Monument record 1089 - LOCH NAN STRUBAN, CLACHAN, NORTH UIST

NF86SW 16 8075 6450.

(Area : NF 808 646) The remains of an 'island-fort' have been found in Loch nan Struban near Clachan-a-gluip. It is connected to the shore of the loch by a causeway. The outer wall is 4ft thick on the west but, at other points is hardly traceable. The dun measures about 33 by 37ft.
E Beveridge 1911.

The site was located at NF 8075 6450. The entire island is enclosed by the remains of a rubble wall but there is nothing to indicate a 'fort' or dun.
Traces of a causeway, mostly underwater, can be seen between the south side of the island and the shore of the loch.
Visited by OS (W D J) 11 June 1965.

Snorkel survey found the islet is composed of portable stones; some larger stones were noted in the matrix, but no bedrock was observed, suggesting the islet to be entirely artificial.Some quartz flakes were noted around the site but no pottery was found. The consolidated nature of sediments around the islet (with the exception of the deeper deposits to the east) and the thorough snorkel inspection undertaken (aided by good underwater visibility) make it unlikely that substantial quantities of material exist at the site. This is somewhat perplexing as the islet is clearly artificial and presents many of the characteristic features of Neolithic crannogs. Other than the possibly worked quartz (which is not clearly diagnostic), no materials of any period (even modern) were observed.
Blankshein.S et al (2022).

Erskine Beveridge, 1911, North Uist: its archaeology and topography, 185 map (Bibliographic reference). SWE12876.

RCAHMS, 1928, The RCAHMCS 9th Report & Inventory: Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles, 55, No. 177 (Bibliographic reference). SWE5587.

Stephanie Blankshein, Angela Gannon, Duncan Garrow, Fraser Sturt, 2022, UIST CRANNOG SURVEY (Monograph). SWE41375.