Monument record 15027 - Lon Erista, Uig, Lewis

An area of relict lazybed cultivation was encountered around NB 05138 32466, covering a sub-rectangular area 30m wide from northeast to southwest and between 8 and 10m wide northwest to southeast, with a less well-defined triangular extension stretching another 40m to the northwest. The lazybeds were apparent as 2.5m wide earth banks divided by channels of between 05 and 1m width. They extended to within 10m of the shoreline of Lon Erista.
7m to the north of the lazybeds and divided from them by a stream, a moss and heather-covered dyke ran on a curvilinear course in parallel with the shoreline from north-northwest to south-southeast, from the clope of Sgal Beag to the stream, a distance of 20m. The dyke measured 0.5-0.6m wide, constructed from drystone boulders that occasionally protruded from the eroding brae of the snore. East of the stream at NB 05158 32489 a less clearly visible extension of the dyke ran intermittently along the top of the brae for 10m before petering out. The dyke was clearly intended to divide the area of cultivation from the shore and probably represents the remains of a flood defence, of unknown date but probably post-mediaeval on the grounds of apparent association with the lazybeds.
Fyles 2006, 11

Chris Fyles, SUAT Ltd, 2006, Archaeological Walkover Survey, Gisla, Isle of Lewis (Unpublished document). SWE41200.