Dun Mac Samhainn
Cairn (Prehistoric), Marker Cairn (Post Medieval)
Site Name Dun Mac Samhainn
Classification Cairn (Prehistoric), Marker Cairn (Post Medieval)
Canmore ID 22829
Site Number NM80SW 14
NGR NM 82649 00385
NGR Description Centre
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/22829
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Kilmartin
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NM80SW 14 8265 0037.
(NM 8265 0038) Cairn (NR)
OS 1:10,000 map, (1974)
Dun Mac Samhainn (Fort of the Sons of Hallowe'en?): On a conspicuous high point to the west of Kilmartin Glen and with a steep descent on the east towards Kilmartin Burn are the remains of what Authority 2 describes as a roughly circular dun or fort with a diameter of 65', with walls at least 6' thick, evidence of a probable entrance on the north side, and two clear faces of wall on the west. The structure has a hollow centre.
However, Craw (1930) refers to it simply as a heavily robbed cairn, whilst the Ordnance Survey Name Book (ONB 1872) describes it as a 'tolerably sized cairn of stones, evidently a sepulchral one .....'
M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964; J H Craw 1930; Name Book 1872.
This is a robbed cairn, not a dun. It measures about 16 metres in diameter with a maximum height of 1 metre. It is surmounted by a modern cairn.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 scale.
Visited by OS (R D) 10 March 1970.
This feature is in a poor state amid mature and fallen trees (not for 1:50000).
Visited by OS (GHN) November 1996
Field Visit (June 1983)
This cairn, previously identified as a dun, is situated on the crest of a ridge 970m WNW of Upper Largie farmsteading and 370 m ENE of the dun NM80SW 4 (Campbell and Sandeman 1964, no. 340; Craw 1930, 142). It lies in an impenetrable forestry plantation and could not be located on the date of visit, but in 1970 it was reported to measure about 16m in diameter by 1m in height and to be surmounted by a modern cairn (OS 10 March 1970).
Visited June 1983
RCAHMS 1988
Field Visit (13 March 2019)
The location, classification and period of this site have been reviewed.
