Olistadh Township

NR 21849 58376 A detailed analytical earthwork survey was carried out in June–July 2022 at the deserted township of Olistadh, Islay. The well-preserved settlement remains are located below Cnoc Breac Olistadh on a prominent SE facing spur with far- reaching views out over Loch Indaal, at a height of 112m above OD. The survey work was undertaken as part of the Inhabiting the Inner Hebrides Project and was aimed at developing a clearer understanding of settlement activity at Olistadh and identifying areas suitable for more detailed archaeological investigation. The fieldwork also formed part of the University of Reading’s Archaeological Field School.

The township of Olistadh comprises a series of structures, trackways, enclosures and a kiln surrounded by the remnants of extensive rig and furrow ploughing. The buildings of the township are grouped around a natural mound where a track running S from Gearach meets an E/W track linking Tormisdale and Gart na Lacha. A series of springs rise to the W of the settlement, the water converging and dividing the main area of occupation from a further enclosure and structure not recorded during this season of fieldwork. The place-name is of Norse origin (Olaf’s farm), with the holding first documented in 1541 and the Islay rentals recording

Olistadh as a mixed farming unit by 1686. Four unroofed structures and an enclosure were mapped by the OS around 1867–1876 (Bowmore, Sheet 19 1885), and by 1878 a sheepfold had been constructed on the site (Argyllshire, Sheet CCXVIII 1882).

Five main buildings were recorded during field survey, all of which are roofless but with some having side and gable walls standing almost to their original heights. Buildings 1–4 would appear to be of drystone or stone-and-turf construction, gable- ended and with mainly square angles to the corners. Building 5 is associated with the sheepfold and is noticeably different, with clear evidence for mortared joints and a more robust character consistent with a construction date in the late 19th century. Buildings 1–4 comprise or incorporate the remains of structures with two compartments, suggestive of dwelling houses dating from the later phases of the township. The best-preserved examples are Buildings 2 and 3 where the two-celled structures measure around 13.2 x 5.8m over walls 0.85m in average thickness. The subdivisions in Building 1 and Building 3 are later additions, but the cross-wall in Building 2 would appear to represent an earlier construction phase than the side and end walls.

What is clear from the survey is that all the buildings exhibit

much evidence for rebuilding and re-use. The long range of Building 3, which extends to a total of 30.2m in length, comprises a combination of upstanding walling and grass-covered wall footings. The structure is multi-phased, representing a dwelling house and ancillary buildings with the latest addition possibly a narrower unit at its northern end. The dwelling at Building 4 was rebuilt as a barn, measuring 9.5 x 5.3m, the opposing entrances later crudely blocked with rubble and the structure possibly repurposed as an animal shelter. The slight earthwork remains of a small building, measuring 4.8 x 5.9m, were also identified on the N side of Building 4, the structure clearly pre-dating the adjoining enclosure and possibly related to an earlier phase of occupation. The western end of the dwelling at Building 1 was rebuilt as a byre with opposing doors, the new structure on a slightly different alignment and rather clumsily joined to the earlier house by a curving wall. Perhaps the most intriguing feature recorded during the recent fieldwork was an earthen structure adjoining the NW side of Building 2, the rounded form of its short end suggestive of a medieval date.

A corn-drying kiln, measuring 8.1 x 5m overall, was identified

set into the slope on the southern edge of the township, adjacent to the watercourse. Its enclosed southern section was accessed by a single entrance to the E and the kiln-bowl, which measures about

2.2m in diameter, has a short lintelled flue on the downslope side. Adjacent to the kiln are the vestiges of a small sub-rectangular enclosure (a), measuring 14.2 x 12.1m overall, with a much larger enclosure (b) set into the head of a broad, natural gulley to the E of the main settlement. Extending to over 551m2 in area, enclosure (b) has stone and turf walls with rounded corners, the enclosure’s southern boundary following and partly overlying the main E/W route through the township. Built into the enclosure’s S wall are the remains of a small gable-ended structure, possibly an animal pen or shelter, with narrow rig and furrow in the interior spade dug and indicative of small-scale cultivation. Other notable features recorded during the survey work include a linear boundary formed by a stone-face bank, and two tracks or hollow-ways giving access to the watercourse on the southwestern side of the township.

NR 21944 58353 On a natural rock outcrop no more than 22m

to the S of enclosure (b) a stone slab with cup and ring motifs was discovered by Roddy Regan. Sitting on the lip of the escarpment, the decorated rock has one group of three plain cup marks and a second group comprising two plain cups-marks and one cup with a single ring. These enigmatic motifs signal a phase of prehistoric activity at the site and mark Olistadh as a place with long-standing cultural significance.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Medieval Settlement Research Group

Elaine Jamieson and Trevor Pearson – University of Reading

(Source: DES Volume 23)

NR 21849 58376 An excavation was carried out in June and July 2022 to investigate the layout, origins and development of chosen structures within the well-preserved remains of the deserted township of Olistadh, Islay. The placename is of Norse origin (Olaf’s farm), with the holding first documented in 1541, and the Islay rentals record Olistadh as a mixed farming unit by 1686. The Olistadh tenants were given notice to quit in 1851 and that may be the date when the township was converted to extensive sheep farming as represented by the construction of a large sheepfank over, and out of, the remains of the settlement.

Four unroofed structures and an enclosure were mapped by the OS around 1867–1876 and by 1878 a sheepfold had been constructed on the site. Identifying and categorising Gaelic architectural traditions has been highlighted as a key area for future research in both Argyll and in Scotland more generally (ScARF 2017), and the excavation work is part of the Inhabiting the Inner Hebrides Project, and is aimed at developing a clearer understanding of settlement activity at Olistadh as well as forming part of the University of Reading’s Archaeology Field School.

Survey work carried out by Jamieson and Pearson (see above) has added greatly to our knowledge of the spatial layout of the settlement and is informing our choice of areas of excavation. The intention is to undertake three seasons of fieldwork at Olistadh (2022–4) which, as well as the detailed survey of its standing buildings and earthwork remains, will comprise targeted geophysical survey, and a series of small trenches across selected features to establish their character and preservation.

Two areas were selected for excavation in 2022: Trench One, over the western end of Building One, and Trench Two, located to investigate the NW area external to Building Two (See: Olistadh township plan).

Trench One (see also: https://skfb.ly/ozwSv)

NR 21849 58376 Trench One, measuring 10 x 10m, is investigating the western end of Building One, a gable-ended dwelling-house of drystone or stone-and-turf construction, which was later extended westwards to incorporate two further rooms. It is a well-preserved building, with little in the way of collapsed building rubble, offering a substantial internal area suitable for detailed excavation. The building is set into the natural slope of the hillside and is adapted to utilise the outcropping bedrock. It is raised out of the boggy ground to the S by means of a stone platform set against the southern side of the building, and there is extra stone support and reinforcement at the SW corner of the building. Removal of the topsoil and rubble outside the building revealed a laid flagged pathway leading up to the stone threshold of the northern entrance.

Inside the building, excavation revealed two distinct surfaces

separated by a substantial stone-lined and capped drain, which utilises the underlying bedrock and runs through the building, down the natural slope and out of the S wall. The smaller western area consists of an interleaving deposit of compacted peat overlying a rough mixed earth, clay and small stone surface divided into narrow ‘compartments’ by edgings of small stones and runnels for drainage, whilst the eastern living area comprises flagged paving and clay flooring incorporating a substantial burnt deposit.

The excavation confirms the observation that the far western end of the original dwelling was rebuilt as a byre with opposing doors, the new structure being on a slightly different alignment and rather clumsily joined to the living space of the earlier building by a curving wall. The pottery, glass, and a variety of iron implements recovered from within the building suggest a date of early to mid- 1850s just prior to the abandonment of the settlement.

Trench Two (https://skfb.ly/ozpEu)

The area NW of, and adjoining, Building Two was selected for excavation as it incorporates an intriguing earthen structure, with a possible rounded short end suggestive of a medieval date. Trench Two measures 4.25 x 6.75m and has a 4 x 1m southern extension, and a 2 x 1.5m eastern extension. Cleaning of deposits beneath the turf and topsoil have revealed at least three phases of use of the area. Earliest is a linear turf bank running NW/SE across the trench, the SE extent of which was apparently cut into later and rebuilt or extended further to the SE by the addition of an earth bank. The turf bank consists of a light green-yellow degraded sandy peat (turf), varying in width between 0.5m and 2.8m. Excavation revealed it to be 0.3m deep, and to consist of degraded turf blocks approximately

0.2 x 0.1m, making use of the natural rise and outcrop of bedrock

beneath. The greater width of this bank, at its NW extent, is likely to be due to the slumping of the turf deposits. The later earth bank continues the line of the turf bank to the SE and consists of a low bank of compacted light brown-orange sandy silt, 0.5m wide at the NW extent and widening to the SE to a width of 2.25m. This earth deposit has a minimum depth of 0.35m. No dating evidence has been recovered from this turf and earth bank, and it is unclear if it forms the SW extent of a structure; any possible ‘internal’ deposits to the NE have been heavily disturbed, perhaps by the construction and use of Building Two. There is some evidence that the five large flat stones surviving in this area may once have been part of a paved surface and glazed pottery and glass fragments were recovered from this context. Equally, some slight evidence of burning and the recovery of charred pottery (not glazed) may suggest some domestic activity. Later than, and abutting, the SW side of the earth and turf bank is an expanse of well-constructed stone pavement, which provides a raised platform to the NE of an area of boggy ground. At the NE extent of the stone platform, stone steps lead from it to bisect the turf and earth bank and continue NE with a further two stone slabs. A mid-orange-yellow clay deposit was exposed at the NE edge of the trench, broadly in alignment with the stone steps, and may be associated with the remnants of a late surface. Glazed pottery recovered from under the upper course of stones suggests this is the latest feature excavated within Trench Two, probably dating to the 18th/19th century.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Medieval Settlement Research Group and School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading

Amanda Clarke and Kevin Standage – University of Reading

(Source: DES Volume 23)