Islay, Airigh Ghuaidhre

NR 39647 62654 At the southernmost extent of the remains of Airigh Ghuaidhre township (NR36SE 31) and situated between the road to the S and a large walled enclosure to the N there is an oval platform, 30m E–W by 25m N–S. The platform is cut into the slope and enclosed with an earth and rubble bank, which reaches 1m in some places. There is at least one definite break in the bank at the SW side, which might represent an entrance. Centrally positioned in the eastern part of the enclosure is an undefined pile of rubble. Considering the prominence of the remains and their proximity to the 19th-century township it seems unlikely that they represent a prehistoric monument. The shape and the size of the enclosure are consistent with a number of chapel enclosures on Islay and elsewhere across the W of Scotland. This hypothesis was tested by an electrical resistance survey on 2 September 2010. A RM15 resistance meter was used with the twin probe configuration and 0.5m electrode, traverse and sample spacing. The resistance response of the bank was very

good, showing possible amendments at the western extent of the enclosure. An E–W orientated rectangular structure, c8 x 5m, was detected under the pile of stones in the eastern part of the enclosure, therefore supporting the interpretation as the site of a previously unrecorded chapel.

Archive: University of Reading

Funder: University of Reading

Darko Maricevic, Steven Mithen and Karen Wicks – University of Reading