Monument record MHG44713 - Salisbury's Dam, Rhum

Summary

No summary available.

Location

Grid reference Centred NM 3634 9992 (30m by 30m)
Map sheet NM39NE
Old County ARGYLL
Civil Parish SMALL ISLES
Geographical Area LOCHABER

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

This massive structure was built in the late 1840's to divert the head waters of the Kilmory River through a rock-cut lade into the Kinloch River, but was breached at the NW end a few days after the reservoir was filled. The curving dam is formed by two battered drystone walls enclosing an earth core and measures 10.5m in thickness at the base about 5.8m in height. Its original length was about 60m of which 45m survive. The lade (NM 364 999 to NG 367 000) measures about 300m in length and includes a rock-cut section up to 7m wide and 4m deep. The footings of a rectangular building (9.2m by 3m internally) are situated on the S side of the lade 190m ENE of the dam.
Visited by RCAHMS June 1983.

Two contemporary stone buttresses are bonded into the front of the dam. Upstream from the building are the remains of a bridge which once formed access across the channel.
NMRS MS/868/1

An unroofed building of two compartments is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire, Islands of Rum, Sanday etc., 1879, sheet lx), but it is not shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1976).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 5 December 1996
NM39NE 27 3635 9992

This massive structure was built in the late 1840's to divert the
head waters of the Kilmory River through a rock-cut lade into the Kinloch River, but was breached at the NW end a few days after the reservoir was filled. The curving dam is formed by two battered drystone walls enclosing an earth core and measures 10.5m in thickness at the base about 5.8m in height. Its original length was about 60m of which 45m survive. The lade (NM 364 999 to NG 367 000) measures about 300m in length and includes a rock-cut section up to 7m wide and 4m deep. The footings of a rectangular building (9.2m by 3m internally) are situated on the S side of the lade 190m ENE of the dam.
Visited by RCAHMS June 1983.

Two contemporary stone buttresses are bonded into the front of the dam. Upstream from the building are the remains of a bridge which once formed access across the channel.
NMRS MS/868/1

An unroofed building of two compartments is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire, Islands of Rum, Sanday etc., 1879, sheet lx), but it is not shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1976).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 5 December 1996

Sources/Archives (3)

  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Salisbury's Dam, Rhum. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Salisbury's Dam, Rhum. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1983. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. The archaeological sites and monuments of Rhum, Lochaber District, Highland Region. . 25, No.189.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Jan 28 2008 12:00AM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any questions or more information about this record? Please feel free to comment below with your name and email address. All comments are submitted to the Heritage Portal maintainers for moderation, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible. Comments, questions and answers that may be helpful to other users will be retained and displayed along with the name you supply. The email address you supply will never be displayed or shared.