Lephin, Mull

NM 44579 57172 During the preparatory works for the

community excavation at Baliscate a number of similar sites

were surveyed. The excavation at Baliscate located a 13/14thcentury

enclosure structure(s) with an 8th-century cemetery

beneath it. The finds and deposits within the structure were

typical of domestic occupation.

The main aim of the community-led excavation at Lephin,

17 – 23 September 2018, was to see if the site was of a

similar date to Baliscate and whether there was evidence of

contemporary burials. The structure at Lephin was built from

stone, with the roof appearing to have been supported by

internal earthfast posts. There was a considerable build-up

of midden-like material on the floor, from which decorated

pottery, very similar to that from Baliscate, and which has

been dated to the 13th century, was found. The enclosure

was also built of stone and had been deliberately levelled.

A possible stone-lined grave cut was discovered within the

enclosure, although there was no bone within it. A probably

in situ deposit of ash and charcoal was discovered on the

outside of the enclosure wall and it was demonstrated that

this deposit ran under the enclosure wall; it was from this

early deposit that fragments of a decorated composite bone

comb were recovered.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Heritage Lottery Fund

Clare Ellis – Argyll Archaeology

(Source: DES, Volume 19)

NM 44579 57172 An excavation took place in September 2019 at Lephin (Canmore ID: 22085), and revealed that the main structure was partially rebuilt, probably in the late 14th or early 15th century. A burial was also discovered under the floor of the main structure, although at this stage it is unclear as to which phase of activity the burial dates from, it lends credence to the presence of a chapel. Additional postholes and a gully were also recorded below and sealed by the lowermost floor deposits, indicating that there is an earlier structure underneath the main one.

A sunken, probable turf-built structure with an internal hearth, internal room division and turf-built porch paved with stone were recorded to the E of the main structure. It is thought likely that this structure pre-dates the enclosure wall and may date to the Norse period. This structure was sealed by remnants of metalworking, which is postulated to be contemporary with the reuse of the chapel in the 14th or 15th century.

Further fragments of decorated burnt bone/antler and many pieces of burnt undecorated antler and burnt antler tips were recovered from charcoal rich deposits associated with a number of pits which had been previously dated to around the 11th century AD. The remains appear to indicate a substantial hearth upon which antler working waste was discarded.

Finally, within the circuit of the enclosure, a gully and pit were recorded located below a deliberately laid layer of rubble; the function of this gully and pit aren’t yet known. A similar deliberately and neatly laid layer of rubble was recorded outside the entrance of the main structure, and both rubble deposits are thought to date to the last phase of occupation of the site when a barn was constructed over the remains of the enclosure wall.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Medieval Society, Just Giving, Waterfall Fund, Mull Museum, Argyll and Bute Supporting Communities, North West Woodland Community Eagle Fund, Mull Historical and Archaeological Society, and various individuals

Clare Ellis - Argyll Archaeology

(Source: DES Vol 20)

NM 44579 57172 The third and final season of community excavation at Lephin, in September 2022, included the opening up of four more trenches, T8, T9, T11 and T14 within the medieval enclosure of Lephin. Excavation in Trench 14 revealed no negative features to the E of the Norse period features found previously in the adjacent Trench 4. However, a probable Norse period buried soil was discovered in Trench 11 which was located to the W of Trench 4. Within and below this soil a number of negative features including a hearth, a gully and postholes were discovered. These features suggest the presence of at least one domestic structure. On the S side of the medieval enclosure, within Trench 9, the same probable Norse period buried soil was also present with two pits dug within it and at least one structural posthole. The buried soil was largely devoid of artefacts, although it is clear from its appearance and the presence of fragmentary charcoal and minute fragments of burnt bone that hearth ash had regularly been added to it over a considerable period. Coupled with the results of the 2019 excavation it is clear that earlier structural remains, presumably late Norse, survive below the medieval farmstead.

The western end of the probable 15th-century turf and stone

structure (first discovered in 2019) was revealed in Trench 14. Burning within an adjacent and perhaps associated gully may be part of the previously identified specialised metalworking activities or at least associated with the discarding of iron objects and lumps of slag associated with metalworking.

Part of a second sunken turf filled structure was also recorded on the W side of Trench 14. It is postulated that this may be contemporary with the first sunken building, and may therefore date to the late 15th or possibly 16th century.

Evaluation of two elongated mounds located some 400m to the NE of the main site at Lephin revealed that these were entirely natural in origin, comprising glaciated outcrops of basalt.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, Mull and Iona Community Trust and various individuals

Clare Ellis – Argyll Archaeology

(Source: DES Volume 23)