Langbank, River Clyde

NS47SW 22 4355 7283

Not to be confused with:

NS37SE 9 NS 3813 7355 Langbank West Crannog, or

NS47SW 29 NS 4050 7328 Langbank East Crannog

A crannog at Langbank was excavated by Bruce in 1901-2. It was first noticed by him when passing in the train, as a circle of stones, visible on the mud-flat when the tide receded. An islet, known as the Baby Island, had been on the site for a considerable period, though only a few tufts of grass remained on his first visit. It was situated about 50 yards from high water mark, in a line due north from the West lodge of Erskine House [Dove Cottage or Longhaugh Lodge: NS47SW 124].

Excavation showed that its construction was similar to that of the crannog at Dumbuck (NS47SW 8) with which it is probably contemporary. It consisted of a circle of wooden piles about 50 feet in diameter. Among the artifacts found were a semicircular bone comb bearing Iron Age decoration, and a small penannular bronze brooch, datable to the 2nd century AD. (A shale disc, now lost, bearing a cup and gapped ring, from here is noted as "of doubtful authenticity" by Morris. Other incised pieces of shale, like those at Dumbuck - NS47SW 8, were also found). A collection of material from this site is in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS, Accession nos: HC 108-13).

J Bruce 1908; J G Callander 1929; C M Piggott 1955; J G Scott 1966; R W B Morris 1969; NMAS MS accessions list.

Though the site of this crannog was not located in 1964, J Hunter (Keeper of Archaeology, Paisley Museum and Art Galleries) gives its site as NS 4355 7283 in a letter of 3 November 1972.

Visited by OS (WDJ), 25 May 1964.

The cited location remains unverified, but the crannog is evidently situated close inshore, within the intertidal zone and behind (to the S of) the line of the Southern river training wall.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 22 March 2011.