North Uist, Ceann Nan Clachan

NF 771 739 During survey of the Gerisclett area a small burnt mound was identified close to the stream flowing from Loch nan Clachan into the inter-tidal Vallay Strand. The site comprises a crescentic, grassed-over mound being actively eroded by the tide, and areas of walling were clearly exposed in the eroding areas. Several sherds of pottery were recovered from the exposed sections.

Small scale trial excavations were carried out revealing that the mound comprised rapidly accumulated, apparently burnt stone, forming a crescentic voided heap. In the eroding part of the mound was set a square or rectilinear drystone structure containing a substantial hearth and yeilding small fragments of plain pottery. Although it is possible that the stone structures represent shielings or medieval domestic buildings built into an already ancient burnt mound, the apparent integrity of the surface features of the mound suggest otherwise.

I Armit and A Braby 1995.

NF 771 739 Rescue excavations were carried out, by the authors in association with CFA, on this small burnt mound following its discovery and trial excavation in 1995 (Armit and Braby 1995). The site lies close to a small stream flowing from Loch nan Clachan into the intertidal Vallay Strand and comprises a grassed-over, stony mound undergoing aggressive tidal erosion.

The mound was shown to comprise a voided, crescentic heap of small, heat-fractured gneissic stones, an estimated 12m in overall diameter (if originally circular; only approximately one-third of the mound survives), lying on what was probably a bedrock outcrop adjacent to a former stream course. Revetted into the mound were the remains of a cellular, possibly 'figure-of-eight' building, its two cells connected by a narrow doorway. The smaller W cell survived largely intact, despite some robbing of its upper courses and the insertion of a small later cell, while around two-thirds of the larger cell had been removed by the sea. However, enough remained to suggest a likely diameter of around 6m. The larger, E cell had a central hearth formed of massive side slabs which proved on excavation to be the reused (but in situ) remains of a paved doorway for an earlier cellular building, probably of similar form, extending under beach deposits to the E of the excavated area. Further excavation will be required to assess the relationship of this earlier structure to the burnt mound.

To the W of the mound was a stone-filled pit or ditch (excavated only in section) under a naturally accumulated peat. Time did not allow the full investigation of this feature. A length of rough walling along the eroding beach face, which had initially been thought to form part of the structures within the mound, was shown to be of fairly rudimentary and late construction.

Decorated pottery from both the burnt mound and the later cellular building suggests a broadly Early Iron Age date for both. Burnt bone preserved in floor deposits within the later building should allow radiocarbon dating, as should a buried peat under the mound.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

I Armit and A Braby 1996

NF 771 739 The final season of excavation was carried out on the burnt mound and prehistoric structures at Ceann nan Clachan (Armit and Braby 1996).

The site, which lay adjacent to a former stream channel, was found to have three principal phases of use. Phase 1 comprised the construction of an oval, boulder-footed building containing a substantial lined and paved entrance passage, a covered drain, a hearth and paved area; around which formed a substantial burnt mound. The full extent of the structure did not survive later clearance of the site. This phase is presently dated broadly to the later Bronze Age or Iron Age on the basis of a small pottery assemblage.

Phase 2 comprised the clearing out of the earlier structure (which had already been at least partially robbed of stone and covered by the unstable burnt mound deposits which had built up around it) and the construction of a new building. This building was formed of three connecting cells decreasing in size from E to W. The main entrance to the building (since lost to erosion) presumably originally lay to the E. The E cell contained a central hearth and evidence for a substantial timber partition. The smaller, middle cell was largely devoid of internal features, but did give access to a small, paved storage area. The smallest W cell contained two superimposed hearths. The structure has close comparisons with later Iron Age or Pictish period structures in the Western Isles and Orkney, but in the absence of diagnostic finds its chronology remains to be established by radiocarbon dating.

Phase 3 comprised the later modification and limited reuse of part of the cellular building and is presently undated.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

I Armit and A Braby 1997

The footings of the cellular building excavated by Armit and Braby between 1995 and 1997 are visible on the rocky foreshore immediately below the eroding coastline on the SW side of the Vallay Strand.

Visited by HES Archaeological Survey (A. Gannon, G. Brown), 27 July 2022