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Coll, Dun An Achaidh
Dun (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Coll, Dun An Achaidh
Classification Dun (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 21587
Site Number NM15SE 5
NGR NM 1833 5456
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/21587
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Coll
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NM15SE 5 1833 5456.
(NM 1833 5456) Dun an Achaidh (NR)
Dun, Dun an Achaidh: This, the best preserved of the duns on Coll, occupies the crest of a narrow rocky ridge which rises to a height of 22m above the low-lying land drained by the Allt a' Mhuilinn, 350m SW of Acha Mill.
The dun wall, which was probably about 2.5m thick, follows the margin of the level top of the ridge, enclosing an area measuring 32m from NE to SW by a maximum of 9m transversely. No inner facing-stones can now be seen, but at least one course of the outer face is visible for much of the circuit, while in the centre of the NW side there are five courses totalling 1m in height. The entrance is indicated by a gap in the wall-debris at the NE end, and the approach to it has been guarded by another wall set on the outer edge of a terrace which lies some 5m below the summit area. At the one point where it can be measured, this wall is 2m thick; the external face is composed of large boulders and is at most two courses high. Its entrance, about 1m in width, is in the N side. No trace of walling survives on the NW side of the terrace which is occupied by a spine of rock.
Casual finds from the site, including plain and decorated pottery, a slate whorl and a stone pounder, are in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS).
RCAHMS 1980; E Beveridge 1903; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1967.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (R L) 29 June 1972.
NM 183 545 9 sherds pottery
Sponsors: Univ of Edinburgh Dept of Archaeology, Holley & Assoc.
W M Holley 1995
