Monument record 354 - HOLM, LEWIS

NB43SW 11 442 305.
'Entrenchments' at Holm, said to have been thrown up by the 'Fife Adventurers' (c. 1598) mentioned but not discussed.
F W L Thomas 1890.

The Fife colonists arrived in October 1599 with some 600 hired soldiers and built themselves a 'pretty town' apparently at Holm ' where the remains of ramparts and trenches still exist'; but Tormod (Macleod) stormed their camp.
A Macbain (no date)

No knowledge of these 'fortifications' was displayed either by the occupants of Holm Farm or by the Vice Rector of the Nicolson Institute, who has charge of the museum collection. The area was perambulated and OS air cover inspected. There are many old field walls, tracks and prominent lazy beds, all of which might have been misinterpreted, but nothing suggestive of genuine fortification.
Visited by OS (A L F R) assistent archaeology officer, 22 April 1964.

Drystone curvilinear enclosure. Burgess & Church 1997, 373-377

A Macbain, Early History of Lewis, 21-2 (Bibliographic reference). SWE14579.

Thomas, F. W. L., 1890, Archaeol Scot, 379 (Bibliographic reference). SWE7756.

Burgess, Christopher & Church, Michael, 1997, Coastal Erosion Assessment, Lewis. A Report for Historic Scotland (Bibliographic reference). SWE41000.