Dùn Dubh
Encyclopedia
Dùn Dubh is a hillfort, located on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll
. The fort is one of three associated with a local tradition which states that they were once the fortresses of Norsemen before being defeated by a Maclean chieftain. The early 20th century antiquary Erskine Beveridge considered it as one of the four most interesting fortifications, on Coll (along with Dùn an Achaidh
, Dùn Anlaimh
, and Dùn Morbhaidh
). The site is located at .
".
. It is about 620 metres (2,034.1 ft) north-northeast of Clabhach.
occupies.
The eastern side of the ridge is guarded by a series of walls. The innermost wall (wall A), runs along the crest of the ridge. This wall stands 0.3 metre (0.984251968503937 ft) in two courses; the inner core reaches a height of about 1 metres (3.3 ft), Within wall A there are the remains of two sub-circular stone enclosure
s. These enclosures are made of stone from gathered from the ruins of the fort. The larger of the enclosures measures about 4.6 by 3.7 m (15.1 by 12.1 ft) internally; and stands about 0.5 metres (1.6 ft) tall. Only the foundation of the other enclosure survives.
About 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) down the slope, below wall A, there is another wall (wall B). This wall stands about 1 metres (3.3 ft) in four courses. The north-east flank is defended by another wall. This wall stands, in its best preserved state, a height of 1.2 metres (3.9 ft), in six courses. One northern stretch of this wall seals a narrow gully
.
Beveridge made note of a ravine
, about 30 yards (27.4 m) north of the fort; within which he noted a heap of large stones, which appeared to have formed a well
. In 1972, the site was visited by the Ordnance Survey
who could find no trace of the well and determined that the only stones in the area were from the fort itself. The 1976 Ordnance Survey map, however, shows a well about 50 metres (164 ft) southeast of the fort, at .
finds at Dùn Dubh, including hammerstone
s, fragments of coarse pottery, and small rounded pebbles which were similar to ones found at Dùn Beic.
John Gregorson Campbell, a former parish minster of Tiree
, and published in 1895. Campbell's version runs as follows:
According to Beveridge in 1903, the forts mentioned within this tradition are Dùn Anlaimh
, Dùn Beic at Totronald, and Dùn Dubh. The Iain Garbh mentioned was a son of Lachlann Bronnach
, chief of the Macleans of Duart
(d. after 1472). Iain Garbh (b. c.
1450) is claimed to be the ancestor of the Macleans of Coll. Beveridge also made note of traditions of another battle fought near Grishipol, in which Iain Garbh and his followers defeated a force led by his step-father Gilleonan, chief of the MacNeils
of Barra
. Beveridge reasoned that this particular battle against the MacNeils probably took place around 1470–1480; and wondered if there could be some sort of confusion between this conflict with the MacNeils and that of the Norsemen.
In 1903, without prior knowledge to Campbell's tradition, Beveridge published another version of the 'Norsemen tradition' quoted above; one in which he had obtained viva voce
. According to Beveridge, the events within this version of the tradition were said to have taken place at the precise date of 1384. However, he conceded that this date was calculated by the fact that when the Macleans of Coll sold their estate on the island in 1854, it was believed that they had owned their lands there for exactly 472 years. Beveridge also noted that the first historical connection between any Maclean and the island of Coll appears in a charter of confirmation, dated 1495, which states the Macleans were granted a charter to the island in 1409. Beveridge's version of the tradition runs as follows:
A version very similar to Beveridge's appears in the 1906 monograph written by Rev. Dugald MacEchern which was published in 1922. MacEchern acknowledges the work of Beveridge and his version runs as follows:
Coll
Coll is a small island, west of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Coll is known for its sandy beaches, which rise to form large sand dunes, for its corncrakes, and for Breachacha Castle.-Geography and geology:...
. The fort is one of three associated with a local tradition which states that they were once the fortresses of Norsemen before being defeated by a Maclean chieftain. The early 20th century antiquary Erskine Beveridge considered it as one of the four most interesting fortifications, on Coll (along with Dùn an Achaidh
Dùn an Achaidh
Dùn an Achaidh, sometimes Anglicised as Dun Acha, is a dun located near the village of Acha on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. It is considered the best preserved dun on the island. The site of Dùn an Achaidh is located at . According to local tradition, the dun was the stronghold of, and named...
, Dùn Anlaimh
Dùn Anlaimh
Dùn Anlaimh, also known as Dùn Amhlaidh, and Eilean nan Cinneachan, is a crannog , located within Loch nan Cinneachan on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. Upon the crannog there are the remains of walls and several buildings...
, and Dùn Morbhaidh
Dùn Morbhaidh
Dùn Morbhaidh, also known as Dun Borbaidh, is a hillfort located on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. The early 20th century antiquary Erskine Beveridge considered it as one of the four most interesting fortifications on Coll...
). The site is located at .
Etymology
Dùn Dubh translates from Scottish Gaelic as "the black dunDun
Dun is now used both as a generic term for a fort and also for a specific variety of Atlantic roundhouse...
".
Location
Dùn Dubh is located on a rocky ridge, on the northern coast of CollColl
Coll is a small island, west of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Coll is known for its sandy beaches, which rise to form large sand dunes, for its corncrakes, and for Breachacha Castle.-Geography and geology:...
. It is about 620 metres (2,034.1 ft) north-northeast of Clabhach.
Description
The fort sits upon a rocky ridge, which runs north-west and southeast. There is a high, rocky boss on the southeast end of the ridge, and a series of terraces on the northwest. These terraces drop steeply on the west end of the ridge, and almost vertically on the south end. Beveridge considered the fort to have been built on a very strong site since the west and south sides were inaccessible due to the sheer precipices. He likened the cliff, or ridge, on which the fort sits, to the one that Dùn BeicDùn Beic
Dùn Beic is a dun located on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. It is located at and is thought to date to between 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. The etymology of the dun's name is uncertain; one possibility is that it could be made up of a personal name...
occupies.
The eastern side of the ridge is guarded by a series of walls. The innermost wall (wall A), runs along the crest of the ridge. This wall stands 0.3 metre (0.984251968503937 ft) in two courses; the inner core reaches a height of about 1 metres (3.3 ft), Within wall A there are the remains of two sub-circular stone enclosure
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
s. These enclosures are made of stone from gathered from the ruins of the fort. The larger of the enclosures measures about 4.6 by 3.7 m (15.1 by 12.1 ft) internally; and stands about 0.5 metres (1.6 ft) tall. Only the foundation of the other enclosure survives.
About 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) down the slope, below wall A, there is another wall (wall B). This wall stands about 1 metres (3.3 ft) in four courses. The north-east flank is defended by another wall. This wall stands, in its best preserved state, a height of 1.2 metres (3.9 ft), in six courses. One northern stretch of this wall seals a narrow gully
Gully
A gully is a landform created by running water, eroding sharply into soil, typically on a hillside. Gullies resemble large ditches or small valleys, but are metres to tens of metres in depth and width...
.
Beveridge made note of a ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
, about 30 yards (27.4 m) north of the fort; within which he noted a heap of large stones, which appeared to have formed a well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
. In 1972, the site was visited by the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
who could find no trace of the well and determined that the only stones in the area were from the fort itself. The 1976 Ordnance Survey map, however, shows a well about 50 metres (164 ft) southeast of the fort, at .
Archaeological finds
Beveridge noted several archaeologicalArchaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
finds at Dùn Dubh, including hammerstone
Hammerstone
In archaeology, a hammerstone is a hard cobble used to strike off lithic flakes from a lump of tool stone during the process of lithic reduction. The hammerstone is a rather universal stone tool which appeared early in most regions of the world including Europe, India and North America...
s, fragments of coarse pottery, and small rounded pebbles which were similar to ones found at Dùn Beic.
Traditions concerning Dùn Dubh and other nearby fortifications
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several Coll traditions were published which concerned several fortifications (forts, duns, and crannogs) on the island—one of which was Dùn Dubh. One such tradition was collected by Rev.The Reverend
The Reverend is a style most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style but is often and in some dictionaries called a...
John Gregorson Campbell, a former parish minster of Tiree
Tiree
-History:Tiree is known for the 1st century BC Dùn Mòr broch, for the prehistoric carved Ringing Stone and for the birds of the Ceann a' Mhara headland....
, and published in 1895. Campbell's version runs as follows:
According to Beveridge in 1903, the forts mentioned within this tradition are Dùn Anlaimh
Dùn Anlaimh
Dùn Anlaimh, also known as Dùn Amhlaidh, and Eilean nan Cinneachan, is a crannog , located within Loch nan Cinneachan on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. Upon the crannog there are the remains of walls and several buildings...
, Dùn Beic at Totronald, and Dùn Dubh. The Iain Garbh mentioned was a son of Lachlann Bronnach
Lachlan Bronneach Maclean
-Biography:Lachlan, seventh chief of MacLean, received the sobriquet of "Bronnach", or swag-bellied, on account of his corpulence. He was with his father on the fatal field of Harlaw, where he was made prisoner by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar. During his captivity, he became acquainted with the...
, chief of the Macleans of Duart
Clan MacLean
Clan Maclean is a Highland Scottish clan. They are one of the oldest clans in the Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides. Many early MacLeans became famous for their honour, strength and courage in battle. They were involved in many clan skirmishes with...
(d. after 1472). Iain Garbh (b. c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1450) is claimed to be the ancestor of the Macleans of Coll. Beveridge also made note of traditions of another battle fought near Grishipol, in which Iain Garbh and his followers defeated a force led by his step-father Gilleonan, chief of the MacNeils
Clan MacNeil
Clan MacNeil, also known in Scotland as Clan Niall, is a highland Scottish clan, particularly associated with the Outer Hebridean island of Barra. The early history of Clan MacNeil is obscure, however despite this the clan claims to descend from the legendary Niall of the nine hostages...
of Barra
Barra
The island of Barra is a predominantly Gaelic-speaking island, and apart from the adjacent island of Vatersay, to which it is connected by a causeway, is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.-Geography:The 2001 census showed that the resident population was 1,078...
. Beveridge reasoned that this particular battle against the MacNeils probably took place around 1470–1480; and wondered if there could be some sort of confusion between this conflict with the MacNeils and that of the Norsemen.
In 1903, without prior knowledge to Campbell's tradition, Beveridge published another version of the 'Norsemen tradition' quoted above; one in which he had obtained viva voce
Viva voce
Viva voce is a Latin phrase literally meaning "with living voice," but most often translated as "by word of mouth."It may also refer to:*Italian for "live voice."*Voice vote in a deliberative assembly...
. According to Beveridge, the events within this version of the tradition were said to have taken place at the precise date of 1384. However, he conceded that this date was calculated by the fact that when the Macleans of Coll sold their estate on the island in 1854, it was believed that they had owned their lands there for exactly 472 years. Beveridge also noted that the first historical connection between any Maclean and the island of Coll appears in a charter of confirmation, dated 1495, which states the Macleans were granted a charter to the island in 1409. Beveridge's version of the tradition runs as follows:
A version very similar to Beveridge's appears in the 1906 monograph written by Rev. Dugald MacEchern which was published in 1922. MacEchern acknowledges the work of Beveridge and his version runs as follows: