The Breachacha crannog is a crannog located near Loch Breachacha, on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. The crannog is recognised in the United Kingdom as a Scheduled monument. [1] A scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given legal protection against unauthorised change. There are about 8,000 such sites in Scotland. [2]
The crannog is located at grid reference NM15615304 ; [3] about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) south of Breachacha Castle. [4] It sits within the former loch which was known as Poll nam Broig. The loch was drained in 1875 and today the crannog sits in an arable field. [3] The surrounding ground is marshy and can be accessed only from the east. [4]
The crannog is oval-shaped and consists of a stone and earth mound with a flattened top. It stands 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) high and measures 26 by 21 metres (85 ft 4 in by 68 ft 11 in) at the base, and 16 by 11 metres (52 ft 6 in by 36 ft 1 in) on the top. [3] The crown of the mound stands about 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) above the surrounding former loch-bed; and according to Mark W. Holley, this corresponds with what would have been the maximum water level of the old loch. Holley's calculations deduced that when the loch was full, the crannog would have been located about 30 metres (98 ft 5 in) from shore. [4]
Holley surveyed the site in 1995 and noted a series of five, semicircular pits dug into the ground on the east, south, and south-west sides of the crannog. He considered these holes to have been dug relatively recently, since the early 20th century antiquary Erskine Beveridge made no mention of them, nor did he mention any form of excavation on site. There is no trace of a causeway, jetty, or harbour on the site. [4] There is no trace of any walling at the site; [3] or of any protruding timbers. Holley noted that the stones appear to be of local origin. There are no other man-made features near the site. [4]
A crannog is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes and estuarine waters of Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Unlike the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, which were built on the shores and not inundated until later, crannogs were built in the water, thus forming artificial islands.
The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic henge and stone circle about 6 miles north-east of Stromness on Mainland, the largest island in Orkney, Scotland. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands. Traditionally forming part of the boundary between the counties of Stirlingshire and Dunbartonshire, Loch Lomond is split between the council areas of Stirling, Argyll and Bute and West Dunbartonshire. Its southern shores are about 23 kilometres (14 mi) northwest of the centre of Glasgow, Scotland's largest city. The Loch forms part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park which was established in 2002.
Coll is an island located west of the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Coll is known for its sandy beaches, which rise to form large sand dunes, for its corncrakes, and for Breacachadh Castle. It is in the council area of Argyll and Bute.
Loch Tay is a freshwater loch in the central highlands of Scotland, in the Perth and Kinross and Stirling council areas. It is the largest body of fresh water in Perth and Kinross, and the sixth largest loch in Scotland. The watershed of Loch Tay traditionally formed the historic province of Breadalbane.
Loch Venachar is a freshwater loch in Stirling district, Scotland.
Mochrum is a coastal civil and Church of Scotland parish situated to the east of Luce Bay on the Machars peninsula and 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Wigtown and in the historical county of Wigtownshire in Galloway, Scotland. It covers 22,000 acres (8,900 ha) and is approximately 10 miles (16 km) in length and 5 miles (8.0 km) in breadth. The parish contains the eponymous village of Mochrum, as well as Port William and the clachan of Elrig.
Dùn Anlaimh, also known as Dùn Amhlaidh, and Eilean nan Cinneachan, is a crannog, located within Loch nan Cinneachan on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. Upon the crannog there are the remains of walls and several buildings. These remains are not unlike those of other fortified islands found throughout the Outer Hebrides, and it is likely that Dùn Anlaimh dates from the late Middle Ages. According to local tradition on Coll, the fort was once the home of a Norse chieftain who was defeated in battle somewhere nearby. The early 20th century antiquary Erskine Beveridge considered it as one of the four most interesting fortifications, on Coll. The site of Dùn Anlaimh is located at grid reference NM18845684. The RCAHMS classifies the site as a 'crannog' and an 'island dwelling'.
Faslane Castle and Shandon Castle were two mediaeval Scottish castles which once stood between the village of Garelochhead and the town of Helensburgh, near the shores of the Gareloch, in Argyll and Bute. In the 19th century, the castles were thought to have dated back to the Middle Ages. At that time period, they were situated in within the mormaerdom of Lennox, which was controlled by the mormaers of Lennox. Today nothing remains of Faslane Castle; though in the 19th century certain ruins of Shandon Castle were said to have still existed. Near the site of Faslane Castle sits the ruinous St Michael's Chapel, which has also been thought to date to the Middle Ages.
Dùn an Achaidh, sometimes Anglicised as Dun Acha, is a dun located near the village of Acha on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. It is considered the best preserved dun on the island. The site of Dùn an Achaidh is located at grid reference NM18335456. According to local tradition, the dun was the stronghold of, and named after, the son of a Norse king. The early 20th century antiquary Erskine Beveridge considered it as one of the four most interesting fortifications on Coll.
Dùn Dubh is a hillfort, located on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. The fort is one of three associated with a local tradition which states that they were once the fortresses of Norsemen before being defeated by a Maclean chieftain. The early 20th century antiquary Erskine Beveridge considered it as one of the four most interesting fortifications, on Coll. The site is located at grid reference NM18365942.
Dùn Morbhaidh, also known as Dun Borbaidh, is a hill fort located on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. The early 20th century antiquary Erskine Beveridge considered it as one of the four most interesting fortifications on Coll. The site is located at grid reference NM23456331.
Dunan Aula, also known in Scottish Gaelic as Dùnan Amhlaidh, is the site of an exposed cist, located in the parish of Craignish, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, at grid reference NM83420697. The place-name means "Olaf's mound"; it is said to commemorate a Viking prince so-named, who fell in battle against the native Scots.
Eilean Ornsay is a rocky and uninhabited island located off the south-western coast of the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. It is situated on the western side of Loch Eatharna and is joined to Coll at low tide. Evidence of the dun and other archaeological finds were recently discovered by a field walk on the east side of Coll.
Dùn Beic is a dun located on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. It is located at grid reference NM15495644 and is thought to date to between 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. The etymology of the dun's name is uncertain; one possibility is that it could be made up of a personal name. The dun appears in local legend as being one of several fortresses held by Norsemen, who were defeated in battle against the ancestor of the Macleans of Coll. There have been several archaeological finds at Dùn Beic; these include pieces of flint, burnt bone, and fragments of incised pottery.
An Caisteal is a hill fort located on the island of Coll. This island is one of the islands which make up the Inner Hebrides located on the west coast of Scotland. The fort is located at grid reference NM17185815. Located 1,200 yards (1.1 km) to the north-east of An Caisteal is Dùn Foulag. Dùn Foulag, located at grid reference NM17505908, was once thought to be a dun, though it is now considered to be only a naturally rocky knoll.
Breachacha Castle is either of two structures on the shore of Loch Breachacha, on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll, Scotland. The earlier is a 15th-century tower house that was a stronghold of the Macleans of Coll, the island having been granted to John Maclean in 1431. This castle was superseded by a new dwelling in 1750 but continued to be occupied for a time. It fell into a ruinous state only in the mid-19th century.
The Black Castle of Moulin, is a ruined castle located in Moulin near Pitlochry, Scotland. It is a scheduled monument.
Old Luce is a civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies in the Machars peninsula, in the traditional county of Wigtownshire. The parish is around 10 miles (16 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) broad, and contains 40,350 acres (16,330 ha).
Cullen Castle was a royal castle about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) west of Cullen, Moray, Scotland, west of the burn of Deskford, and south of Seatown. The remains have been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, accessible to the public. This is not to be confused with Cullen House or Castle of Cullen of Buchan. There is also a ruin of a Cullen Castle in County Waterford, Ireland.