Loch Doon

NX49SE 11 c. 488 947

See also NX49SE 10.

Not to be confused with (1972) discovery of part(s) of a boat in Loch Doon (at NX 486 940), for which see NX49SE 12.

For reconstruction of logboat Loch Doon 1 by Damian Goodburn (1991), see under Archaeological Organisations - Scottish Fisheries Museum.

In note 3 of Robert Burness's Common Place Book (R Burness 1873): 'Some years ago, opposite to the grand entrance of Loch Doon Castle, there was found, at the bottom of the loch, seven ancient boats or canoes, hewn out of solid oak, and twenty-four feet long by four broad, in one of which were a battle-axe and war club, both apparently of great antiquity'.

A McCormick 1947

A reconstruction of the Loch Doon 1 logboat, in a hypothetical finished form, was carried out in November 1992 by Mr Damian Goodburn and students of the Scottish Institute of Maritime Studies, University of St Andrews. The reconstructed boat is presently on display at the Scottish Fisheries Musem, Anstruther and the records relating to the project remain at SIMS.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 27 March 1992.

In the early 19th century logboats were found near the former island site (at NX 4882 9475) of Loch Doon Castle (NX49SE 1) with which they have traditionally been associated. Some at least of them were recovered from among 'a great many canoes...lying in all directions' which may have been the timbers of an structure ancillary to the castle or, possibly, a crannog. In about 1935 the castle was re-erected on the W shore (at NX 4847 9499) and the water level raised to convert the loch (which is situated in a glaciated valley at an altitude of about 215m OD) into a major reservoir. There were also found 'in or near' the logboats a wide variety of objects including a medieval battle-axe, a mop-head (which, it was suggested, had possibly been used for spreading pitch on the logboats) and a 'rude oak club' (possibly a paddle) measuring about 3' (0.9m) in length.

Most accounts follow the New Statistical Account in assigning three boats each to the years 1823 and 1831 but the more detailed article by Cathcart mentions four discoveries in 1831 and two 'some years since', presumably in 1823.

1. One of the logboats that was found in 1823 was taken to the 'Museum of Glasgow University' (now the Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow). Although it was not recorded in detail upon its discovery, it can be identified with that displayed under accession number HM A30.

After shrinkage, this very simple boat measures 3.4m in length over all, up to 0.86m in beam and up to 0.41m in external depth. The bow is of barge-like form and is rounded both internally and externally, while the stern is formed by a vertically-cut section from which a pronounced horizontal shelf of duck-bill form projects rearwards. Evidence of charring and the marks of a probable metal tool measuring about 35mm in breadth are visible in the interior, and the chamfer along the lower part of the sides has been cut with an adze. The bottom of the boat is noticeably uneven, giving rise to a suggestion that it remains unfinished; in the absence of thickness-gauge holes or major splits its thickness cannot be accurately determined but it is possible that the uneven bottom results from an uncomprehending attempt to construct a logboat by a process of trial-and-error without the usual aids to stability control.

The boat has been worked from a nearly-whole section of log and has a slenderness coefficient of 4, a beam/draught coefficient of 2.1 and a displacement of 0.7 cubic metres; these figures which denote a small boat with a relatively high capability for carrying bulky cargoes. The form is dissimilar-ended and the McGrail morphology code is 111:111:521.

This boat has been dated by radiocarbon to 509 +/- 110 ad (SRR-501), which determination may be calibrated to about 619 cal AD. The sample has, however, been taken from a point where a considerable volume of timber has been removed, and the date obtained is possibly about a half-century older than the true felling date.

The experimental reconstruction (in a finished form) of this vessel by students of the Scottish Institute of Maritime Studies, University of St Andrews (under the supervision of Damian Goodburn) and the subsequent display of the replica at the Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther, Fife serve both to provide an interesting display item and give a vivid impression of the practical constraints upon the manufacture and use of logboats in general.

2. The second boat found in 1823 was not recorded in detail, and is lost.

3. Each of the three larger logboats that were found in 1831 was extracted with great difficulty from 'nearly a vertical position' and found to measure about 23' (7m) in length over all, 2'5" (0.7m) in depth externally and 3'9" (1.2m) in beam internally across the stern which was closed by a board. Each was of 'oak', free of ornament, and had been covered with pitch, both internally and externally. One of them was initially removed to a pond at Berbeth (NS 46 03) and subsequently (probably about 1917) taken to the Hunterian Museum where it is displayed under accession number HM A31.

This boat now measures 6.55m in length and up to 0.85m in beam, being shaped as a long triangle and broadest near the stern. It has suffered both warping and splitting and has been glued in places, presumably during conservation. The timber contains numerous knots (some of them of considerable size) as well as seven thickness-gauge holes which measure up to 30mm in diameter; four of these retain their plugs. The flat bottom measures about 140mm in thickness. The sides have risen at near right-angles; the port side measures about 50mm in thickness and survives to a maximum height of about 0.5m, but the starboard side is almost entirely missing. Slight traces of what may be toolmarks are to be seen on the exterior of the port side amidships.

The form of the bow is now difficult to ascertain as most of it has been lost, but it was most probably rounded in all three planes. The stern was formed by a transom, the groove for which measures 50mm in breadth and about the same in depth. The lower part of the transom survives in situ and measures 630mm transversely across the boat, 90mm in height to a split flat top, and about 30mm in thickness.

Several features that were noted in the original accounts of the discovery cannot now be identified, probably on account of the loss of the upper parts of the sides. In the bow there was a round hole, possibly to hold a tow- or boat-rope, and there were two grooves across the boat; that located amidships was probably intended to receive the ends of a thwart. The transom-groove was said to supplemented by 'two strong pins of wood passing through well cut square holes, at a little distance from the end on each side'.

On the basis of the measurements recorded at the time of discovery and on the assumption that the sides do not survive to their full height, the slenderness coefficient is 8.1, indicating a considerable speed potential. Assuming the form of the bow to be as postulated, the McGrail morphology code for this boat is 441:2x1:222 and the form dissimilar-ended. August 1987.

4-5. The other two logboats that were found in 1831 were of approximately the same dimensions as (3). They were 'removed...in mere fragments', which are now lost.

6. The smallest of the 1831 discoveries measured 12' (3.7m) in length over all, 2'9" (0.9m) in beam at the stern and 2' (0.6m) in depth externally. Both bow and stern were of squared form, the former being undercut. This boat was removed to Berbeth, but is now lost.

On the basis of these measurements, the slenderness and beam/draught coefficients may be estimated at 4.4 and 1.4 respectively. The displacement was of the order of 1.1 cubic metres and the McGrail morphology code was apparently 1xx:xxx:12x while the form was dissimilar-ended.

NSA 1845; F M Cathcart 1857; E W Mackie 1984; R J C Mowat 1996, visited August 1987; information from Mr D Goodburn.