Monument record 836 - RONA

HW83SW 8 centred on HW 809 322

('A': HW 8092 3233 'B' 8088 3234; 'C' 8085 3230)

Rona Village - possibly Norse to late-Mediaeval village composed of three dwelling complexes each apparently originally consisting of a central, sub-rectangular structure, tentatively classed as a Birsay-type Viking house round which possibly 15th to 17th c. corbelled structures have accrued. The island was inhabited until 1683, these complexes presumably forming the dwellings. Periodic occupation since 1683 accounts for the probably 19th c primitive black-house in Group 'C' and the alleged 'Manse' - a 19th - 20thc building in Group 'B'.
Within the enclosing head dyke, but apart from the village, there is the ruin of a stone-built structure of unknown purpose. It is now badly tumbled but has apparently been square in plan with sides 10' to 12'long. It may have been divided internally at its lower end by a partition 3'to 4' long.
Also within the head-dyke are two wells which still carry water although one is now badly fouled and the other slightly salty. The arable land within the dyke has been cultivated into long sinuous ridges.
H C Nisbet and R A Bailey 1960

Nine unroofed buildings, four of which are annotated as Ruins and one is a Church [HW83SW 1], seven enclosures and a head-dyke are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire, Island of Lewis 1854, sheet 47). One partially roofed, four unroofed buildings, three enclosures and a head-dyke are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1973).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 26 June 1997

H C and R A Nisbet and Gailey, 1960, Archaeol J, 88-115 Plates, 14, 15b; Plan, fig.1 (Bibliographic reference). SWE4509.

Chris Barrowman, 2006, Monument Warden's Report, and CD of digital images (Unpublished document). SWE41162.