Monument record 467 - SWAINBOST, LEWIS

NB56SW 14 505 637.

In erosion hollow, slag and bowl furnace bottoms. Walling and midden material are also being exposed.
M MacRae 1983.

Finds deposited with Museum nan Eilean

Substantial amounts of iron working slag and furnace bases still being produced from the site. Large amounts of pottery are also present, and suggest a mediaeval/post-mediaeval date for the site. MML 27.9.99, 13.9.2000

16th C. rim sherd deposited with Museum nan Eilean. August 2002

NB 5054 6373 A number of artefacts were found during an archaeology walk undertaken by the local Young Roots Youth Group, accompanied by a local archaeologist, as part of an investigation into local archaeology sites. They were all recovered from one site (NB56SW 14). The material is eroding from a windblown sand dune and lies as a spread measuring approximately 4 x 6m. Part of a stone wall is eroding from the wame dune.
The finds consist of: 52 body sherds and three rim sherds of local hand-made pottery; eight fragments of stone pot-boilers; assorted mammal bones, including sheep and cow (two sheep bones show butchery marks); four quartz flakes; a triangular piece of shaped Gneiss; a stone pot lid; a fragment of burnt flint; some undiagnositc corroded iron objects, including possible nails; seven pieces of slag , and one furnace lining; several impet and whelk shells; two small square pieces of copper sheeting (c 7 x 7mm), one with a hole punched through it; and a possible saddle quernstone (large beach pebble with pecked hollow in surface).
Sponsor: HLF, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

M MacRae, 1983c, Discovery and Excavation, Scotland, 40 (Bibliographic reference). SWE14637.

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

Council for Scottish Archaeology, 2004, Discovery and Excavation in Scotland (Bibliographic reference). SWE41193.