31641: LSFH 30.2 Aird Sithaig – STRUCTURE

Summary:

STRUCTURE (Medieval – 1266 AD to 1539 AD)
HOUSE? (Medieval – 1266 AD to 1539 AD)
Remains of a stone building, possibly house

Location:

NB 27486 16613

Full description:

"Located immediately to the west of the entrance through the promontory wall or rampart (30.1), the fragmentary remains of this building measure 4 metres from west to east and 2 metres from north to south. Seemingly formed of two equal sized square, contiguous cells this feature is defined by stones standing no more than one course high and for the most part buried in the soil and turf behind the front face of the promontory rampart. While the south face and the east and west walls are well defined, the northern wall or face could not be identified. This structure seems to be the fragmentary remains of a small, polycellular house or bothie." "Located at the southern end of the Loch Sithaig headland, this promontory enclosure is the possible site of the MacKenzie castle that is supposed to have been built at the northern end of Loch Seaforth Head during the first years of the seventeenth century (1610?). The remains visible on the ground consist of a substantial glacis rampart (30.1) with an entrance at its centre, and a number of structures behind including two large cellular structures (30.3 and 30.4) and a rectangular building (30.2) immediately inside the entrance. The enclosed area seems small today (only 11 metres from the wall to the shore), however, there are clear signs that coastal erosion has considerably shortened the length of Aird Sithaig, as several of the features recorded have been cut by recent erosion events." (Burgess 2004, 43 and 45)

References:

Chris Burgess, Northamptonshire Archaeology. 2004. Northamptonshire Archaeology Archaeological Survey and Evaluation of Eilean Chalium Chille and the Putative Site of the Seaforth Head Castle. Part No Loch Seaforth Head Gazeteer.

Acknowledgement:

Information provided by Western Isles Council Sites & Monuments Record, January 2006.