Caisteal An Duibhe
Settlement (Prehistoric)
Site Name Caisteal An Duibhe
Classification Settlement (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 23984
Site Number NN44SE 7
NGR NN 4796 4165
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/23984
- Council Perth And Kinross
- Parish Fortingall
- Former Region Tayside
- Former District Perth And Kinross
- Former County Perthshire
NN44SE 7 4796 4165.
(NN 4796 4165) Tower (NR) (Caisteal an Duibhe) (In Ruins)
OS 6" map (1900)
Caisteal an Duibhe (or Castal an Dui) was visited by Pennant in 1769 who described it as 45' in diameter within a stone wall 11' - 12' thick, except on the NW where it incorporated a large boulder 29' long and 9' thick. The maximum height of the walling was then 9 1/2'. Visited by Watson in 1912.
T Pennant 1776; W J Watson 1913
Caisteal an Duibhe is one of a group of circular structures concentrated in Central Perthsire in Glen Lyon, Loch Tay and Loch Tummel, with outliers around Loch Awe in the vicinity of Dalmally and Kilmun, which are commonly called ring-forts or duns, but this is misleading as the majority occupy situations which cannot remotely be described as defensive, being placed on level or even sloping ground. They are circular or sub-circular on plan and vary from 40' - 80' in diameter within a substantial drystone wall from 8' - 14' in width faced inside and out with very large blocks, and containing a rubble core. There is a single narrow entrance passage, with doorchecks surviving in two examples, here at Caisteal an Duibhe, and at Borenich (NN86SW 4). The interiors are generally featureless.
The example at Litigan (NN74NE 6) was excavated in 1969. It consisted of a massive stone wall 7' -10' thick enclosing an area 55' in diameter with a dished floor. Two concentric rings of post-holes were found about 10' and 15' from the centre which was occupied by a hearth. Finds were few; no pottery, but a number of pieces of slag and a few fragments of rotary querns and stone discs were found.
It seems certain, concludes the excavator, that Litigan had been a large circular homestead with massive walling to withstand the thrust of a substantial roof.
M E C Stewart 1969; R W Feachem 1955; D B Taylor 1969
Caisteal an Duibhe is analagous to Litigan, and a well-preserved example of the class. It measures 13.5m in internal diameter with walling 3.4m thick, of which both inner and outer wall-faces survive. In the W is an entrance passage 1.4m wide with a door-check on the N side.
Surveyed at 1:10,000.
Visited by OS (JP) 9 September 1975
