Torr A' Chlaonaidh
Fort (Prehistoric)
Site Name Torr A' Chlaonaidh
Classification Fort (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 23317
Site Number NM94SW 12
NGR NM 93337 43437
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/23317
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Lismore And Appin (Argyll And Bute)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NM94SW 12 9333 4343.
(NM 9333 4343) Fort (NR).
On the wooded NE end of the prominent, isolated ridge known as Torr a' Chlaonaidh, are the remains of a fort. The ground occupied by the fort is separated from the rest of the summit area by a broad, natural gully which lies athwart the ridge and which would afford strong protection against assault from the south-west.
The defences consist of a single wall, which may have enclosed the whole fort area but is now visible on the SW only. Here, it survives as a band of rubble from 1 to 2 metres thick. The outer face still stands to a maximum height of 0.7 metres and is composed of large blocks of stone measuring up to 1.4 metres in length, 0.4 metres in thickness and 0.7 metres in height. No inner-facing stones can be seen. A gap in the walling on the extreme south probably marks the location of the original entrance.
RCAHMS 1975.
As described.
Surveyed at 1:10,000 scale.
Visited by OS (DWR) 17 November 1971.
Measured Survey (27 June 1971)
Surveyed with alidade and plane-table at 1mm:1ft. Redrawn in ink and published at the reduced scale of 1:1000 (RCAHMS 1975, fig. 42).
Field Visit (May 1971)
NM 933 434. This fort (Fig. 42, plan) is situated at a height of about 75 m OD on the wooded NE end of a prominent isolated ridge 1'2 km W of Ardnaclach. The ridge is of a type commonly found in the locality, having precipitous flanks and steep rocky ends some 30 m in height. The ground occupied by the fort is separated from the rest of the summit area by a broad natural gully, which lies athwart the ridge and would help to protect the site against assault from the SW.
The defences consist of a single wall which may originally have enclosed the whole of the top of this end of the ridge, but which is now visible only on the SW side, where it runs along the crest of the gully. In this sector it is reduced to a band of rubble from 1 m to 2 min thickness. No inner facing-stones can be seen, but the outer face still stands to a maximum height of 0'7 min three courses; it is composed of large blocks of stone measuring up to 1'4 m long, 0'7 m high and 0'4 m thick. At either end of the wall there is a gap, the southernmost of which probably marks the position of the original entrance, while the other appears to be a relatively recent breach.
RCAHMS 1975, visited May 1971.
Note (3 December 2014 - 18 May 2016)
This small fortification is situated on a hillock at the NE end of a ridge, essentially occupying a promontory with a sheer cliff on the NW and a steep rocky slope on the SE and E. Facing onto a shallow gully that separates the hillock from the rest of the ridge there are the remains of a single wall with a long run of outer face standing up to 0.7m high in three courses. This turns back along the SE flank of the promontory, but quickly peters out. A gap in the wall adjacent to this margin of the promontory probably marks the position of the entrance, while another gap adjacent the NW margin appears relatively recent. The interior, which measures about 61m from NE to SW by a maximum of 36m transversely, is apparently featureless, but satellite imagery gives the impression that it has been forestry ploughed.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 18 May 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC2602
