III.

SOME ANTIQUITIES IN THE PARISH OF . . BGRAHAMYA , F.S.A., F.S.A.Scox.

1948.10, ReadMay

The spit of land that ends in Craignish Point, the northern "jamb" of the Dorus Mor, is something under seven miles in length by just over two mile n breadti s h alon s baseit g , whic s dennee highwahi th y b d y from to (fig. 1). It divides Loch Oraignish from the land- locked waters eas Corrievreckaf o t Scarbad formes mose i nan th d r tan ,dfo par steef o t p rocky ridges, broken hills moorlandd ,an ;summit w onlfe ya s rise more than 400 feet above sea-level. Most of the lower-lying ground bees ha n improve farmingr dfo , thoug arable hth e lan interruptes di d from plac placo et cragsy eb , gullies scrub-woodd an , shoree Th diversifiee . sar d baysy b , inlets islandsd an ,Loc d an , h Craignis particularn hi , being fref o e dangerous currents conveniens i , navigatior fo t smaly nb l craft. Apart from some short notes by Christison on four of the forts,1 an accoun Childy b tcist-grave, a f eo briea d f 2an descriptio pard f ol o t e th f no Craignish Castle,3 the antiquities of this region have received but little notice viewn I . , therefore theif o , r rather large number relation si e th o nt size of the area, as well as of the particular interest attaching to some of the forts s ,seeme iha t d worth whil o maket e publi e followinth c g note1 01 s some of the earlier remains, which were compiled in the course of a short

1 Early Fortifications ,n i . 199pp , 201, 240; P.S.A.S, vol. xxiii . 417-20pp . . 2 P.S.A.S, vol. Ixx. p. 396. 3 Macgibbo d Rossnan , Castellated Domesticd an Architecture of Scotland, vol. iii . 173p . . SOME ANTIQUITIES IN THE PARISH OF CRAIGNISH. 53

visit in the summer of 1947. And I wish to acknowledge here the assistance very Lindsay-MacDougals kindl Mr e fiel y th yb d n givei e nm f Lungao l , Mrs Collingwood, and Miss Gordon, and at the drawing-table by Mr C. S. T. Calder, A.B.I.A.S., F.S.A.Scot.

Fig. 1. The Craignish peninsula, showing positions of sites by serial numbers.

FORTS. The most notabl peninsule e th for n i t certainls ai Mhuilin yDu g (I),1 a "galleried dun" which occupies the nose of a rocky bluff and overlooks the meadow at the head of Bagh Dun Mhuilig from a height of about 150 feet. The remains, which are much ruined, consist of a building on e bluf e nosth th f o e wit wallso reducew htw no , o theidt r foundations, stretching across the neck behind, some 30 and 65 feet respectively from the debrie edgth f eo s fallen fro maie mth n structure innee Th r. wall shown sa entranc fee6 e maitp th wide ega f n O buildin. e b l thagn al (fig, ca t 2) . seen to-da e loweth s yi r parmassiva f o t e wall drawn acros nece sth f ko r conveniencFo 1 locatinn ei monumentse gth seriae th , l numbers that appea rtext— e inth e.gn i . this case ("1")—are shown on the sketch-map of the district reproduced as fig. 1. A list of map- papere th referencef o . d en givee s si th t na 54 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1947-48. blufe th f wit extensionn ha , which quickly degenerate mounsw intlo oa d of debris, curving southwards along the west side. At its southern end this wall seems to have incorporated an outcrop ridge, on the outside of which some facing-stone stile ar placesn i l . definito Thern e ear e signf o s

PLAN

Fig . DunMhuilig2 . ; plan sectiod an , transversf no e wall.

fortification along the southern and eastern sides of the site, where the steepnes e slophavy th f ema eso been considered sufficient protections i t i ; just possible, however, that the circuit may once have been complete and tha thavy thima es t beei par f o nt remove landslipsy b d aree t a Th . present enclosed by the wall and the lip of the precipice is more or less U-shaped measured an , s abou fee0 5 tt from nort souto ht abouy hb fee0 3 t t from east to west. No positive traces of the entrance remain, but a depressio moune th n westerdebrii f e do th n so n marsidy positiones ma k it . The massive transverse Avail is of great interest, as it contains a mural gallery with three lintels still in situ (PI. X, 1). Its eastern end is finished SOME ANTIQUITIES IN THE PARISH OF CRAIGNISH. 55 a f facwhao o es t almosp i t li alon e a precipicetgth witd an ,h this it s northern and southern faces form angles of rather more and rather less than 90 degrees respectively (PI. X, 2). For a length of 17 feet from the e waleaster th s abou i ld fee2 nen 1 t t thick t beyonbu , d that poine th t southern face begins to curve south-westwards and then southwards, whil footinge enortherth e th f so tracee nb fac thein n do eca r original align- men r anothefo t feet0 1 tha ro e s apparen, th t t thicknes e wall—ath f o s s far as this can be stated subject to the errors resulting from the piled-up debris—increase nearlo st feet5 y1 . Wher e inneeth r face begin curveo st , a scarcement, 11 inches wide at its maximum, appears just above the debris; its original height above ground-level cannot be estimated. At its highest, southere th n face stands rather less tha feen4 t abov scarcemente eth s i t i ; to be noted that the masonry of the face above the scarcement is of large angular blocks lowee , seee th whil b f n ro n mucs parea ca s tha shows well- laid courses of thin slabs (PL X, 3). The mural passage varies in breadth from 2 feet 3 inches to 4 feet, and is 5 feet 1 inch high under the surviving lintels. lintele Easth f s flooo sit t r rises ruinee graduallyth p s a dto d an , of the wall is gradually sinking here, all traces of the passage die out about fee3 t e eastershorth f o t nwalle th fac f .o e Though this fac disturbes i e d e passage th line o f nth eo , indicatiothero n s ei n tha entrancn a t e th o et passage ever existed here doer passage no ;sth e see mhavo t e been entered through the southern face some 7 feet from the eastern end, where further disturbance occurs. e lintellinWesth f e passago te th floo gth f o r e rises sharply t whethebu , merele r thidu s unequao si yt l filling-u debriy pb r so to the presence of a buried stair cannot be determined without clearance. This end of the passage likewise fades out on the surface of the ruined wall, its total remaining length being thus about 30 feet. Its course is nearly straight, two straight sections being united by one which curves slightly. The massive galleried wall spanning the neck of the bluff immediately suggests a comparison with the structure on Barra Head, Bernera, and at

a further remove with other members of the "galleried dun" series—fo1 r example, Rudh Dunain,n a ' Ardtreck,n Du 2 Liathn Ringilln 3Du 4Du , d 5an n Grugaig,n Skyei Du l al . Only four galleried duns—Dun Grugaig

(Glenelg),6 7 Kildonan,8 Castle Haven, Dunburgidald 9an e 10—had previously been known elsewhere than in the Western Islands (outer or inner), or

five, counting Ardifuar, and this addition of another example is con- 1

sequently of considerable1 interest, especially in view of what seem to be its "Island" affinities.

1 B.O.A.M., Inventory Outer e oth f Hebrides, etc.. 450No ,. "- Ibid., 483. No . ' Ibid., 541. No . 3 Ibid., 484. No . 5 Ibid., No. 650. 6 Ibid., No. 651. ' P.S.A.8., vol. xxix. p. 183. 8 P.S.A.S., vol. Ixxiii . 185p . .

9 P.S.A.S., vol ; R.O.A.M.. 68 xli . p . , Inventory of Kirkcudbright,. 64 . No

0 P.S.A.S.,1 vol. xxvii. p. 287. " P.S.A.S., vol. xxxix. p. 260. 56 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , 1947-48.

A further possible link with the Islands is supplied by a fort (2) near the base of the hill called Mullach Dubh, though in this case the comparison t wit ie gallerieno s hth d structure s such sa t wit e seriebu , hth f smallo s , broch-like forts—some of which, in fact, have galleries. The fort in questio stand) highese narrond 1 th , (PIan n so XI w w. t lo poin ridga f o et of rock which runs from south-south-wes north-north-easo t t t througe hth

so FEET

Fig . For3 . t below Mullach Dubh; plan.

low ground between the foot of Mullach Dubh and the seashore to the west. The slopes below the fort are partially precipitous on the north-west nortd verd an han y steep from north-eas southo t t e easiesth ; t access i s from the south-west along the ridge; but here again a natural obstacle exists, as the ridge is broken across by a rock-bound gash some 20 yards short of the fort entrance. The structure (fig. 3) has been heavily robbed, and in only about a quarter of the circumference (the western and north-western portion) can e thicknesth wale measurede th b lf o s . Her t eappeari havo t s e varied SOME ANTIQUITIE E PARISTH F CRAIGNISHN I HSO 7 5 .

from about 12 feet to 14 feet. Elsewhere only a few footings of the outer face survive frod an m, thes t eappeari s tha fore th tt measured som fee8 e6 t over all from north to south by about 58 feet from east to west, its shape on plan having been irregularly sub-oval. Christison's small plan,1 which shows circulara t i s s misleadingi , . Except wher e footingth e s extend down the slope as a kind of revetment (PI. XI, 2), the outer face nowhere stands more than two or three courses high, and the inner face generally s.how course son e entrance-passagee onlyTh . e south-west, th whic n o s hi , is 13 feet long, and most of its western side can be traced, including an upright slab forming a check for a door 4 feet from the outside. The eastern side is ruined except for its check, which may, however, have been somewhat displaced; if it is in situ, it would give a width of 3 feet between e checksth . Whil traceo en f intramurao s l cell r passage o sseene b n , ca s e structurth d an e should consequentl e regardeb t a broch no ys a ds it , small size, thick walls generad an , l lay-ou strongle ar t y reminiscene th f o t brochs, and it is for this reason that a comparison is suggested with the broch-like duns of Skye and the Outer Hebrides. Mullach Dubh, however s probabl e solwa th , e t examplyno n thii e s neighbourhood of the broch-like dun, as the sites of at least four others, on which virtuall stone-woro yn k survives f shapeo sized e ar san , s suitable to this type of structure. Thus An Dun (3), which overlooks the Oban—

Lochgilphead road near Barravulin, is now2 represented only by the flattened summit-area of a steep-sided hillock, with a terrace scooped out slope oth f north-eastere e th belo n o wt i anothed south-westere nan th n ro n side; this flattened spac roundiss ei shapn hi measured ean moro sn e than 50 fee diametern i t Grlan Du sa rock . (4)n o ,y hillto pa thira mil f do e sout Lungf ho a House, must have been even smaller diametee th s s a ,it f ro summit-area, which is again more or less circular, is only 30 feet. Dun Ailne (5), again, which stooflattenea n do d hummock formin summie gth t oa ridgf e overlooking Bagh Dain Ceannna l , seem o havt s e measured about 60 feet along the axis of the ridge by 45 feet transversely. Duine (6), on a knoll by the loch-side midway between Ardfern and Craignish, was apparentl e flatteneth s a e largese fourt ydth th bu f spac, o t e even here measures only some 70 feet by 55 feet the comparison still holds good. Possibl e summi th e forn yth f o Bein to t Duin n a shoul) n(7 d likewise eb counted in; the flattened summit-area, which still shows some footings and traces of an entrance, here extends to the very modest dimensions of 10 feet5 05 fee .y b t To all the foregoing structures, however, strong contrasts are presented by the four remaining forts. Of these, Dunan Garbh-Sroine (8) 3 and the forEilean o t Duin n a resembl) n(9 anothee eon r fairly definitel sitinn yi g

1 Ohristison, op. cit., p. 240. 2 Ibid., p. 201. 3 This structure is, properly speaking, just outside the area defined in the opening paragraph. 58 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , 1947-48.

and plan, while Dun an Achanarnich (10) and—in so far as their character can be judged at all—the remains on Budha na Traighe (11) seem to differ fro l theimal r neighbours. Dunan Garbh-Sroin ) occupie(8 e e summith s t of an abrupt, rocky mass which rises from the seashore just below the farm of Garrarron; Christison's plan1 shows it to measure about 250 feet by about 80 feet, with straightish sides following the outline of the site. The walls, f verwhico ye har larg e stones, measur fee0 1 inchefee6 e8 t o t t n si thickness, the larger of these dimensions being recorded by Christison.; e approac th e entrancd th an o ht s defendei e a roughl y b d y constructed outer rampart t showno , n Christison'o n s plan, mad f exceptionallo e y massive blocks. The plan of the fort on Eilean an Duin (9) is also deter- mined by the natural outline of the site, and is consequently rather irregular though some considerable lengths of the wall are straight; facilities for its measurement were lacking, but the O.S. map indicates dimensions of some 220 feet by 150 feet. The thickness of the wall could not be determined anywhere. These two large irregular structures, with their fairly long lengths of straight wall, are clearly in a different category from the small forts previously described. Du Achanarnicn na h (10)t anothe turo ye t , o nsummit e rth typen o ts i , ohigha f , steep ridge which flank e coasth s t south-wesd an f Bag o n t hBa slopa n i ea whicse e largels hi fallth o t s y precipitous remaine e Th th . f so ruined 'wall mark out a spindle-shaped structure measuring about 180 feet along the axis of the ridge by about 70 feet transversely. It is uncertain whethe walra l ever existeprecipice th north-west e f o th d n p aloneo li e gth . While the plan is again determined by the shape of the site, the builders have made use of all the ground available and evidently had no idea of building a small round dun. It may be noted that at the north-eastern end, where a hollow way led up to what must have been the entrance, there is, as at Dunan Garbh-Sroine, an outer wall constructed of large rough blocks. At Rudha na Traighe (11), the north-westernmost of the tongues .of rock that form Craignish Point seem havo st e been spanne ancienn a y db t wall abou yard0 13 t s fro tips mmoderit A . n dry-stone dyke partly over- rides the remains, •which are apt to be obscured by herbage. No other traces of a fort can now be seen on the promontory, but the wall suggests the former existence of some kind of defensive structure; and the impression is heightened by the presence of a hollowed access-track, which leads up fro e north-wesmth t throug e remain hth outen a f o t rsa a wal lowet se l r level. This arrangemen Achanarnicn a n notee Du on similat s di ta e hth o rt t Dunaa d an n Garbh-Sroine meano n e y wormassivo b s th s kt i s bu ,a e tha lattete seeth t rna site.

1 Op. cit., p. 199.

SOME ANTIQUITIES IN THE PARISH OF CRAIGNISH. 59

CAIENS AND CISTS. While the head of Loch Craignish is separated from the Kilmartin strath by a considerable barrier of hills, the mouths of Loch Craignish and Loch Crinan actually adjoin one another; access by sea from the peninsul e neighbourhooth o at f Poltallocdo h mus consequencn i t e always have bee e samnth easyr e reasonFo . , both regions would have been equally receptioe opeth o nt influencef no s coming from ove e seae rth Th . possible affinities that may consequently exist between the Craignish cairns and cist ans d the great Kilmartin monuments adds something to

the interest of th1 e former; while the fact that food-vessels have been found in two of the Craignish cists does something, at least, to provide them wit historican ha l background. Th f theseo onle e t yon beefind ye ns a publishe thas ha t s maddwa e in 1936, when a cist came to light by the roadside near the southern end of Bagh Dun Mhuilig (12). It contained two food-vessels, a small stone axe, and a bunch of human hair; these relics are displayed in the National Museum of Antiquities, and have been described and illustrated by Professor ChildSociety'e th n ei s Proceedings.'2' Relics from another site ear on view at the West Highland Museum, Fort William, and are described in lettea r fro Curatoe mth consistins a r food-vessea f go somd t an beadsl eje . These objects were discovere pointa cisa t t marke n a tdi O.Se no , th n .do map, abou a quartet a mil f o er south-wes e far th f Gemmi mo f o t l (13),

vere th yd numerouan s stone seee b nso t immediateltha e ar t northe th o yt - 3 east, eastsouth-easd an , e cisth t f suggeso t originally t thama t i t y have underlain the western part of a cairn. Such a cairn, if it ever existed, may perhaps have been some 36 feet in diameter; and a slab, 4 feet high by 1 foot 8 inches wide and up to 10 inches thick, which stands on the edge of the stony area some 20 feet east of the cist, may have formed part operistalitha f cise , whic3) tTh (PI, . h XI .lie s approximately north-east and south-west, is formed of four large slabs, the south-eastern side-slab having some coursed stonework underneat feeh2 inche8 s parti itf t i o t; s long, 1 foot 6 inches wide, and 2 feet deep, but the north-western side is actually 3 feet 4 inches long, as one end of the north-eastern end-slab has slippe beer do mortise-lika n f forceo t dou e notch whic beed hha n madr efo north-westere th n i t i n cover-slaside-slae Th . b4) b (PI, lieXI . s alongside; s maximuit m dimension fee4 inches inche8 6 e t fee 3 y s ar b ty sb . Since leavin districte gth I hav, e been informe Hills Himblef o Mr , y db - ton Manor, Droitwich, that another cist was opened some twenty-five Sorobn o year o aag s Farm (14) thad ,t an containei t d "piece f brokeo s n Along with which should also be considered some neighbouring monuments in the Barbeck valley and1 at the foot of the Bealach Mor. 2 P.S.A.S., vol. Ixx . 396p . . This name seems to have been entered in the West Highland Museum's records as "Grimmell." 3 60 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , 1947-48.

pottery and one or two plaid pins of a much later date." These relics t beeye hav nt e e stonecise saitracedeno th th ar t d f e t o b sstil bu , o t l visible near the farmhouse. cairnaree e Oth th f an si othe r tha remaine nth s note t Gemmilda o tw , stand close togethe south-westere th t a r f Baga d hn en Dai Ceann na l n (15), and another on Eilean Carnaich (16), a small tidal islet a mile north-east of Ardfern. All three are considerably spread, particularly the last, and none show y trac an f scist o e r regulao s r construction e remaininTh . g one (17) is at the foot of the talus of stones fallen from the north-western side of the Mullach Dubh fort; it is 18 feet in diameter and of negligible height t doei t seet no s mbu havo ,t e been opened. Being constructef do stones which are similar to those in the talus, it may well have been built after the ruin of the fort; at the same time there is nothing to prove that it was not of contemporary construction.

MAP REFERENCES. Six-inch O.S. Map of , Sheet CXXX S.W., Nos. 2, 3, 8, 9, 17; CXXXVII S.E., No. 10; CXXXVIII N.W., Nos. 4, 5, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16; CXXXVIII S.W., Nos. 1, 6, 12; CXLVIII N.E., No. 11. One-inch O.S. Map of Scotland, Popular Edition, Sheet .60, National Grid references: No , 17/7760191 . , 17/7990762 . , 17/8180743 No . ; , 17/7950604 No ;. No ; ; , 17/7830455 . , 17/7910286 No . , 17/8070507 No . ; No ;. 8, No 17/802089; ; No. 9, 17/792079; No. 10, 17/769028; No. 11, 16/755992; No. 12, 17/777017; No. 13, 17/786056; No. 14,17/805045; No. 15, 17/777045; No. 16, 17/814050; No. 17,17/799076.