Islay, Kilnaughton Bay

NR34SW 6 3468 4453

A cave at NR 347 444 is spacious and full of debris. There is a wall in front of it.

F Celoria 1959.

NR 3468 4453. A cave 4.0m deep with a maximum width of 0.5m and measuring 2.0m by 1.5m high at the entrance. There is some crude dry-stone walling at the entrance and a walled enclosure 10.0m by 8.0m outside the cave. There is only a minimal amount of debris visible and although this cave has clearly been occupied at which period and for how long is uncertain. The enclosure wall appear to be modern.

Visited by OS (BS) 3 June 1978.

NR 3476 4453 (NR34SW 6) Last known to have been occupied in 1945. It is a large cave with two caverns. Two test pits dug through one of these, just inside the cave mouth, had to be extended to 1 x 1m due to the depth of stratigraphy. It was excavated down to 1.45m, through 18 context layers, though bedrock was not reached and further deposits are thought to exist. There is much evidence for past use, including one cobbled and three stone paved floors, and a stone-lined drain. Finds include three fragments of quernstone, sherds of late 19th- to early 20th-century pottery, medieval hand-made pottery, 12th- to 14th-century White Gritty pottery, a stone button core (17th to 18th century), and several pieces of worked flint.

Sponsors: NMS, Prehistoric Society, Munro Fund, University of Edinburgh, Hunter Trust, Russell Trust

K Hardy 2002.