Barra, North Bay, Bay Hirivagh

NF70SW 2 7153 0263

(NF 7153 0263) Dun (NR)

OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)

Some 300 yards SE of the dun (Commission no.455 - NF70SW 1) there is another tidal rocky islet occupied by the remains of a dun, and also connected with the southern shore of Bay Hirivagh by a stone causeway of large dimensions, some 40 yards long.

The building is now a shapeless mass of stone and earth, about 6ft high and about 5ft above HWM. A short arc of the inner face of the wall on the east can be traced, showing that the building was probably circular, internal diameter 30ft; a few stones of the outer face can be seen on the south-east.

RCAHMS 1928, visited 14 June 1915.

Young (A Young 1958) suggest that this site was probably of later date than Dun Scurrival or Dun Cuier (which are possible 4th to 7th century) for, though a characteristic causeway links it with the shore, Scott (Information from Sir Lindsay Scott to A Young) , who examined this (and NF70SW 1) carefully, considered that the existing remains, taking both sites together, were of rectangular buildings, one 30ft by 25ft, the other 25ft square, opening on to courtyards.

Tebbutt reports this structure as being circular.

A Young 1958; Information from C F Tebbutt, 1959.

The dun is as described by the Commission and now appears as a sub-circular, grass-covered, earth and stone bank some 10.0m. in diameter. A portion of the eastern arc of dry-stone walling is visible, measuring 2.5m long, 1.5m wide and 0.8m high. The central area

enclosed by the bank is completely obscurred by scrub and a quantity of tumble.

The dun is connected to the mainland by a massive low causeway 70.0m long and approx. 6.0m wide, submerged at all times except low water. Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (R B) 21 May 1965.

Described as being in poor condition during the course of SEARCH coastal assessment survey.

K Branigan and J Grattan 1998 (MS/968/14).