the relatively level top of the stack on the N. Constructed in drystone over a distance of about 30m, the wall is heavily ruined, but parts of its rough outer face stand up to 1.5m in height towards the S end, beyond which the terrace eventually peters out on the cliff face.

In the course of a brief visit the footings of at least five structures were noted, though with the exception of the largest on the southern side of the summit these cannot be correlated directly with those noted in 1965 by the OS. The largest (NL 54847 81175), however, is a remarkable structure, measuring 7m from E to W by 3.3m within a wall generally about 0.75m in thickness and probably comprising a bank with a stone inner face. The interior has been dug into the slope on the N and the entrance is in the middle of the E end, marked by two upright stones set 0.9m apart transversely to the line of the inner face, the N of which is 1m high. These seem to have supported the massive lintel now lying across the passage immediately outside them. In its heavily ruined state, the wall also appears spread much thicker here, but this is probably the remains of a baffle wall to protect the opening from the elements.

A short distance to the ENE there are the remains of two smaller structures, one measuring 2.8m from ESE to WNW by 2.4m internally (NL 54883 81185), the other 3.8m from NW to SE by 2m internally (NL 54884 81192). To the N of these, in a shallow fold in the surface of the stack there are another two, the eastern measuring 4.6m from E to W by 2.6m internally (NL 54880 81202), and the western 4.6m from E to W by 2.5m transversely within a wall at least 1m in thickness (NL 54881 81228); like the large building on the S side of the summit, the entrance is in its E end and is protected with a baffle wall. Immediately N of the W end of this last, there are also traces of what may be a sixth structure.

While the OS employed the term shieling to describe the character of the structures on the summit, this is not the location for a shieling ground. The presence of the wall overlooking the access implies some level of defence, and it is likely that most, if not all, of the structures visible on the summit are related to this use. Its date is uncertain, however, possibilities ranging from early monastic site to medieval castle, or possibly a post-medieval stronghold like Dun Eistean on Lewis (NB56NW 1).

This cliff-girt islet, with rises sheer out of the sound between Mingulay and Berneray (Barra Head), is defended by a wall built along the leading edge of a terrace halfway down the NE flank, overlooking the broad wave-cut platform that provides the only point of access from the sea. The wall is some 30m in length and towards its S end the rough outer face stands up to 1.5m in height. There is no entrance through the wall, and the only access to the summit of the island is via the outcrops climbing steadily round its N end. The top of the island is relatively level, measuring about 150m from ENE to WSW by 85m transversely (1ha). The footings of at least five structures are visible on it, the largest of which is a remarkable rectangular building measuring 7m from E to W by 3.3m transversely within a wall no more than 0.75m in thickness and probably comprising a bank with an internal face of slabs. The entrance is in the E end, flanked by two upright slabs up to 1m in height which seem to have supported a massive lintel; this now lies fallen across the passage-way, which was probably also protected from the prevailing wind by an external baffle wall. This is probably not a prehistoric fortification, but the wall is evidently designed to control access, and while it might be the vallum of a monastic site, it might equally be the defences of a medieval or post-medieval stronghold. The RCAHMS investigators did not visit the island in 1915, but they were told, probably by the boatman, that there was a church of stone and lime on it, presumably a reference to the large rectangular building (RCAHMS 1928, 137, no. 468), and perhaps hinting at a local tradition that this was monastic enclosure.

Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 23 May 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC2484