Dunloskin Farm

NS17NE 104 170 780

Dunloskin Mhor and its neighbour to the S, Dunloskin Beg, are documented as being the 'bordland' of Dunoon Castle since the 15th century. The site of Dunloskin Beg is now under the streets of Dunoon. Dunloskin Mhor is still a working farm.

The topography of the field immediately to the E of the farmhouse suggests that it may have been a fortified homestead at a much earlier period. The W end of the field consists of a flat-topped, almost trapezoidal, mound, with three sides of about 65m. The N and S sides slope very steeply to burn beds, 10m below. At the W, the steep sides bend towards each other constricting the W side to 40m. The E side slopes more gently to the main burn.

The narrow W side of 40m extends to become a level neck of land which joins the mound to the rising hillside. Partly on this neck are the farmyard, the barns, the remains of a horse mill, etc. On one of these buildings is a plaque with a date of 1619, but the plaque is thought to have been moved. Also on the neck, but further to the W and running along the foot of the hillside, is the road which in the past joined Dunoon Ferry to Otter Ferry. The road rises from N and S to cross the neck. Below and to the S of the neck is the present farmhouse. Dunloskin was joined to the

Ardnadam site, 1km to the N, by an embanked track and a clapper bridge.

Sponsor: Cowal Archaeological and Historical Society.

E B Rennie 2004