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Lewis, North Beach

Fort (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Lewis, North Beach

Classification Fort (Period Unassigned)

Canmore ID 4334

Site Number NB43SW 9

NGR NB 422 327

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/4334

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Western Isles
  • Parish Stornoway
  • Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
  • Former District Western Isles
  • Former County Ross And Cromarty

Archaeology Notes

NB43SW 9 422 327.

(NB 422 327) One, possibly two Cromwellian forts, built largely for defence against the Dutch. Plan, apparently of the earlier fort, preserved at Worcester College, Oxford 'It is entitled (spelling modernised) "The ground plat (plan) of the fortification at Stornoway upon Lewis Island, " and the date is said to be 1653, the year in which the English garrison was placed in Lewis'.

Reference:

a."The Manor house built by Englishmen for love of the fishing trade. b."The church wherein beds may be made for 200 men."

c."Store-houses two or three loft high".

d. "A Brewing-House."

e."Trenches 20 feet wide, 15 feet deep."

f. "Two draw-wells".

g. "Part of the town"

h."A fort in an island about a quarter of a mile from the town."

It appears likely that the W line of trench-work ran approx. along Cromwell Street, the east line somewhere near James Street. Of the two wells the square one is still extant "at the southern extremity of

the curing-yard No. 28 South Beach."

The "fort in an island" must refer to Eilan na Gothail Goat Island (NB27NE 6).

The evidence for the second fortification consists in references to and remains of a tower which does not appear on the plan. In 1753 Captain Barlow wrote: "There is the remains of anold fort built by Oliver Cromwell, which was demolished by the English garrison when they were withdrawn from that country in the reign of King Charles II."

The OSA (1797) says "Near it (the castle) was a tower built by Cromwell to awe the neighbourhood".

"Some 8 years ago (ie. 1911) the remains of rubble-work, about 8ft thick, were found about 2 or 3ft from the surface, in the course of some drain repairs behind Esplanade House, this house being approx. 80 yards N from the remains of the Old Castle. It is impossible to associate this rubble-work with the Old Castle. Yet its thickness seems to preclude any idea for its origin other than for a fort. And it is difficult to resist the conclusion "that it is part of the fort mentioned by Barlow and the Statistical Account (OSA).

OSA 1797; W C MacKenzie 1919.

Information contained in letter from Captain Barlow, 1753.

No traces of the Cromwellian fort are now to be seen.

Visited by OS (A L F R) assistent archaeology officer, 22 April 1964.

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