Garmouth

NJ36SW 23 c. 345 630

The location of this discovery may fall within the parishes of Urquhart, Bellie or Speymouth.

For logboat from Gordon Castle (NJ 35 59), see NJ35NE 11.

The logboat that is displayed in Elgin Museum is said on the accompanying label to have been found 'opposite Red Kirk of Speymouth', which is probably to be identified with St Peter's Church, Essil, at NJ 3395 6346. A contemporary newspaper account notes its discovery 'while clearing the river of obstructions opposite the farm of Newton' in January 1886. Newton farm is at NJ 339 624 and the boat was probably revealed by natural erosion in the braided lower course of the River Spey in the vicinity of Essil Pool (NJ 345 630). It was taken initially to Tugnet farmsteading (NJ 349 653) and donated to the museum in 1916.

When discovered, the logboat was found to measure 16' (4.9m) in length by 2'6" (0.8m) and 1'10" (0.6m) in breadth at the stern and at a point 4' (1.2m) from the bow (some 25% of the length of the boat) respectively. It was 'in good preservation' and the timber was identified as 'first-class black oak'. The boat was said to be 'finely moulded, especially at the bow, where it curves upwards and shows part of the sides adhering yet'. The stern was described as 'coble fashion viz. square' and survived to a height of 4" (100mm). The bottom was 'entire' and varied between 2" (50mm) and 4" (100mm) in thickness. Two 'treenails' seen 'in the prow' and another three 'at two different places' were taken to indicate the location of seats. A probable 'plug hole' was also noted.

As displayed under accession number ELGNM: 1916.2, the boat measures 4.85m in length by up to 0.76m transversely and tapers towards the bow. It has been worked from timber which is generally free of knots, and is in good condition. The greater part of the sides (which have probably been flared) are lost but there has been little splitting and the timber bears a marked polish. The stern has been warped slightly downwards and the underside (which could not be examined in detail at the date of inspection) appears to have a slight chamfer at the edges.

The bottom of the boat measures between 50mm and 70mm in thickness and set into it there are fourteen thickness-gauge holes which measure between about 20mm and 40mm in diameter. Most of them are arranged in twos or threes across the boat; two of them do not completely pierce the timber and one of them retains its wooden plug. The possibility that at least some of these numerous holes were for the attachment of fitted ribs cannot be ruled out.

Situated amidships, there are two slightly larger depressions which have rounded bottoms and appear different from the thickness-gauge holes; these have possibly been intended as the locations for pillars to support a thwart.

The bow has been formed as a rounded point, and at the rectangular stern there are the worn and ill-defined remains of a transom-groove which survives over a length of 0.5m and measures 35mm in breadth by 5mm in depth at greatest.

On the basis of the dimensions noted at the time of discovery, the slenderness coefficient of the boat is 6.4. The McGrail morphology code is 44bx:2x3:323 and the form is dissimilar-ended.

Moray and Nairn Express 1886; R J C Mowat 1996, visited September 1987.

MS. note by HB Mackintosh in Elgin Museum Scrapbook 2.

Oak from this logboat has yielded a radiocarbon determination of 890+/-35 bp (1060 ad); a 2-sigma calibrated date of 1040-1150 cal AD may be inferred. Laboratory number SUERC-2350 (GU-11087) refers.

The sample was taken on the outermost visible rings on thefracture surface towards the rear of the port side of the boat (30 mm from the stern on the top edge). The sample was shaved off with a scalpel, and is estimated to cover about 5 growth rings.

Information from Dr F Hunter (Dept. of Archaeology, National Museums of Scotland), 14 August 2004.