Monument record 1126 - LAIAVAL, NORTH UIST

NF87NE 10 8828 7502.

(Area : NF 883 750) There is a green mound, with some evidence of a building on its summit, beside traces of a wall which formed a semicircular enclosure abutting against the rock at both ends, close to the south base of the cliff at Craig Laiaval.
It is locally suggested that a chapel and, perhaps, a burial-ground might have stood here.
E Beveridge 1911.

The grass-covered mound is at NF 8828 7502. It measures 11.4m in diameter by 0.8m high. Several flat stones - the scanty remains of two oval shielings - protrude from the top of the flat central area. It lies in the shelter of the cliff-face within two enclosure walls abutting the rock to the E and W of the mound. This enclosure wall, composed of large single stones, maximum height 1.0m, encircles an area of lazy-bed cultivation.
About 25.0m to the west of the mound a further three shielings could be seen set against the rock face, utilising the natural rock for one of the walls.
There is no evidence to suggest that this is the site of a chapel and/or burial ground. It may be a grass-covered cairn, on which later shielings have been built.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (R B) 26 June 1965.

Grass covered circular mound with numerous protruding stones. Located high up on the hillside at the base of Craig Laiaval. The location gives expansive vistas to the west, east and south east. The mound shows signs of phases of modification, the most obvious of which is a modern fence line that runs E/W across its centre. A grassed over sheiling mound is located 8m to the NW. No other features were discerned; however there was a lot of undergrowth between the cliff and the fence.
In line with the previous comments; this feature is in a high and exposed position , not the location that would be expected for a church. This is almost certainly a neolithic burial mound that was utilised at later date for sheilings. Dimensions 13m diameter and approx 1m height.
K.Murphy (Arch CnES) 10/08/2022

Erskine Beveridge, 1911, North Uist: its archaeology and topography, 278 (Bibliographic reference). SWE12876.

RCAHMS, 1928, The RCAHMCS 9th Report & Inventory: Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles, 70, No. 216 (Bibliographic reference). SWE5587.