Notes On" Ancient Fortifications in the Black Isle, Ross- Shire Anguy B
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4 41 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JUN , 1SS311 E . III. NOTES ON" ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS IN THE BLACK ISLE, ROSS- SHIRE ANGUY B . SJ BEATON , INVERNESS. The Black Isle.—In my " Notes on the Antiquities of the Black Isle," communicated to the Society last Session, I observed that the Black Isle contained many interesting e past relichriefld th f an , so y allude fewa o d-t ancient places of defence in the district. These ancient forts are scattered over a wide area of the peninsula, hut for convenient reference I will con- fine these notes to the few situated in the north-west part of the Black exceedingl"e e refeIsle o fortar t Th o .rt m sa " I y fine example weld san l preserved, although many equally as good have been sacrificed to the ad- vance f agriculturao s l improvements, chiefly through neglec f intereso t n ti those valuable monument e proprietorth y sb f landso s containing them. But we are happy those days are now gone, when we find such influential men as Sir Kenneth S. Mackenzie, Bart., and others taking interest in the preservation of antiquities on their estates, which will prevent future destruction. James Hetcher, Esq. of Rosehaugh, the most extensive pro- prietor in the Black Isle, recently requested me to furnish a list of—with & vie f wpartiallo y restorin substantialld gan y enclosing—al e antiquith l - estatess hopes i hi tie t I n sdo . this generou r Fletcher's M offe f o r s will receive extensive imitation throughout the north of Scotland. For continuity in reference, I will begin at the entrance west of the Black.Isle, wher Muire f eTh Ord o Fort (figs situatei woode ) .1 th n di , yard0 30 s southward froe railwamth y station aboud an ,yard0 2 t s west of the line of railway. It stands on one of the numerous gravelly ridges (evidently lateral moraines prevaleno )s thin ti s locality, bewee rivere nth s Beaul Coiiand yan . Fro positioe m"forte th th woule f no "on d infer that it could never have been selected as a place of 'defence, the surrounding grounds being morsame th lesr eo "n e sleveo fort, th s la "e whicth f o s hi common oval form, surrounded by a ditch, still very complete, 20 feet ANCIENT FORTIFCATION BLACE TH KN SI ISLE , KOSS-SIIIKE5 41 . A_ _ _ _B 3CCTIO T C-PA M . t.,e...f f f -y. Fig , Groun1 . d Plan and Section f Ancienso t For t Muia t Ordf o r , Ross-shire. 416 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JUNE 11, 1883. fee6 d t deean e outeaverage p n innewidpth d o to n an rt ea O r edg. f eo ditc tracee earthen ha ar f so n breastwor r wallko , standin8 1 go t fro 2 m1 inches above the ground surface and 3 feet wide. The " fort" measures insid e ditceth fee 4 h8 t from fee4 eas6 westo d t fro an t m nort southo ht . Near the middle is a raised oval-shaped piece of ground, raised 18 inches, as shown on plan and section. If the ditch were filled with water, it must have been conveyed a long distance, as no water in the immediate vicinit availabls yi gravitationy eb . The Standing Stones, r Clach-an-t-Seasuidh,o aboue ar t three-quarters oa milf e south-eas e "fort.th f n numberi o n t " o o e tw The on e , yar either side of the road which leads from Muir of Ord to Beauly. They are supposed to be remains of stone circles, but this is rather doubtful, as they look more like monolithic monuments raised for some brilliant event, although the circumstances are in obscurity. They are associated with the superstitious belief in Coinneach Oidhar the Brahan seer's pro- phesy, " that the raven will drink from the top of Clach-an-t-Seasaidh its e e Mackenzieblooth th ful f f do o l r thresfo e successive days." Oille Ghriosd.—About one mile north of the Standing Stones is the restored chapel of Gilchrist, " the church of Christ," so famous for the -tragic deed called the " Kaid of Gilchrist." The story is, that the Mac- donell f Glengarryo s , havin gfeua d wit e Mackenzieth h f Boss-shireso , arrive e Sundaon d y mornin t Cilla g e Chriosd, surrounde e littlth d e thatched chapel (in which the Mackenzies had assembled for morning devotion), bolted the door, and set fire to the building, their piper playing an extempore pibroch, which, along wit fiendise hth h e perpeyellth f so - trator e diabolicath f so l deed, serve drowo dt e crieth n f thei so r victims, The Mackenzies, however, were speedily avenged on their enemies.1 David's Fort. —Following e countth y road leading froo t m d MuiOr f o r Dingwall for about 2^ miles, we reach " David's Fort,"2 in Conan Wood, below the farm of Bishop Kinkell, or about 300 yards south of the rail- Andersen'e Se 1 s GuideHighlands,e th o t pp. 91-93. 2 One old man knew the place by the name of "Tigh Diabdh," or " The House . of David." Fig. 2. Ground Plan and Section of David's Fort, in Conan Wood. 8 41 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JUN , 188311 E . way shows a , splendia mapn s no i t i ; d exampl eartn a f heo fort (see fig. e constructionTh 2). , whic rhomboidaa s hi l form, consist outen a f rso wall or " banquette," a ditch or moat, and an inner fort or rampart. The oute r surroundino r g 9 feewal s ti l wid n average o easte th ,t a enorth , and west sides, whil t attainei e sout a breadts th fee2 t 2 ha t sidef o h . The wall, which is formed of loose earth, turf, and a few stones, stands 4 fee e outet th hig n rh o sid e abov naturae eth l surfac grounde th f d eo an , from 9 feet to 12J feet above the level of the water in the moat. The moa frois t m 1 2fee 15 fee t bottomto widt the containeat and , s from 2J fee 3 feef water o o tt t ; possibl trence fee2 y th s t hdeepewa r originally, nos i awt si gradually rilling with rubbish innee Th r . squar rampartr eo , which stands 17 feet above the level of the water in the ditch at the west side r abououtee o ,th f feer6 to wall tp fous abovto ha , re sideeth s of the following lengths—east side, 80 feet; west side, 75 feet; north side, 70 feet; and the south side, 95 feet. It is chiefly composed of the sand thrown out of the ditch. From three of the corners turf fences, 3 feet high by 18 inches wide, branch through the wood, as seen on the plan. What purpose these turf walls were put to is difficult to conjecture. Undoubtedly they are not of' modern construction. The water for filling the moat was evidently taken from a small loch,- about 100 yards south of the fort, and the inlet and outlet culverted throug outehthe r wal stillare l distinctly visible indicateas , planthe .don I should have observed that the earthwork does not occupy a very com- manding situation relative to its own defensive features, for on all sides, excep e north-westth t e grounth , d surroundin s comparativeli g y flat, and on the side referred to slopes at an angle of about 45° for 20 or 30 yards only. There is no tradition related in connection with it. The work is evidentl e mediasvath f yo skillea f o l aged an engineer, . In a letter written to me by Sir Kenneth S. Mackenzie, Bart, of Gairloch, upon whoso property of Conan the fort is situated, Sir Kenneth says, .... " There is no tradition about it with which I am acquainted. It is evidently ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS IN THE BLACK ISLE, HOSS-SHIEE. 419 T T T T T ffo '20 JTe*. Fig. Pla3 d Sectionan Circulaif no 1 Structur t Conanea , Ross-shire. 420 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JUNE 11, 1883.. not the work of any people belonging to prehistoric times. I have heard it ascribe Eomanse th o dt I hav; e also hear t suggestedi havy d thaema t i t been the camping place of one of the independent companies of which 42ne th r Blacdo k Watc afterwards hwa s formed alsd oan I hav; e heard t saii a defensibl s d thawa t i t e cattle fold, into whic e bestiath h l were driverumoure th approachin n n a no f so g I don'raid t bu ,t thin t klooki s lik wore thisth educatef t seemI ke o .m o st d military engineers." I have never heard of any analogous structure in the northern counties of Scotland, and it would be interesting to have comparison with any cognate constructions, should any exist in other parts of Scotland. Remains t Conan.—a Above Conan railway station, 1^ milnortha n ei - east direction from " David's Fort, circulaa s "i r structure remaine Th . s are situate cluma n di angle f treepo th en si wher statioe eth n road joins the public road.