Monument record MHG2868 - Eilean nan Clach

Summary

No summary available.

Location

Grid reference Centred NH 7769 3405 (40m by 40m) (Buffered by site type)
Map sheet NH73SE
Old County INVERNESS-SHIRE
Civil Parish MOY AND DALAROSSIE
Geographical Area INVERNESS

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

This was pointed out to me as a 'former dungeon' by Mr and Mrs W Cameron or Grianan, Moy, on 9/8/02. Apparently there is a submerged causeway from Moy Castle.

John Wood 12/8/02

NMRS Notes:

NH73SE 3 7770 3405.

(NH 7770 3405) Eilean nan Clach (NAT) Formerly used as a Temporary Prison (NAT)
OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1903)

This island, evidently partly artificial, was used as a temporary prison and place of execution by the clan chiefs before the abolition of heritable jurisdictions. A gallows stood here within the memory of old people living in 1845 (ISSFC 1888).
According to Stuart, the island is built of stones resting on piles. ISSFC 1888; J Stuart 1868.

Eilean nan Clach was inaccessible as all available boats are laid up for the winter, but the name and tradition are still known locally. It is probably a crannog.
Visited by OS (N K B) 9 November 1966.

No change to previous field report.
Visited by OS (A A) 27 September 1972.

Eilean nan Clach, the ruin of a crannog of Iron Age or Dark Age date, now appears above water level as a large cairn of boulders, of similar dimensions to an average crannog.
E A Meldrum 1972.

Air photographs, taken by Jill Harden in 1989, are in Inverness Museum (8907.11-13 INVMG).
Information from J Harden 1989.

A proposal to schedule this site was received from Historic Scotland for comment in August 2006.

Sources/Archives (8)

  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Stuart, J. 1868. 'Notice of a group of artificial islands in the Loch of Dowalton, Wigtonshire, and of other artificial islands or "Crannogs" throughout Scotland', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 6 1864-6, p.114-78. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 114-78. 129.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Meldrum, E A. 1972. 'Loch Moy and its islands'. 21.
  • --- Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: ISSFC. 1888. 'Excursion to Craggie and Loch Moy, Saturday, 4th June 1881', Trans Inverness Sci Soc Fld Club Vol. 2 1880-3, p.99-118. Trans Inverness Sci Soc Fld Club. 99-118. 109.
  • <1> Text/Correspondence: Historic Scotland. 08/2006. Eilean nan Clach, Crannog; Isle of Moy, Fortified Island and Laird's House. Digital (scanned as PDF).

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Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

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Record last edited

Dec 17 2009 5:03PM

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