Monument record 10097 - LSFH 6.1 Loch Dubh

"Running north to south for a little over 40 metres this dyke lies on the east side of one of the rivulets that runs away to the north from the west end of Loch Dubh. Constructed of turf with some stone facing, the dyke stands to a height of 0.75 metres and is 1.5 metres wide. It is situated on a slight rise or crest that also runs north to south and terminates at its north end on a bedrock knoll that overlooks the course of a burn running east to west towards Loch Erisort - Abhiann na Muilne. The dyke seems to peter out at its southern end where the terrain rises to a point higher than the dyke's southern end. Approximately 10 metres from its northern end a spur runs away to the west for 11 metres. This spur is primarily formed of stone, though much of it is buried in the surrounding peat. The spur is cut by the line of the outflow from Loch Dubh, and its construction suggests that it was once meant to act as a dam across that rivulet to form a small pond or reservoir with the main dyke to its east and the natural slope to its west and south. The purpose for this pool and dam would seem to be for milling as it would control the flow of water into the Abhiann na Muilne." "While no mills were found in this area, the presence of the dam/dyke - 6.1 and the revetting walls along the burns leading away from the Loch Dubh to the north suggest that there might be mills further downstream outside the are of the current survey. The final piece of evidence that supports this is the name of the burn - Abhainn na Muilne, as Muilne is Gaelic for Mill." (Burgess 2004, 19-20 and 22-23)

Chris Burgess, Northamptonshire Archaeology, 2004, Archaeological Survey and Evaluation of Eilean Chalium Chille and the Putative Site of the Seaforth Head Castle (Unpublished document). SWE41054.