South Uist, Dun Trossary
Chambered Cairn (Neolithic), Sheepfold (Post Medieval)
Site Name South Uist, Dun Trossary
Classification Chambered Cairn (Neolithic), Sheepfold (Post Medieval)
Canmore ID 9784
Site Number NF71NE 3
NGR NF 75969 16612
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/9784
- Council Western Isles
- Parish South Uist
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Inverness-shire
NF71NE 3 7597 1661.
(NF 7597 1661) Dun (NR) (Site of)
OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)
Dun Trossary marked " Dun (site of)" on the OS map is probably, but not certainly, a chambered cairn. In 1962, the south end of the mound was 10ft high, the height diminishing towards the north. A vertical stone 9 3/4' high is 27ft from the south end and another stone, set parallel to it 17 3/4' to the north, projected 2 1/4 ft above the mound. A possible passage about 4 3/4ft wide was noticed immediately west of the stones, and a third upright, 14ft north-west of the northern stones, projected 1 3/4ft and may have been part of a chamber. The mound is greatly disturbed and possibly increased by secondary structures.
RCAHMS 1928; A S Henshall 1972.
This much mutilated cairn, known locally as Dun Trossary, is as described above.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Around the base of the cairn, on the SW and SE sides are four sheiling-like structures; to the north are four others.
Visited by OS (E G C) 13 May 1965.
Field Visit (17 June 1915)
Chambered Cairn, Dun Trossary.
About 300 yards east-north-east of Garrynamonie School, on a slight hillock about 100 feet above sea-level, is a shapeless stony mound, with a sheep fank built on its northern side, marked "Dun (site of)" on O.S. map. It has probably been a chambered cairn and not a dun, as there are no indications of this kind of structure. Besides, a hollow on the south-western quadrant was occupied, within living memory, by a low, lintelled passage, running directly into the mound, which is suggestive of the entrance passage into a burial chamber. The most of the stones have been removed from the structure, but a large slab within the mound, half overthrown, measuring about 9 feet 9 inches in length and 4 feet 3 inches in breadth, is possibly one of the stones from the burial chamber.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 17 June 1915.
OS map: South Uist lvii.
Field Visit (1997 - 1999)
The site has been heavily damaged by the construction of an enclosure and associated pens for dipping sheep (Figure 5.10). Fortunately, the main features of the monument appear to have survived in the area to the south and west of this livestock enclosure. The monument appears to be a long-horned cairn with a chamber entered from the centre of the concave façade at the south end.
The southwest corner of the monument is relatively undamaged and a kerb of nine orthostats runs from the tip of the southwestern horn for about 22m along the west side of the cairn. This is then disrupted by the sheep enclosure but a scarp appears to indicate that the cairn continues to the north of the enclosure for approximately 4.50m before stopping at a couple of large orthostats. If these stones mark the original north end of the monument, they indicate a cairn approximately 65m long. There is no indication that the east side of the cairn survives at all and no evidence for the horn on the southeast side of the entrance forecourt. The chamber is defined by six stones. Two flat slabs may indicate the position of the entrance to a passage 1m wide. Two other slabs continue the line of the west side of the passage to the north and two orthostats possibly indicate the line of the east side of the passage. The chamber is marked by a surface hollow that probably indicates recent disturbance. Immediately to the east of the putative entrance is a very large orthostat, 3m high and 1.30m wide. This stone superficially appears to be part of the façade but it is leaning against the cairn at an acute angle and its base does not appear to be ground-fast. It might have been placed in this position relatively recently.
The forecourt area has been severely disturbed by the construction of at least five small structures now visible as grassed-over hollows. Similar hollows are visible at the north end of the cairn and to the east and these presumably represent small shelters constructed in relatively recent years.
Cummings, Henley and Sharples 2012, visited 1997-1999
Field Visit (3 March 2010)
This cairn has been heavily mutilated and is not only overlain by the buildings of a township, but also a sheepfold and a sheep dip. No clear evidence of a chamber is visible, but there are several large stones towards its southern end that may once have belonged to a passage or chamber.
Visited by RCAHMS (ARG,SPH) 3 March 2010
