Islay, The Oa, Dun Mor Ghil

RCAHMS surveyed the fort at Dùn Mor Ghil using plane-table and alidade at a scale of 1:400. The resultant plan was redrawn in ink and published at a reduced scale (RCAHMS 1984, fig. 92B).

NR 273 447. This fort is situated in a very strong natural position on a rocky headland on the W coast of Oa about 1.3km NW of Giol. On the NW, NE and SW there are steep cliffs rising about 50m from the sea, while the landward side is formed by cliffs and rock outcrops over 25m high broken only by precipitous gullies. Thus little artificial defence was needed, and this was limited to a single stone wall some 18m long and now reduced to a band of rubble up to 0.4m high. This runs from one side of the entrance passage, on the SE, across a series of rock outcrops to a cliff edge in order to cut off the only practicable access from below. Only two outer facing-stones and those forming the butt end of the wall remain in position, giving a width of 3m for the wall at its terminus. No inner facing-stones are visible because the line of the inner face is overlain for most of its length by a later turf wall. The fort was entered through a deep fissure in a rock scarp, not visible from the landward side, which restricts access to a narrow natural gap, at one point only 0.5m wide, which was improved by stones placed so as to form rough steps. There is no trace of any entrance structure, but a gate could have been placed at the upper end of the cut. A small level terrace lies just inside the inner end of the entrance-passage, and crude rock-cut steps lead up to a similar terrace at a slightly higher level. The uneven rocky summit, which measures 130m by 45m is broken by grassy gullies.

The later turf wall, which partly overlies the stone wall of the fort and is up to 0.4m high and 0.75m thick, surrounds a small terrace and runs unbroken across the inner end of the entrance passage to the fort. Like the similar wall that borders a lower grassy terrace on the NE, it was probably designed to restrain stock rather than for defence. Some traces of midden material were noted, at the time of the visit, near the foot of the cliffs on the landward side.

RCAHMS 1984, visited 1980.

This fort occupies a precipitous and inaccessible headland on the W coast of the Oa peninsular. The only point of access is towards the NE end of the SE flank, where a narrow gully which mounts the outcrops has been improved with rough steps. At the top of the gully there are traces of a wall no more than 18m in length, which blocks off access to the uneven crest of the promontory. For the most part the wall is reduced to a mound of rubble about 0.4m high, with a few facing stones marking its E terminal, and immediately to its rear it is overlain by a later turf bank, which can also be traced around the NE tip of the promontory and was probably designed to control access by stock. The broken interior measures a maximum of 150m from NE to SW by 85m transversely (1ha), while the summit area is rather smaller. Amongst the rock outcrops immediately above the entrance a level terrace can be seen, accessed by roughly hewn steps in the rock.

Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 23 May 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC2071