Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 128 (1998), 273-292 A survey of crannogs in the Lake of Menteith, Stirlingshire HendersonC n Jo * ABSTRACT Underwater survey at the Lake of Menteith, a shallow Lowland loch, located four sites which can be identified as crannogs. Survey data was captured using aerial photographs, sidescan sonar, and intensive echo-sounding from a small boat, backed up by diver search. This paper places the Menteith sites within their immediate context by examining associations with natural ridges underwater and with nearby land of arable potential. The discussion also considers the significance of the survey for crannog studies in a national context, and draws particular contrasts with previous surveys on much deeper, Highland lochs. INTRODUCTION From May 1993 to February 1994 an underwater survey was undertaken of the Lake of Menteith in Stirlingshire. The systematic study of water bodies has been a much-neglected part of Scottish archaeology, as only two extensive underwater surveys have previously been carried out, at Loch Aw Argyllshirn ei e (McArdl t ale 1973Perthshirn i Loc d y )an hTa e (Dixon 1982) surveye Th . s of the deep, Highland trough lochs of Awe and Tay have done much to shape current thinking on crannogs, particularly in terms of site setting and location (eg Morrison 1985). The Lake of Menteith shalloa , w Lowland lochdeliberatels wa , y chose orden ni provido t r contrasea t with these surveys. This paper aims to discuss the results of the Lake of Menteith survey and place the Menteith sites withi widee nth r contex crannof o t g studie Scotlandn si . Discussion will then turn locatioe Menteitth e th o t f no h site thein si r immediate setting, noting direct associations with natural ridges underwate examinind an r crannoge sitine th th case f r go gth e fo s near lanf do arable potential. Finally, some preliminary remarks wile implication made th b l n o e th f o s concentration of sites in the Lake of Menteith for the archaeology of the surrounding area. LAKE OF MENTEITH Lake Menteitf Th eo 005h 7 Lowlana (NGRs 57 )i N N :d mesotrophic loch which forms parf o t the drainage network of the River Forth (illus 1). It is situated 5 km east of Aberfoyle, between the Trossachs and Stirling. It is rarely more than 10m deep, with a maximum depth of only 22. (illu3m . Wits2) meaa hmaximua d nan surface widtth m , k m ovef 5 h eo lengtkm 2. 1 r c f ho area is 2.64 sq km; the area it drains is about 6.25 times greater (Murray & Pullar 1910). Like * Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford, 36 Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 1DP 274 I SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 1998 LAKF EO MENTEITH 0 500 1000m ILLUS 1 Location map. (Based on the Ordnance Survey map © Crown copyright) rort or ivienteith ^' \ Crannog ,-'•;>'' ",' Inchmahome v. *East Crannog 500 1000m i ILLUS 2 Location of submerged sites in the Lake of Menteith (bathymetry after Wewetzer 1991) HENDERSON: CRANNOGS IN THE LAKE OF MENTEITH 275 most other Scottish freshwate s origin rPleistocene it lochss th n ha si t i , e glaciation, specifically the Loch Lomond re-advance (Smith 1993). The land around the loch rises more or less gradually on all sides from the shore so that the loch occupies a cup-like depression. This is interpreted as a very large kettl emounde holth n eridgei d Menteite th san f so h glacial moraine whic bees hha n loche filleth .y db Recen t wor Wewetzey kb r (199 19961& ) demonstrates just tha loce no t tth s h i one big kettle hole, but is a compound of four smaller ones, visible as basins over 10 m in depth (illus 2). HISTORICAL FEATURES Despite its small size, the lake contains three islands, all with strong historical connections. The largest of these islands, Inchmahome, features the remains of an Augustinian priory, founded in 1238 by Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith. The Priory ruins comprise remains of a cloister, nave, refectory and chapter house. It was here that Mary Queen of Scots was sent for three weeks in 1547 afte Battle th r Pinkief eo prior e greaa s .Th ytwa favourite with Robert knowBruces i o n,wh havo t e visited ther severan eo l occasions (Stewart 1923; Fawcett 1986). The name, Lake of Menteith, was derived from the Earls of Menteith who had their castle, no second-largese ruinswn i th n o , t island, Inch Tall r 'Castlao e Island'. castle Th e occupiee sth whole of the island and its form suggests a 17th-centur1 y date (MacGibbon & Ross 1891, 285). e ruinTh s consis a halkeed f an lo pt survivin rooo gt f height, along with ancillary buildings including a brewhouse. The smallest island, Dog Isle, only 41 m by 34 m, is so called as this was supposedly wher earle eth s kept their hounds structurao N . lislan e remain th seee b n d no n sca today. PREVIOUS SURVEYS The Lake of Menteith was considered an attractive subject for archaeological survey because of previous work in the area. Sir John Murray & Fred Pullar (1910, 16) carried out a bathymetrical surve Menteitf yo 191 n hmentionei d 0an d 'a submerged crannog covere fee 4 wate f e y o td b th n ri north-eastern angle of the loch at the Port of Menteith'. The site was not described in any more neves detaiha rd beean l n examined sincpositios it ever eo d nha n accurately recorded seconA . d bathymetrical survey of the loch was carried out in 1991 (Wewetzer 1991 & 1996). These two bathymetrical surveys were obviously of great value when planning and conducting underwater archaeological survey operations. Wewetzer also used sidescan sonar to distinguish the geophysical features of the loch. (The results of this were made available to the present author.) Sidesca bees nha n widely use maritimn di e archaeolog technique th d ygreaan s eha t potentiaa s la reconnaissance tool in limnoarchaeological surveys (Duck & McManus 1987, 223). This study is firse th t archaeological surve freshwatea f yo r lak Britain ei sucf mako no t e h edataus . Despit historicae eth l association previoud san s work discussed above worts i t i , h stressing that the Lake of Menteith should not be seen as unique. This study could have been carried out in almos Scottisy an t h locgreaa s ha t number have strong historical connection somd san e forf mo archaeological potential. The pioneering survey work of Murray & Pullar provides bathymetrical chart r ove0 lochsfo s 60 r , offerin a heag d star n conductini t g underwater archaeological operations in Scotland. Murray & Pullar's work has also meant that Scottish lochs have been extremely well studied in a geomorphological context, again a benefit to future limnoarchaeolog- ical study. I SOCIET 6 27 ANTIQUARIEF YO SCOTLANDF SO , 1998 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY The main aims of the underwater survey were to locate submerged features and assess their form archaeologicad an l potential surveo t , y their positions accurately withi loce producd nth h an ea close contour pla r eacnfo h site. This report will concentrat e artificiath n eo l islets identified withi loche nth . The definition and recognition of this type of site is somewhat problematic. The term 'crannog' is used here merely to refer to a wholly or partly artificial island within a body of water. Morrison (1985, 16-20) has provided the most widely accepted definition of what constitutes a crannog and identifies two crucial characteristics: first, the site should have been deliberately islanwatern e a th s intendea n di ; e secondus r dfo , that island shoul t leasa , somn i td be e part, artificial. SURVEY METHODS relativele th o t e y Du smal shallod an l ) sizwekm naturloc(2.6e q s th 4 hcompleta f eo e survey coul attemptede db . Earlier survey Locd an Locf he so TayhAw , greate sizmucn d ri ean h deeper, concentrated on areas where either references to known sites existed or where they were most likelfoune b r less)withie o o yt d(i m . ndepta 0 Thi 1 f sho meant that survey operations were conducted along the shallow sides of these deep, Highland trough lochs. As the Lake of Menteith rarely deptn exceedi m h e potentia 0 th (illu1 s , 2) sr submerge fo l d settlement exists almost throughou entirete lochte th th f .yo The poor underwater visibility of the loch (usually less than 0.6 m) meant that a range of search technique appliede b o simplt e d Th . sha e search procedur snorkellinf eo observind gan g loce th h bottom underwatee th , r equivalen fieldwalkingf o t , used effectiveld an ye durinAw e gth Tay surveys, was extremely ineffective in the green murky water of Menteith. Instead, underwater search was carried out using the identification of possible sites from aerial photography; the examination of suspected anthropogenic features identified from sidescan sonar survey data; and by intensive echo-soundin loce th h f gfroo msmala l boat backe divey b p rd u searc examino ht e any mounds or-anomalies revealed. - - — —————————————————— ——— All available aerial photographs relatine locth h o t gwer e examine e Royath t a ld Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland in Edinburgh. The murkiness watee th f t Menteitra o h meant that features were unlikel unlessl al shot o yt a p wtheu y were close to the surface.