wednesday 16 august, bowmore icci forgoeen lives of...

ISLAYARCHAEOLOGYWEEK10-16August2017

Wednesday16August,BowmoreICCIForgoEenlivesoftheIleachThearchaeologyofIronAgeDunFhinnandlaterseElementsofKintourProfessorStevenMithen


IslayHeritageisacharitydevotedtofurtheringknowledgeaboutIslay’spast,andthemanywaysinwhichitcanbeexploredandenjoyedbyeveryoneRESEARCHEDUCATIONRECREATIONCONSERVATION

www.islayheritage.org


TheIslayShow10August

WalkstotheGiant’sGrave11,12,13August

ImaginingKildalton,PortEllen7pmMonday,14August

FirstfootstepsonIslay,PortCharloEe,7.00pmTuesday14August


Palaeolithic??-9,600BC

Mesolithic9,600–3800BC

Neolithic3800–2000BC

BronzeAge2000–500BC

IronAge600BC–AD400

EarlyMedievalAD400–1100ArrivalofVikingsat800

LateMedievalAD1100-1600TreatyofPerth1266,whenNorwegianKinghandedcontrolofHebridestoKingofScotland

Post-MedievalAD1600–presentday

PREHISTORIC HISTORIC

TheKintourLandscapestudyarea

Kintour

TheKintourLandscapeSurvey

RoddyRegan

ArchaeologicalsiteslistedonCanmore

Virtuallynosystema;carchaeologicalworkinmodern;mes•  Cupmarkedstone•  Cistburial•  Standingstones•  Hutcircles,Enclosures,and

Homesteads–BronzeandIronAge?

•  FiveFortsandnineDuns:IronAgeandMedieval?

•  Medievalsites:chapelsandburials

•  Sheilings,onthehigherground

•  SeElements

AverybriefhistoryoflandholdingonIslay

•  DuringmedievalperiodmuchofIslaywasdominatedbyvariousbranchesoftheMacDonaldsofIslay

•  Betweenlate15thandearly16thcenturiesMacDonaldsforfeitedtheisland

•  In1493JohnIILordoftheIsles,JohnMaclanofArdnamurchanwasawardedextensivelandsonIslaybyJamesIV,includingthoseforfeitedbyJohnMacDonaldofDunyvaig,andthecastleofDunyvaigitself

•  In1510Maclanwasmurdered,leavinghisyoungsonsundertheguardianshipofhisbrotherinlawtheEarlofArgyllwhopassedtheadministra;onoftheirIslayestatestoCampbellofCawderunblhissonAlexandercameofageandtookpossessionofhisfather’sestatein1528

•  TheMaclaninfluencecametoanendwhenJamesMacDonaldofDunyvaigwasgrantedhisfamilylandsin1545

•  FamilydebtseventuallyledtothelandsbeingmortgagedtoJohnCampbellThaneofCawderin1612,whileinternalfamilyfeudinganddisorderintheislesledtoIslay’slandsbeinggiventoCawderbythecrownin1614.FollowingsiegesatDunyvaigandLochGorme,Cawdertookpossessionin1615

AverybriefhistoryoflandholdingonIslay

•  DespitetryingtoselltotheEarlofAntrimin1627,IslayremainedinCawder’shandsunbl1723whenitwasmortgagedtotheCampbell’sofShawfield

•  TheCampbellsbroughtinnewtacksmentosupplantforformersupportersofClanDonald– tacksmenwerelandholdersofintermediatelegalandsocialstatus,whosub-lettheirlandtotenants

•  Inordertomaximiseprofitsthetacksmenincreasednumberoftenantsonsomelandholdings,includingthoseofArdtallaandClaggainin1644

•  BecauseIslaycouldnotprovidetheincomerequiredfortheCawderfamilyitwasmortgagedtoDanielCampbellofShawfield,whoboughttheestatein1726

•  DanielCampbellandhisdescendantstriedtointroduceimprovements,suchasdrainage,enclosuresandnewcrops(potatoes)

•  BankruptcyofWalterFrederickCampbellforcedthesaleofhisIslayEstatetotheVictorianentrepreneurJamesMorrisonin1853,whosoldtheKildaltonEstatetoJohnRamseyin1855

•  KildaltonHouseandthe16,000acreestatewasthenacquiredin1922bytheadventurerJohnTalbotClifon,andremainedwithhisfamilyunbltheleasewaspurchasedbytheMactaggartfamilyin1938.ThelandsarenowpartoftheArdtallaEstate.

Cartographicevidence:Blaeu’sAtlas1654

•  ThefirstAtlasofScotland•  PublishedinAmsterdam,inLabn,Dutch,FrenchandGerman,Spanishonelateradded•  Basedoncartographicworkundertakeninlate16thcentury•  DepictsaseriesofseElementsrunningdownSEcoastofIslay,northofArdilistryBay

(Clagintarroch)

(Trudernish)

(Ardtalla)

(CnocRhaonasbl)

(Kildalton)

(Proag)

(Kintour)

StephenMacDougall’smapofIslay1749-51

•  AseriesoflinerNW/SEorientedfarmsorlandholdingswithinthenorthernendoftheKildaltonparish

•  ThesecontainseElementsthatroughlyequatetotheposibonsofknownseElements

(Ardtalla)

(Kildalton)

(Ardmoir)

(Proag)

(Kintour)

Craigfin

Staoin

Landdivisions

•  ThelanddivisionsandtheirseElementslikelyestablishedbytheendofthe15thcentury

•  Kintourestablishedasanestatecentreconsisbngof10marklands

•  Staoin,CreagfinandBallorepartofthelandholdingofKintour

Amarklandwastwelveouncelands.Themarklandderiveditsnamefromtheoldcoin,theMerk,whichwastheannualrentpaidonit,andsoitwascalculatedbythis,ratherthanitsactualarea.OriginallyaScotsMerkScotswas13s4d(160pence),buttheScojshcoinagedepreciatedagainsttheEnglish,andbythe18thcenturyaScotsmerkwasworthonly131/3dsterling–one-twelfhofitsoriginalvalue.

GeorgeLanglands’mapofArgyll1802

Cartographicevidence:FirstedibonofOrdnanceSurveyMap1878

Muchgreaterdetail,withseveralnamedseElements,andseveralunnamedseElements

DunFhinn

StaoinCreagfinn Ballore

Archaeologicalsurvey,April2017

•  April1-72017•  Walkoversurvey,ledbyRoddyRegan•  Recorded19sites,rangingfromdeserted

townshipstoisolatedsheilings

FirstedibonofOrdnanceSurveyMap1878

DunFhinn


DunsandFortsonIslay

•  Islayhas92structuresclassifiedasfortsandduns,andoneidenbfiedasabroch

•  TheKintoursurveyareahasfivefortsandnineduns,oneofthehighestdensityofthesestructuresinArgyll

•  AssumedtodatetotheIronAgec.800BC–400AD–butnodunsorfortshavebeenexcavatedonIslay

•  DunFhinnoccupiesthenorthernendofofaprominentSW/NEorientednaturalridge,withextensiveviewstothenorth,eastandwest,withmorelimitedviewstothesouth.

DunNosebridge

Anatypicaldun,potenballyearlyMedieval.Itasaresemblancetotheringworksassociatedwith

maraudingarmiesinEnglandandIreland,butfollowingaScandinaviantradibon.Alternabvely,aitmightbeaHebrideaninterpretabonofmoEes

orAnglo-Normanringworks

Similarly,DunGuaidhre

WalkingtoDunFhinn,April2017

CaptainMacDonalds’expedibontoDunFhinn,recordedinvolume2oftheFounda'onsofIslaybyDomhnullGruamach(1970),whichisinIanMitchell'scollecbonintheIslayMuseum.

AnotherwalktoDunFhinnon7April1964

DunFhinn,April2017

FionnmacCumhaillsomebmestranscribedinEnglishasMacCoolorMacCoul,wasamythicalhunter-warriorofIrishmythology,occurringalsointhemythologiesofScotlandandtheIsleofMan.

DunFhinn

TheRCAHMSdescribeDunFhinnas:‘Thisdunissituatedonarockyknollinroughmoorland1.6kmWNWofKintour.Theknollrises15mabovethesurroundinggroundbuthasli?lenaturaldefensivestrength.Thedunmeasures18mby11mwithinwhatwasamassivewallvaryinginthicknessfrom3.5montheNEto2.0montheWSW.Largeinnerandouterfacing-stonesremaininposi'onintermi?ently,andwalldebriscoverstheSEflankoftheknollinascree-likespread.AttheSWendthereisapar'cularlyheavyspreadofjumbledstones,andwhilewithoutexcava'onitisnotpossibletobesure,itseemsmostlikelythat,asindicatedontheplan,thewallsplitintotwosec'ons;theinnersec'onfollowedthemarginofthesummittocompletethedunwall,whiletheoutersec'onbrancheddowntowardsthefootoftheknoll,throughadropofabout3m,toformacurvingoutwork.Theentrancethroughtheoutworkis2.7minaveragewidth,andashortlengthofeachoftheside-wallsofthepassageisexposed.Theentrancethroughtheinnerwallisobscuredbydebris.Withintheinteriorthereisalaterintrusiveenclosureformedbyawall1mthickwithanentrancefacingNE’(RCAHMS1984).

DunFhinn

SurveyofDunFhinn

ThetopographicsurveyofDunFhinnwasconductedusingaLeicaGS09/CS09GNSSSmartNetsystem,whichisabletorecordX,Y,andheight(Z)locabondatatowithin2cmaccuracy.Thesystemcollectssatellitedatawhichiscorrectedinreal-bme,fromaknownbasestabononthemainlandviaaninternetlink.Thesurveytookthreedays,overwhich3000datapointswerecollectedwithinthelocallandscapeoftheDun.ThisincludedthesurveyoftheDunitself,andthesurroundinglandscapeinwhichitsits.OverandclosetothemoundoftheDunitself,thespabalresolubonofthesurveyisapproximately2m.Thebroaderlandscapesurveywassurveyedtoapproximately10mresolu;on(Figure5).Amicro-topographicalsurveyacrosstheplateauoftheDunwasalsoundertaken(Figures6&7),withasurveyresolubonofapproximately0.5m,sothatfinerdetailofthetopographyandupstandingarchaeologywithinthisareacouldbefurtherunderstood.

SurveyingofDunFhinn,lookingnorth

SurveyingofDunFhinn,lookingeast

SurveyofDunFhinn

Topographyoftheplateauandimmediatesurroundinglandscape

Micro-topographyofthedunplateau

CircularstructurewithinDunFhinn

•  Measures6.6–6.4minternaldiameter,wallsupto1.2mthink,upstandingto0.6m

•  RCAHMSarguesthisisalateraddibontothestructure

•  Mightthisbeashieling?Whatdateisit?

CircularstructurewithinDunFhinn

Rubblefilledlowerentrancethroughthedunoutwork

Theeasternsideoftheentrance

DunFhinn:entrance

Facingstonesoftheeasternsideoftheentrance

Thelowerout-workfacingstoneswiththedistortedfacingstonesofthedunwallabove

DunFhinn:entranceandwalls

ThefacingstonesontheSWsideofthedun ThefacingstonesontheNWsideof

thedun

SWandNWwalls

Nextsteps:excavabontoestablishchronologyofinterior

2018excavabon?


DunFhinn


ViewofStaoin,fromthenorthflankofDunFhinn,April2017

SurveyingatStaoin,April2017

Staoin-‘bn’or‘boulder’

StaoinbecameaseparatelandholdingfromKintourin1722,1741:IntheRentalRollofIslay,“Stoin”wasleasedtoBaillieCollMcAlisterforthesumofc.£4peryear.1848:“Stoine”washeldasajointtenancywithKintourbetweenDugaldMcDougall,ColinCampbellandMalcolmCampbellonafouryearleaseunbl1852withanannualrentsharedbetweenthemofc.£140.Census1841

DuncanMcNab 55 AgriculturalLabourer ChrisbanMcNab 45 Wife NancyMcNab 17 Daughter DonaldMcNab 15 Son BellMcNab 13 Daughter DuncanMcNab 11 Son KatharineMcNab 8 Daugther

Staoin-‘bn’or‘boulder’

In1851and1861:NoseparateentriesinCensusforStaoin,includedandlistedas‘Kintur’.Howeveran‘AccountofPopulaboninParishofKildalton’drawnupin1860liststhoseat‘Staoine’.

AnneMorrison 54 DonaldMorrison 25 JohnMorrison 22 JessieMorrison 18 ChrisbnaMorrison 16 ArchibaldMorrison 13 CatherinMorrison 10

Census1871:

DonaldMorrison 36 Shepherd BellaMorrison 25 WifeofShepherd AgnesMorrison 2 Daughter

•  DonaldMorrisonmovedwithhiswifetoIslayfromDunoonsomebme

between1861and1869.HisdaughterwasbornanIleach.•  Staoinappearstohavebeenunoccupiedafer1871.

StructuresatStaoin

•  OnlytheareaofsouthoftheKintourRiverwassurveyed,althoughseElementextendedtothenorthoftheriver

•  Areatothesouthwasboundedbyaturfandearthendyke,enclosingextensiverigandfurrowculbvabon

•  Fivestructuresandthreeenclosureswererecorded

StaoinStructure1•  10.8mlongX6.6mwide,orientedEW

•  Wallsinpartstandtoprobablefullheightof2.1m

•  Twoopposedentrances

•  Clayandsand/mortarpackingwithinthewalls

StaoinStructure2•  Rectangular,rubblebuiltorientedEW

•  13.8mlongX7mwide

•  Denuded/robbedwallsstandto0.6mhigh

•  TwoopposedentrancesatWendofstructure

StructuresatStaoin

StaoinStructure3•  Rectangular,rubblebuiltorientedNW/SE

•  6.0mlongX5.4mwide

•  Wallsstandignto1.5mhigh

•  Buildingappearstohavebeenshortenedbecausefoobngsappeartoextendanearlierversionofthebuilding2mtotheNW

StaoinStructure5•  Kiln

•  7mX5m,withmainovalkilmmeasuring5mX4m,1.3minheight

•  FlueonEside

•  Foobngsofanearlierkilnextendtothewest

StructuresatStaoin



DunFhinn


AtCreagfinn,April2017

Creagfinn(’Finn’sRock)

CreagfinnappearsintheIslayRentalRollsof1541asCraggin,in1545asCragfyne,andisinthe1686rollsasCraigfinn.1694:IntheHearthTax,CraigfinwasoccupiedbythefamiliesofRobertCampbellandJohnMcMillan,bothtenantfarmers.1741:TheRentalRollsof1741showCraigfinnleasedtoJohnCampbellofAskomellforarentofc.£34peryear.1829-1848:CraigfinandArdmeanach(alandholdingthatnolongerexistsbutwasontheoppositesideoftheroadeastoftoday’sKintourFarm)wereona19yearleasetoAlexanderCampbell,atenantfarmer.In1848thisbecameayeartoyearleaseatc.£140peryear.


CENSUSRETURNS:1841: AlexanderCampbell 55 AgriculturalLabourer

MaryCampbell 50 WifeofAg.Lab. JohnCampbell 15 Son JanetWilson 7 Granddaughter AnnWilson 5 Granddaughter

JohnMcDuffie 50 AgriculturalLabourer CathrinMcDuffie 50 Wife AlexanderMcDuffie 12 Son IsabellaMcDuffie 9 Daughter

1851,1861and1871:NoseparateentriesinCensusforCreagfinn,includedandlistedas‘Kintur’.


1881: PeterSinclair 66(?) Shepherd DuncanSinclair 37 Son,Shepherd SusanSinclar 33(?) SisterofShepherd

1891: PeterSinclair 85(?) RebredShepherd

SusanShepherd 55(?) Sister,Housekeepher •  PeterSinclair,hissisterandsoncametoIslaysomebmebetween1861and

1871fromDalavichnearOban.

•  Peterwasalreadyawidowerandhewaslistedinthe1871CensusasashepherdatArdtalla.Peterdiedin1897,hissister,Susan,movedbacktothemainlandshortlyaferhisdeathassheislistedin1901CensusaslivinginOban.

•  TheyarethelastrecordedoccupantsofCreagfinn.

CENSUSRETURNS

•  Sixrectangularbuildings(Structures1,2,3,4,5,6and9),aseventhirregularbuildings(8)andtwokils(2and7)

•  SituatedonabroadbendintheKintourRiversurroundedbyenclosureswithrigandfurrow

•  Structure9wasroofedon1stedibonofOSmap,suggesbngitwasthelastoccupied

ThearchaeologyofCreagfinn

•  18mX6m,with0.6mwidewalls,standingto1.7msuggesbnggableend

•  Buildingdividedintothreeparts,withtwoopposingentrances

•  TracesofanaEached10mwideenclosureaEachedtoitswesternside

•  Twotwinningpenswithinnorthernroom

Creagfinn:Structure1

•  Sub-circular,5.5mX5m,standsto2.4m

•  Wallsupto1.4mthick,aroundacentralchamber,accessedfromtheSWside

Creagfinn:Structure2,Kiln

•  AT-shapedbuilding

•  AtwesternendthefoobngsofaSW/NErectangularbuilding9.8mX5.2m

•  Overthis,asmallerstructure5.4mX3.3m

•  Smallerstructuredividedintotworooms,thenorthernonewithacurvingwall

•  TotheSEisarectangularrange16mX6.1m,dividedintothreeparts


•  NW/SEoriented,15.6mlongX5.8mwide

•  Walls0.8mwide,standingto1.15mhigh

•  Dividedintothreeparts

•  Smallerstructuredividedintotworooms,thenorthernonewithacurvingwall

•  TwoentrancesontheSsidegiveaccesstotheEandWrooms


Creagfinn:rigandfurrow



DunFhinn


Ballore,April2017

Ballore,April2017

•  Baille=Township•  ‘Odhar’=dun,meaninglight

browncolour

•  In1686ChurchlandsofIslay,thereisreferencetoa‘Ballindeor’,beingpartoftheholdingsofCreagfinnandknownastheTownshipoftheDewar

•  ADewarisalocallyappointedofficerinchargeofasacredrelic

•  TheseElementconsistoffivedefinitestructuresandonepossiblestructure,withtwoenclosures

Ballore,Structure1•  Oval,E/Worientedrubble

builtstructure

•  Roundedends,7.8mlongX4.3mwide

•  Wallsstandingto1.7minheight

Ballore,Structure2•  Oval,SW/NEorientedrubble

builtstructure



Ballore,Structures1and2

Ballore,Structure3•  Oval,SW/NEorientedrubble

builtstructure



•  EntranceonSEside

Ballore,Structure4•  Oval,E/Worientedrubble

builtstructure



•  Opposedentrancesonlongsidesandinternallydividedbyacrosswall

Ballore,Structures3and4

Ballore,Enclosure2

IrregularshapedstoneandturfencloseaEachedtoStructure4withinternalrigandfurrow

FurthersiteswiththeKintoursurveyarea

Sheilings

Site15Wellandtwo

structureswithinanenclosure

Site14Acircularandarectangularenclosure

•  ExtensivelyseEledfromIronAgeonwards

•  FocusofseElementsonorneartothebanksoftheriver,whichcanbetracedbacktothe15thcenturyfromhistoricdocuments

•  SeElementmayhavebeenmoredispersedatanearlierdatebecauseofthenumberofsmallandunnamedseElements,withthelargerconcentrabons,suchasCreagfinn,beinglaterdevelopments

•  StructuresdifferentatBalloreandCreagfinn

•  Ballore:curvedorroundedendssuggesbnghippedroofs,relabvelysmall.Suggestspre-18thcentury

•  Creagfinn:longrectagularstructures,rubblebuiltwalls,probablygableends.Suggests18thand19thcentury

Summary

Nextsteps:testexcavabonatasampleofsitesandstructurestoestablishabsolutechronology.April2018?

Ballore Creagfinn

Staoin Site14

Andfinally,andwithfurtherexcavabon…

Willweeverfindthetracesof:TheCampbells,Wilsons,McDuffiesandSinclairsofCreagfinn?OrtheNcNabsandtheMorrisonsofStaoinOrtheDewarofBallore?Orwillthesealwaysremainforgo`enlives?

Withthanksto…

Roddy… …andtheteam

•  TheArdtallaEstate•  TomDun,DebBaker•  TheIanMactaggartTrust

www.islayheritage.org | [email protected] /islayheritage @islayheritage @islayheritage

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