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Loch Roag, Vuia Beag
Building(S) (Period Unassigned), Kerb Cairn (Bronze Age)(Possible), Lazy Beds(S) (Post Medieval), Platform(S) (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Loch Roag, Vuia Beag
Classification Building(S) (Period Unassigned), Kerb Cairn (Bronze Age)(Possible), Lazy Beds(S) (Post Medieval), Platform(S) (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 293969
Site Number NB13SW 61
NGR NB 1230 3374
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/293969
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Uig
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
NB13SW 61 1230 3374
NB 1230 3374 A walkover survey of the island of Vuia Beag, Loch Roag was undertaken in March 2006 in advance of a forestry scheme. Although the scheme was small in extent, the opportunity was taken to walk over the whole island and a number of archaeological sites and monuments were identified. There is widespread evidence for peat cutting, mainly to the S, E and central parts of the island, and large-scale and extensive feannagan ('lazy beds) all over the island, with concentrated areas to the W, S and E of the lower, coastal slopes. There is also evidence for possible early, prehistoric settlement to the W of the island, in the form of two platforms situated above a system of feannagan. It is difficult to date these with any accuracy as there is not as yet an established 'platform settlement' tradition in the Western Isles, and they may relate to later, medieval activity, associated with the cultivation remains lying below them (eg temporary storage or drying of crops). A possible kerbed cairn sits on the E-facing shoulder of the hill and can be dated to the Bronze Age given other cairns of a similar morphology in the Western Isles. Kerbed cairns rarely lie in isolation, and it is possible that there are others in this locality, although they were not located during this walkover. Later settlement and activity on the island are indicated by the four isolated buildings to the S of the island (structures C, E, F and G), each in different states of preservation. They do not relate directly to each other, as buildings in a coherent settlement do, and perhaps therefore act as an indication of low levels of occupation through time. They are all respected by the large areas of feannagan and are the most likely structures to indicate the habitation of the island during the historic period (ie the last thousand years). The only area of suggested mitigation lay on the W coast, and was marked out to be avoided by the plantation.
Archive deposited with SMR and NMRS.
Various parishes
South Uist and Benbecula survey H Moore and G Wilson
Coastal zone assessment survey
A coastal survey was conducted on selected parts of the E coast of South Uist and Benbecula. A total of 147 sites and site complexes were noted on the South Uist section, with a further 102 sites on Benbecula. The majority of the sites are thought to represent crafting remains of 19th - to 20th-century date and include a large number of landing places and boat noosts. Very little erosion was noted in either area.
A full report has been deposited with the SCAPE Trust.
Sponsor: the SCAPE Trust/Historic Scotland.
C S and R C Barrowman, 2006.
Ground Survey (March 2006)
NB 1230 3374 A walkover survey of the island of Vuia Beag, Loch Roag was undertaken in March 2006 in advance of a forestry scheme. Although the scheme was small in extent, the opportunity was taken to walk over the whole island and a number of archaeological sites and monuments were identified. There is widespread evidence for peat cutting, mainly to the S, E and central parts of the island, and large-scale and extensive feannagan ('lazy beds) all over the island, with concentrated areas to the W, S and E of the lower, coastal slopes. There is also evidence for possible early, prehistoric settlement to the W of the island, in the form of two platforms situated above a system of feannagan. It is difficult to date these with any accuracy as there is not as yet an established 'platform settlement' tradition in the Western Isles, and they may relate to later, medieval activity, associated with the cultivation remains lying below them (eg temporary storage or drying of crops). A possible kerbed cairn sits on the E-facing shoulder of the hill and can be dated to the Bronze Age given other cairns of a similar morphology in the Western Isles. Kerbed cairns rarely lie in isolation, and it is possible that there are others in this locality, although they were not located during this walkover. Later settlement and activity on the island are indicated by the four isolated buildings to the S of the island (structures C, E, F and G), each in different states of preservation. They do not relate directly to each other, as buildings in a coherent settlement do, and perhaps therefore act as an indication of low levels of occupation through time. They are all respected by the large areas of feannagan and are the most likely structures to indicate the habitation of the island during the historic period (ie the last thousand years). The only area of suggested mitigation lay on the W coast, and was marked out to be avoided by the plantation.
Archive deposited with SMR and NMRS.
Various parishes
South Uist and Benbecula survey H Moore and G Wilson
Coastal zone assessment survey
A coastal survey was conducted on selected parts of the E coast of South Uist and Benbecula. A total of 147 sites and site complexes were noted on the South Uist section, with a further 102 sites on Benbecula. The majority of the sites are thought to represent crafting remains of 19th - to 20th-century date and include a large number of landing places and boat noosts. Very little erosion was noted in either area.
A full report has been deposited with the SCAPE Trust.
Sponsor: the SCAPE Trust/Historic Scotland.
C S Barrowman and R Barrowman 2006
