Monument record 6975 - South Glen Dale

SU 52:
This dyke marks the continuation of the head dyke (SU 45) from north to south from NF 78491 14988 from where it runs for 81 metres in a south south-easterly direction before heading east for 5 metres at NF 78525 14935 before continuing south south-east for a further 110 metres to NF 78565 14824. From that point it turns towarde the south-west and runs for 80 metres to NF 78512 14766 before turning to the south and running for 42 metres to NF 78523 14725. From that point it runs sinuously east for 91 metres to NF 78436 14710 before turning south and running for 62 metres to NF 78475 14665. Heading in a south-easterly direction from this point for 104 metres it turns again at NF 78407 14578 towards the south-east. It then runs on for a further 21 metres to NF 78422 14561 where it terminates at a T junction against dyke SU 67/ 84.
Interpretation: This continuation of the head dyke marks a part of its length where it is duplicated by a second dyke to the south-east. Between NF 78523 14725 and NF 78422 14561 the dyke is bifurcates running around the northern side of a low marshy valley. The second strand SU 84 runs around the south side of the same area. It is impossible at the western bifurcation point to tell which dyke is earlier, and at the eastern bifurcation point the two do not quite meet suggesting the presence of a now missing gate. It is entirely possible that the two banks are contempory being designed to create an enclosure of ca 13700 square metres (1.3 ha.) that might have been used for stock management.
Impact detail:
About 66% of this section of dyke from ca NF 78525 14935 to NF 78475 14665 falls within the marked extent of the stone extraction site.
(Babtie Group, 1999)

Babtie Group, 2000, Eriskay Causeway Archaeological Sruvey Draft Report (Unpublished document). SWE41018.