Loch Seil
Crannog (Period Unknown)
Site Name Loch Seil
Classification Crannog (Period Unknown)
Canmore ID 22994
Site Number NM82SW 8
NGR NM 80390 20291
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/22994
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Kilninver And Kilmelford
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NM82SW 8 8039 2029.
(NM 8039 2029) Crannog (NR) (Site of)
OS 1:10,000 map, (1976)
There is an artificial island in the south half of Loch Seil. It is almost totally submerged at the present time, but is said to measure about 7.3 by 5.5 metres and to be built of stones, with a boat-slip on west side and a 'square place' on the east as if for a landing place (Macadam 1896). No trace is visible of a causeway linking the crannog with the shore.
W I Macadam 1896; RCAHMS 1975, visited May 1971.
A normally submerged island, occasionally visible when Loch Seil is used as a domestic water supply. Mr Page (North Area Engineer, Argyll County Council, Albany Street, Oban), who saw the island recently, believes it to be artificial because the Loch has a peat bottom.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 scale.
Visited by OS (R D) 18 November 1969.
Field Visit (May 1971)
NM 803 202. There is an artificial island in the S half of Loch Seil, situated 85 m from the W shore and 365 m S of Duachy farmhouse. Almost totally submerged at the present time, it is said (PSAS, xxx (1895-6), 23) to measure about 7'3 m by 5'5 m and to be built of stones, with a boat-slip on the W side and a 'square place' on the E as if for a landing-stage. No trace is visible of a causeway linking the crannog with the shore.
RCAHMS 1975, visited May 1971.
Field Visit (2003)
NM 8038 2029 The artificial island was almost completely submerged at the time of survey, and consists of an approximately rectangular stone-built platform, utilising a well-built stone retaining revetment wall along most of its perimeter. This revetment wall is well preserved on the N, NE and S sides of the site, in places surviving up to seven courses high, and utilising large sub-angular boulders averaging 0.5-0.8m long. It is best constructed and best preserved around the NE corner of the site, around a checked corner which may represent a docking area for a boat. Behind the revetment wall the site consists of a rubble core composed of sub-angular and rounded stones averaging 20-30cm in diameter. The top of the site is almost flat, apart from some apparently recently moved stones, and shows no sign of ever having had stone-built structures. The area around the revetted mound is surrounded by boulder rubble, presumably representing structural collapse; the revetment wall on the SW and W sides has slumped and is indistinct. The main revetted area is aligned roughly NE-SW, with basal dimensions of 9 x 12m. The site measures 1.7m high from base to top, and is located 54m from the modern W shore of the loch.
The surrounding loch bed is composed of soft organic silts which, if disturbed, quickly reduced water visibility to nil. Beneath c 30-50cm of this silt, many timbers could be felt, particularly in the area to the E of the site, near where the loch bed drops off at a gradient of c 30o to deep water, approximately 8m E of the site. These timbers included vertical piles and substantial horizontals.
Full report has been lodged with the NMRS.
Sponsors: Dr J N Marshall (Isle of Bute) Memorial Fund, CBA Challenge Funding, University of Nottingham.
M G Cavers 2003.
