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Elrig Loch
Crannog (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Elrig Loch
Classification Crannog (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Elrig 1
Canmore ID 62709
Site Number NX34NW 17
NGR NX 3254 4932
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/62709
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Mochrum
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Wigtown
- Former County Wigtownshire
NX34NW 17 3254 4932
(NX 3254 4932) Lake Dwelling (NR) (site of)
OS 6" map (1957)
The Rev G Wilson in 1872 (in his MS. notes) identified a crannog in Eldrig Loch, near Loch Head. It was connected to the shore by a causeway. No excavations seem to have been made.
RCAHMS 1912
This crannog is visible as a stone mound 2.0m diameter and protruding 0.3m above the level of the loch. There is no trace of a causeway.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (TRG) 6 July 1976
Archaeological Evaluation (April 2004)
NX 325 493 Elrig Loch. A survey of Elrig Loch was carried out in April 2004, with the aim of locating and recording the group of crannogs reportedly sited in the loch. The loch was searched using echo-sounding equipment and GPS, combined with snorkel survey. No trace was found of the crannogs supposedly at Elrig 2 (NX34NW 23), 3 (NX34NW 18), or 4 (NX34NW 22), but Elrig 1 (NX34NW 17), just visible above the surface at the NE end of the loch, was confirmed and a survey was carried out.
The crannog consists of a large stone mound, 26.5m in diameter and 1.77m from base to top. The rounded boulders used in the construction of the site average 0.5-0.8m in diameter, and overlie a substratum of gravel and inorganic silts, which are well compacted. There is no evidence of a timber component to the crannog, although it is probable that this does exist beneath the boulder capping. Although no evidence was seen of Wilson's causeway that supposedly connects the crannog to the shore, it appears that the site may lie on a naturally raised area of loch bed. The water between the shore and the crannog is less than 2m deep, so in very dry seasons it is possible that the crannog would have been connected to the shore. The base of the site is surrounded by several very large boulders, several metres in diameter, which seem to have been brought to the site, and may have been related to a causeway or docking structure. In the centre of the site is a raised area of stones, which probably represents the remains of the marker cairn that was constructed by fishermen in the last century.
Sponsors: Dumfriesshire & Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, University of Nottingham.
M G Cavers 2004.
