Monument record MHG9739 - Fort/Monastery, An Tornaidh Bhuidhe

Summary

No summary available.

Location

Grid reference Centred NC 8669 6617 (100m by 100m) (Buffered by site type)
Map sheet NC86NE
Geographical Area SUTHERLAND
Old County SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish FARR

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Torran Buidhe (NAT). Fort (NR) (Remains of)
OS 6"map, Sutherland, 1st ed., (1873)

An Tornaidh Bhuidhe (NAT) Fort (NR) OS 6"map, (1964)

A large peninsular rock on which there are traces of ruins. There are also remains of wall and trench which cut off the rock from the land. At N end ground is slightly broken and some distance below the surface was found burnt bones, shells and charred wood.
Name Book 1873.

The remains of a promontory fort flanked by precipitous cliffs and approached along a ridge only two or three feet wide in places. The fort consists of a grassy plateau round edge which runs an earthen rampart or parapet. Down N face of cliff is a ledge on which there is a depression but there is no trace of a passage such as that at Dun Mhairtein (NC86NE 1).
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909.

A cliff-castle. R J Mercer 1981.

Occupying An Tornaidhe Bhuidhe, a cliff-girt peninsula approached from S by a restricted arete, is a defensive or protective earthwork enclosing summit area 47m N-S by 10m maximum transversely. Around rim of summit is a turf-covered bank, at its strongest protecting approach from S and along W side, where it is 0.4m high and spread to a width of 2m; it is less strong on E side and completely eroded on N and NW. A content of earth and small stones is exposed in the eroded bank. No entrance gap is evident. The interior is largely occupied by a series of irregularly-shaped platforms, probably indicatin sites of buildings. Down slope to NE is a small shelf, apparently natural, with a slight bank constructed around outer side. It may have been a look-out, perhaps later than main work.
These much eroded remains may be of a promontory fort as stated by the RCAHMS, but it appears more likely to be a Celtic monastic settlement based on (1) existence of what appear to be stances for buildings in interior, and (2) form of enclosing bank which appears protective in the manner of a 'vallum monasterii' rather than defensive as in rampart of an Iron Age fort.
Revised at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (W D J) 3 May 1960 and (N K B) 28 July 1981.

Sources/Archives (3)

  • --- Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Mercer, R J. 1981. Archaeological field survey in northern Scotland: volume II, 1980-81. University of Edinburgh. 30/12/1981. Paper and Digital. 130, No. 237.
  • --- Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1911. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Second report and inventory of monuments and constructions in the county of Sutherland. . 63-4, No. 193.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Name Book (County). Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey. Book No. 20, 73.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Jan 28 2008 12:00AM

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