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Lismore, Loch Fiart, An Dun

Broch (Iron Age)(Possible)

Site Name Lismore, Loch Fiart, An Dun

Classification Broch (Iron Age)(Possible)

Canmore ID 23020

Site Number NM83NW 5

NGR NM 8113 3768

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/23020

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Argyll And Bute
  • Parish Lismore And Appin (Argyll And Bute)
  • Former Region Strathclyde
  • Former District Argyll And Bute
  • Former County Argyll

Archaeology Notes

NM83NW 5 8113 3768.

(NM 8113 3768) An Dun (NAT) Broch (NR)

OS 1:10,000 map, (1975)

On the NE end of a ridge immediately to the east of, and overlooking, Loch Fiart are the remains of what was probably a broch. The steep sides of the ridge afford strong, natural protection except in the NE and SW. The remains now consist of a heavy band of grass-grown rubble representing the core material of a substantial wall. This stands to a height of 1.2 metres above the interior and encloses a roughly circular area of about 13 metres diameter. Round the NW of the perimeter, some stretches of the outer face of the wall are visible reaching a maximum height of 0.8 metres. Only in the West, where the wall is about 4.9 metres thick, are there visible inner facing stones. The entrance is on the NE, but only one of the side-slabs of the passage can be seen. Within the thickness of the wall on the West side, a narrow, lintelled gallery, 0.4 metres wide, can be traced for a distance of 6 metres. To protect the entrance, additional defences were drawn across the ridge on the north, cutting off a flat shelf some 4.6 metres below the main structure. The remains of a wall run round the perimeter of this shelf, broken by a wide gap in line with the entrance to the broch. A further platform, about 2 metres below the level of this shelf has been bordered by a wall, now reduced to stony debris, and also with an entrance gap at its east end.

RCAHMS 1975, visited May 1968.

As described. There are slight traces of a possible ditch to the south. Name confirmed.

Surveyed at 1:10 000 scale.

Visited by OS (R D) 20 November 1971.

Activities

Field Visit (13 July 1943)

This site was included within the RCAHMS Emergency Survey (1942-3), an unpublished rescue project. Site descriptions, organised by county, vary from short notes to lengthy and full descriptions and are available to view online with contemporary sketches and photographs. The original typescripts, manuscripts, notebooks and photographs can also be consulted in the RCAHMS Search Room.

Information from RCAHMS (GFG) 10 December 2014.

Publication Account (2007)

NM83 1 AN DUN 7

NM/8113 3768

This probable broch in Lismore and Appin is near the south-west end of the island and stands on the north-east end of a ridge, the steep sides of which give good protection except in the north-east and south-west. The main building is badly ruined and only a few stretches of the outer wallface can be seen. There are clear signs of a 6m length of mural gallery on the west but the inner wallface is largely invisible, a few remaining on the west where the wall thickness is some 4.94. The entrance seems to be in the north-east but only one facing slab can be seen. The remains of an outer wall run round the edge of the summit on the north and north-west and there appears to be a short extension inwards from this to form an extra protection for the entrance.

Sources: 1. NMRS site no. NM 83 NW 5: 2. RCAHMS 1975, 75, no. 146 and fig. 43.

E W MacKie 2007

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