Monument record 529 - ALLASDALE, BARRA

NF60SE 17 6563 0285.

(NF 6563 0285) Large shell midden on old land surface newly exposed after being covered by sand. Decorated Broch or Wheelhouse pottery, bone pins, bronze tweezers, found: some of the finds are in the British Museum. Also ruins of buildings enclosed by stone walls. Walls of a passage-way (perhaps entrance to wheelhouse) remain to about 4ft high. (Information from C F Tebbutt 1959)

Probable wheelhouse, still covered by sand, is situated to west of main road and near popular beach. Shell midden is in wheelhouse.
Information contained in letter and back of photograph from C F Tebbutt to OS, 31 October 1959.

Finds - British Museum Acc. no. 1958.4.9.
Information from British Museum accession register.

The vague remains of a possible wheel-house can be seen, in an area of sand dunes. The perimeter of the structure and a narrow entrance passage on the east side are outlined in the sand by a single course of stones barely 0.1m high, giving the structure an oval shape measuring c. 16.0m NW-SE by c. 13.0m transversely. Within are a rickle of small stones, and the remains of a shell-midden which extends beyond the south side for c. 20.0m.
To the north and south of this structure are the remains of stone walls which may be associated.
The photograph supplied by Tebbutt shows the southern of these walls, taken from the west.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (W D J) 16 May 1965.

Sand dunes at Alasdale were found to contain the remains of a circular stone built structure lying 15ft. below present ground level. There was a kitchen midden in association with this. From around the midden came many sherds of broch type pottery. It is probable that the site is that of a wheelhouse. A short distance away another midden was found at a depth of 20ft. below ground level. From this came sherds of thicker coarser ware along with some bone tools and a bone toggle. Several pieces of flaked flint were also found.
R Crerar 1962.

C60 (NF656029) An arc of stone walling observed by OS close to find-spot of Iron Age pottery and bronze (C52); possible wheelhouse.

Branigan and Foster 2000, 36.

R Crerar, 1962d, Discovery and Excavation, Scotland, 32 (Bibliographic reference). SWE33327.

Keith Branigan & Patrick Foster, 2000, From Barra to Berneray: Archaeological Survey and Excavation in the Southern Isles ... (Bibliographic reference). SWE41033.

Martin Cook, AOC Archaeology, 2005, Historic Scotland Human Remains Call-Off Cotnract: Allasdale, Barra (Unpublished document). SWE41088.

Martin Cook, AOC Archaeology, 2006, The Excavation of a Bronze Age Cemetery at Allasdale, Barra, Western Isles (Article in serial). SWE41116.