32792: Kneep – SETTLEMENT MOUND (Prehistoric – 10,000 BC to 1 BC), SETTLEMENT (Undated)

Summary:

SETTLEMENT MOUND (Prehistoric – 500000 BC to 42 AD)
SETTLEMENT (Undated)
Settlement mound

Location:

NB 10232 35699

Full description:

At NB 1021 3569 on a rocky knoll is the large midden of oyster shells. There is no trace of the apsidal setting of five stones, nor of the alleged souterrain or other hut-circles, but to the W, at NB 1013 3567 is a hut-circle, a roughly circular setting of stones on a slight knoll, now very eroded.
Surveyed at 1/2500.

The mound at NB 1021 3569 was dug into by a Mr Malcolm MacLeod, Vigen, Miavaig, Lewis, who was promised to backfill it. It was seen by Mr Stevenson, who states a wheelhouse was definitely exposed. Typical wheelhouse pottery, a bone whistle, and a mould for an H-shaped object have been given to the NMAS from this site.
Information from R B K Stevenson (NMAS) to OS.

To … owner of the Monument consisting of a settlement 700 metres or thereby North West of Berie, shown coloured red on the annexed plan … the Secretary of State hereby gives notice that it is his intention to include the Monument above specified in a list of monuments…
Schedule 25.10.77

No. 12.
NB 1023 3568
This is the site of a probable wheelhouse paritally excavated by Mr Calum Macleod of Reef in the 1950s. The site is presently visible as an eroding mound on a spur above the Traigh na Berie. The mound is c. 27m long (north-south), by 16m wide. The excavated area lies at the northern end and this is presumably the wheelhouse. The excavation trench is clearly visible. The upper, inner wall face is visible in its northern arc due to sand erosion. This has occurred since 1985 and became noticeably worse between 1989 and resurvey in 1992. The northern mound area is suffering from downhill slumping and sand erosion, accelerated by rabbit burrowing. This is likely to destabilise the wheelhouse in the medium term. The internal diameter of the wheelhouse appears to be c. 7-8m and several piers are visible The mound is considerably larger than the wheelhouse and almost certainly contains further structures to the south. the nature and date of these structures is unkown. the presence of near-surface gneiss bedrock prevented any significan results from geophysical survey.
Armit 1992, 44

References:

Ian Armit. 1992. CFA, University of Edinburgh Archaeological Field Survey of the Bhaltos (Valtos) Peninsula, Lewis.

Acknowledgement:

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

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Wheelhouse on Traigh na Berie with Pabbay beyond

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