Bute, Couper Craig

Information contained in letter from D N Marshall to James L Davidson (OS), 16 July 1978: 'Can you give me any information about the naming of the Split Craig Hill NS 992723, in the N end of Bute? An intriguing man made deposit of shells 3 x 3m by about 10cm deep was pointed out to me a week or two ago. It lies under a great mass of rock, obviously fallen from the steep hill to the landward of it. From their position the shells could not have been deposited since the rock fell. As there are oyster shells among the whelks, mussels, and unusually small limpets they must have been put there before the great frost of the last century killed off the native oysters. On looking at my 6” map (1924) the name Split Craig made me wonder if the place was so named while the memory of the rock fall was alive. I took a geologist to see it, he felt that the rock was considerably weathered, but would not commit himself – 200 to 10000 years!’

Davidson replied to the negative on 18 July 1978.

NR97SE 15 99137 72417.

This rock shelter is situated at the foot of the NW flank of Barlia Hill, some 570m W of its previously reported location. It overlooks boggy raised beach deposits immediately to the NW, with the shore of the Kyles of Bute some 250m beyond. The shelter comprises three discrete voids or spaces, the largest measuring about 3m by 2m and up to 2m in height, beneath three massive heather-grown boulders. Midden deposits containing mainly shell are visible in all three spaces.

Visited by RCAHMS (GFG, AGCH) 2 April 2009.