Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Killin, Innes Bhuidhe

Enclosure (Prehistoric), Fort (Prehistoric)

Site Name Killin, Innes Bhuidhe

Classification Enclosure (Prehistoric), Fort (Prehistoric)

Alternative Name(s) Bridge Of Dochart; Dochart Bridge; River Dochart

Canmore ID 24188

Site Number NN53SE 11

NGR NN 57248 32568

NGR Description NN 5732 3263 and NN 5724 3255

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/24188

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

Toggle Aerial | View on large map

Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Stirling
  • Parish Killin
  • Former Region Central
  • Former District Stirling
  • Former County Perthshire

Archaeology Notes

NN53SE 11 5732 3263 and 5724 3255

Innis Bhuidhe

Fort [NAT] (name centred NN 5723 3257)

OS (GIS) MasterMap, June 2010.

See also NN53SE 26.00 (Burial Ground of the MacNabs).

NN 572 324. Fort and enclosure, Innis Bhuidhe.

Information from R W Feachem October 1963.

On Innis Bhuidhe, a long, narrow, island in the river Dochart, are the remains of a small promontory fort and an enclosure.

The fort is formed by a ditch, with an inner rampart, cut across the island approximately 70m from its NE end. A modern path cutting across the centre of the ditch has obliterated any traces of a possible entrance.

The enclosure, centred on NN 5724 3255, is roughly rectangular and measures c.80.0m NE-SW by c.26.0m transversely. It is formed by an earthen bank best preserved at its NE and SW ends where it has a

maximum height of 1.4m and 2.2m respectively. A modern path running through the centre of the enclosure, parallel to its main axis, has obliterated any traces of original entrances.

Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 20 August 1969.

The monument comprises the remains of two forts of prehistoric date surviving as a series of earthworks, and occupies a long, narrow island in the River Dochart at around 110m OD close to the Falls of Dochart.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 26 November 1996.

An archaeological watching brief was conducted during the installation of floodlighting, and attendant cable trenches, for the Dochart Bridge. All work took place outside the scheduled area and no features of archaeological interest were encountered.

Information from Headland Archaeology Ltd report (MS/899/46).

Activities

Field Visit (9 May 1958)

Fort and enclosure, Innis Buidhe

These structures are situated on the island Innis Buidhe which lies in the River Dochart at a point distant three quarters of a mile from its mouth at the W end of Loch Tay. The enclosure which occupies the NW tip of the island, is triangular on plan and measures 140 feet in length by a maximum of 70 feet in breadth. It is bounded to NW and SE by the steep sides of the island which here fall about 30 feet to the level of the river, while to SW it is defined by a ruinous rampart which stands to a height of 2 feet and is spread up to 15 feet in width. Outside this the promontory is cut off by a ditch which runs from one side of the island to the other apparently without a break and measures about 20 feet in breadth and 3 feet in depth. The rampart is broken in the middle by a gap 10 feet in width but there is no corresponding causeway in the ditch. A drystone dyke runs along the bottom of the ditch. A rectangular enclosure consisting of a mortar-bound wall lies within the enclosure, and several tombstones lie both inside and outside it, but the interior is otherwise featureless.

The surface of the island rises steadily to attain an elevation of 24 feet above the level of the outer lip of the ditch at a point 260 feet SW of it, and then falls gently towards the SW tip. The summit area is occupied by a fort which measures 230 feet in length by a maximum of 100 feet in width within the denuded remains of a stone wall or rampart. Where this runs athwart the island it appears as a stony bank rising to only 2 feet or 3 feet above the level of the interior and to 5 feet 6 inches above the ground outside and spread to a maximum width of 25 feet. Although it is very much denuded, a short stretch of drystone masonry visible in the N arc of the bank indicates that it had at least a built outer face. Both the NE and SW arcs of the rampart are pierced by an entrance, but as a modern track runs along the whole length of the island it is impossible to determine whether both are original features. The fort is planted with trees and choked with scrub and fallen timber but appears to be featureless.

NN 572 324

Visited by RCAHMS 9 May 1958

Field Visit (June 1978)

Innis Bhuidhe NN 572 325 NN53SE 11

A low stony bank, which crosses this island to the NE and SW of its highest point, may represent the remains of the wall of a small fort.

RCAHMS 1979, visited June 1978

Field Visit (June 1978)

Innis Bhuidhe NN 573 326 NN53SE 11 & 26

An earthwork consisting of a rampart measuring 4.5m thick and 0.6m high, with an external ditch, cuts off the NE tip of the island. A burial-ground of the clan MacNab occupies much of the interior and at least one of the grave-slabs is medieval in date.

RCAHMS 1979, visited June 1978

(Cash 1912, 265-6)

Note (4 December 2014 - 18 May 2016)

This small fortification occupies the highest part of a small island immediately below the Falls of Dochart, where the River Dochart flows past in channels deeply incised into the rock to either side; the only access is along the island from the SW, currently from the road bridge. The fort has been formed by drawing arcs of rampart across the spine of the island on the NE and SW of the summit respectively to create an enclosure measuring about 70m from NE to SW by between 18m in breadth on the NE and 29m on the SW (0.16ha). Where best preserved, the rampart is some 6m thick by a maximum of 1.5m in height externally and 0.6m internally. Entrances through both ends correspond with a track leading to the McNab burial-ground occupying the interior of a second fortification at the NE tip of the island (Atlas No. 2609); both may be relatively modern.

Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 18 May 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC2608

References

MyCanmore Image Contributions


Contribute an Image

MyCanmore Text Contributions