Islay, Lagavulin, An Dunan
Fort (Period Unknown)
Site Name Islay, Lagavulin, An Dunan
Classification Fort (Period Unknown)
Canmore ID 37582
Site Number NR34NE 8
NGR NR 39190 46870
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/37582
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Kildalton And Oa
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NR34NE 8 3919 4687.
(NR 3917 4686) An Dunan (NR) (site of)
OS 6" map, Argyllshire, 2nd ed., (1900)
"An Dunan": Fort on Meall Claigeann an Dunain an east-west ridge measuring approximately 46m east-west by 20m overall. All that survives of the fort are two irregular bands of rubble, each some 10m long and 4.5m broad, indicating the east and west walls, the latter somewhat obscured by traces of a probable marker cairn on the highest point of the ridge. A small section of slab coursed outer face is visible in the east wall.
No walling is traceable on the north and south sides where cliffs defend the approaches. A feasible approach to the fort is through an natural defile across the south westerly face of the ridge. There are remnants of abandoned 18/19th century cultivation on the ridge.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (JM) 20 March 1979
Information from RCAHMS
Field Visit (May 1979)
NR 391 468. This fort occupies the summit of an isolated rocky ridge 800m ENE of Kilbride farmhouse; the sides of the ridge rising
steeply from marshy ground, but from each end there is relatively easy access over sloping rock shelves.
The defences consist of a single stone wall drawn round the margin of the summit to enclose an area measuring about 50m by 20m. For much of the circuit it has been reduced where still visible, to a low grass-grown band of rubble some 2m thick, with several stretches of the outer face and one length of the inner face still in position; normally only the lowest course survives, but on the SE there are three courses standing 0.45m in height. Good use was made of the natural rock, which was incorporated into the structure of the wall at many places, including a particularly massive outcrop on the SE, where the wall was as much as 4m thick. Because of extensive stone-robbing the position of the entrance is uncertain, but it was probably situated on the SW, where a narrow grassy path (a on RCAHMS plan) leads up between two rock masses to the summit. Much of the interior is taken up by bare rock interspersed with patches of grass, leaving only limited space suitable for habitation.
Overlying the fort wall on these there are the remains of a slight stone-and-turf wall, which may be associated with traces of cultivation and what appears to be a small stone-revetted platform of indefinite shape, which can be seen on and around the highest point of the interior.
RCAHMS 1984, visited May 1979
Measured Survey (1979)
RCAHMS surveyed the fort at An Dunan 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. 76A).
Note (29 September 2014 - 23 May 2016)
The remains of a fort occupy the crest of an isolated rocky ridge that rises out of an area of moorland E of Kilbride. Irregular on plan, it measures about 50m from E to W by a maximum of 20m transversely (0.1ha) within a wall reduced by stone robbing to an intermittent band of rubble about 2m in thickness extending around the margins of the summit. Several runs of outer face can be seen around the circuit, and on the SE one of inner face, this latter indicating that in places the wall may originally have measured as much as 4m in thickness. No trace of the entrance is visible, but on the SW a pathway leading up between the outcrops may indicate its position. Traces of cultivation rigs can be seen within the interior, and on the very highest point there are also traces of a stone-revetted platform.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 23 May 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC2137
