Monument record 687 - CAISTEAL BHEAGRAM, LOCH AN EILEAN, SOUTH UIST

NF73NE 4 7611 3711.

(NF 76103711) Caisteal Bheagram (NR) (Ruin)
OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)

The ruin of Caisteal Bheagram, a tower of harled random rubble, stood in 1924 to a height of 12 1/2ft on an island. It was oblong in plan, 12 3/4ft by 10 1/4ft within walls 3 3/4 to 4 1/2ft thick. The entrance was traced in the east wall. The circular island, about 80 yards in diameter was enclosed at the water line by a wall, now represented by foundation. Foundations of other buildings lay to the west of the tower.
RCAHMS 1928.

Ronald Alansoun of Ylanbigrim occurs in 1505. Ylanebigorn and Elenbegeryn in 1508.
Reg Magni Sig Reg Scot 1424-1513.

The ruin of Caisteal Bheagram, a two storey tower now stands 3.8m high and measures externally 6.4m E to W by 5.3m N to S with walls 1.2m thick. The entrance is in the east, and around the inside of the walls can be seen an 0.2m wide scarcement about 2.6m above the ground level. Below this in the north wall are two narrow gun ports. The remainder of the island, which is 84.0m E to W by 58.0m transversely is surrounded by a tumbled dry stone wall and a grass covered bank, maximum height 3.2 metres, almost encircling the remains of seven buildings together with a small garden. Five of the buildings are constructed of large boulders, unbonded, forming 1.7m thick walls surviving to a height of 1.0 metres, while only the grass-covered remains of the other two buildings are visible.
According to local information there was a causeway from the island to the eastern shore, but apart from a few boulders near the shore no further trace could be seen.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (R D) 9 May 1965.

RCAHMS, 1928, The RCAHMCS 9th Report & Inventory: Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles, 108, No. 371 fig. 160 (Bibliographic reference). SWE5587.

H N Hawley, 1970a, Discovery and Excavation, Scotland, 26 (Bibliographic reference). SWE12997.

Reg Magni Sig Reg Scot, 1984b, Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum> The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland 1424-1513, Vol. 2, Nos. 2873 (and ?Nos. 1662, 1690) (Bibliographic reference). SWE9786.