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Dun Ormidale
Fort (Prehistoric)
Site Name Dun Ormidale
Classification Fort (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 22942
Site Number NM82NW 15
NGR NM 82903 26334
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/22942
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Kilmore And Kilbride
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NM82NW 15 8290 2630.
(NM 8290 2630) Fort (NR).
OS 1:10,000 map, (1976)
On the summit of the conspicuous hill called Dun Ormidale, overlooking Gallanach to the south and the sound of Kerrera to the west are the scanty remains of the largest fort in Lorn. It occupies the whole of the summit plateau and contains an area of about 3 hectares. A grassy slope on the north provides relatively easy access, but the other sides are bounded by steep,and in places,precipitous slopes. To the south and west, the sheer rock faces may have been considered adequate defence since no traces of any defensive works can be seen, but on the north and east the remains of what has been a substantial wall can be seen intermittently. These remains consist of a band of stony debris whose greatest thickness measures 3.7 metres and whose height is nowhere greater than 1 metre. A few outer facing stones survive in the NE corner, and a single example survives on the east. On the north, a gap in the remains of the wall about 3 metres wide, probably represents the original entrance. There are no surface indications of buildings in the generally level interior.
RCAHMS 1975, visited May 1970.
As described. There is one other natural approach to the plateau on the east, but there is no positive trace of walling near this possible entrance.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (D W R) 8 September 1971.
Measured Survey (16 May 1966)
Surveyed with alidade and plane-table at 1mm:2ft. Redrawn in ink and published at the reduced scale of 1:1250 (RCAHMS 1975, fig. 36).
Field Visit (May 1970)
NM 829 263. By far the largest fort (Fig. 36) in Lorn is situated on Dun Ormidale (175 m OD), a conspicuous hill which forms the S end of a long ridge of high ground overlooking Gallanach to the S and the Sound of Kerrera to the W. Occupying the whole of the summit plateau, it contains an area of 3 ha (7.5 acres). On the N a grassy incline about 20 m in height provides relatively easy access to the plateau from the crest of the ridge, but on the other sides the site is bounded by steep, and in places precipitous, slopes.
No traces of any defences can now be seen on the S and W sides, where the sheer rock-faces may have been thought to afford adequate protection, but on the N and E the remains of what has been a substantial wall are visible intermittently. The wall is, however, reduced to a mere band of stony debris, measuring 3.7 m in greatest thickness and standing not more than 1 m in height; a few outer facing-stones survive in position at the NE angle together with a single example on the E. A gap in the N side, about 3 m wide, is approached from the outside by a winding track and probably represents the original entrance.
Apart from a knoll in the NE quarter, the interior is more or less level; no surface indications of buildings can be seen. For further discussion, see p. 16.
RCAHMS 1975, visited May 1970.
Note (1 December 2014 - 2 August 2016)
This fort overlooks the SW mouth of the Sound of Kerrera, occupying a conspicuous hill that forms the southern end of the ridge of high ground on the mainland lying parallel to the sound. Girt with precipitous cliffs on the S and W, the defences comprise a single wall extending along the margin of the summit plateau above a steep rocky slope on the E and the gentler slopes connecting the hill to the rest of the ridge on the N. The wall is only intermittently visible, where best preserved forming a band of rubble up to 3.7m in thickness by 1.1m in height, and a few outer facing-stones are also visible on the NE. The entrance is on the N, where a winding trackway mounts the slope. The interior is featureless.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 02 August 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC2581
