Lewis, Shulishader, Caisteal Mhic Creacail
Chambered Cairn (Neolithic)
Site Name Lewis, Shulishader, Caisteal Mhic Creacail
Classification Chambered Cairn (Neolithic)
Canmore ID 4388
Site Number NB53NW 1
NGR NB 54317 36686
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/4388
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Stornoway
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
NB53NW 1 54317 36686
(NB 5430 3667) Caisteal Mhic Creacail (NR) (Site of)
OS 6"map, Ross-shire, 2nd ed., (1898)
'This is said to be the site of an old castle tho' that which is pointed out as the ruins does not warrant the supposition... a confused heap of small stones.'
Name Book 1848.
'An irregular heap of stones known as Caisteal Mhic Creacail. The remains show none of the characteristics of a ruined dun...but a setting of seven large slabs placed on edge, and two prostrate stones towards the SE edge of the heap , though evidently much disturbed, have the appearance of the ruined passage and chamber of a chambered cairn. Four erect slabs from 1ft 7ins to 4ft 6ins in length and a fallen stone form the northern side of the entrance and curved chamber, while three stones placed on edge from 2ft to 4ft 1ins in length mark the opposite side. The loose stones of the mound have been entirely removed from the eastern part of the structure, but stretching for 70ft towards the WNW from the erect slabs is a tumbled mass of small boulders, and 40ft to the N the ground has a covering of stone 30ft long by 15ft broad'.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 1914.
As described by RCAHMS. The entrance passage 2ft to 2ft 6ins wide and 8ft long and the curve of the chamber beyond, are still visible.
Visited by OS (A L F R) Assistent Archaeology Officer, 23 April 1964.
This cairn lies in peat moorland above the rocky foreshore on the W side of a narrow inlet. Peat surrounds the cairn and has now grown to such a height on the S that it gives the misleading impression that the cairn lies in a hollow. The cairn appears to have been heavily robbed to expose the stones of the chamber, though given its isolated location it is difficult to see where the stone would have been reused. The chamber is entered from a passage on the ESE but is not symmetrical to the cairn as it survives today. A small subrectangular pen has been dug into the cairn material on the W.
Visited by RCAHMS (ARG, SPH) 30 August 2009
Field Visit (23 June 1914)
Chambered Cairn (remains of), Caisteal Mhic Creacail, Portnaguiran, Eye Peninsula.
About ¾ mile west of Portnaguiran New Lands, on a gentle slope about 50 yards from, and 25 feet above, the high-water mark on the northern side of the Eye Peninsula, is an irregular heap of stones known as Caisteal Mhic Creacail. The remains show none of the characteristics of a ruined dun, suggested by the name, but a setting of seven large slabs placed on edge, and two prostrate stones towards the south-eastern edge of the heap, though evidently much disturbed, have the appearance of the ruined passage and chamber of a chambered cairn. Four erect slabs from 1 foot 7 inches to 4 feet 6 inches in length and a fallen stone form the northern side of the entrance and curved chamber, while three stones placed on edge from 2 feet to 4 feet 1 inch in length mark the opposite side. The loose stones of the mound have been entirely removed from the eastern part of the structure, but stretching for 70 feet towards the west-north-west from the erect slabs is a tumbled mass of small boulders, and 40 feet to the north the ground has a covering of stone 30 feet long by 15 feet broad.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 23 June 1914.
OS map: Lewis xxi.
Field Visit (30 August 2009)
This cairn lies in peat moorland above the rocky foreshore on the W side of a narrow inlet. Peat surrounds the cairn and has now grown to such a height on the S that it gives the misleading impression that the cairn lies in a hollow. The cairn appears to have been heavily robbed to expose the stones of the chamber, though given its isolated location it is difficult to see where the stone would have been reused. The chamber is entered from a passage on the ESE but is not symmetrical to the cairn as it survives today. A small subrectangular pen has been dug into the cairn material on the W.
Visited by RCAHMS (ARG,SPH) 30 August 2009
