2012 PhD on crannogs, including those on Coll and Tiree (Lenfert)
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Summary
Lenfert, R. (2012) ‘Long-term continuity and change within Hebridean and mainland Scottish island dwellings’. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham. pp. 194–5.
‘There is little doubt that past inhabitants of Coll embraced the island dwelling tradition. With at least ten island dwellings within an area of 76km2, the density is only excelled by North Uist (Ch. 6). Of six island dwellings on the neighbouring Island of Tlree, two have Indicated medieval or later use through both artefactual and historic references. First is Eilean Alrd Nam Brathan (Nl94 NEll), while the visible remains of five sections of walling are not typologically datable, several large sherds of ‘cragganware’ were found by Holley during his examination of the site (2000: 183). This type of pottery (fig. 4.26) Is common In the islands of western Scotland and carries a very long chronological currency from approximately the 11th to the early 20th century (Cheape 1993: 112). A similar vessel was discovered during the writer’s survey work at the post-medieval site of Dun Raouill on South Uist (Lenfert 2010) and represents typical domestic containers that were quickly hand manufactured without a wheel. While this is of little use in narrowing a chronological framework, the point here is to indicate Eilean Aird Nam Brathan shows evidence for use after AD 1000. The second site displaying medieval use on Tiree is Taigh an Eilein which was reported first in Blaeu’s Atlas of 1662 and later in the Old Statistical Account of 1797 as being a ‘castle’ in an island with access via a drawbridge, later demolished to construct a mansion after drainage (Beveridge 1903: 117; Holley 2000: 192).’
‘There is little doubt that past inhabitants of Coll embraced the island dwelling tradition. With at least ten island dwellings within an area of 76km2, the density is only excelled by North Uist (Ch. 6). Of six island dwellings on the neighbouring Island of Tlree, two have Indicated medieval or later use through both artefactual and historic references. First is Eilean Alrd Nam Brathan (Nl94 NEll), while the visible remains of five sections of walling are not typologically datable, several large sherds of ‘cragganware’ were found by Holley during his examination of the site (2000: 183). This type of pottery (fig. 4.26) Is common In the islands of western Scotland and carries a very long chronological currency from approximately the 11th to the early 20th century (Cheape 1993: 112). A similar vessel was discovered during the writer’s survey work at the post-medieval site of Dun Raouill on South Uist (Lenfert 2010) and represents typical domestic containers that were quickly hand manufactured without a wheel. While this is of little use in narrowing a chronological framework, the point here is to indicate Eilean Aird Nam Brathan shows evidence for use after AD 1000. The second site displaying medieval use on Tiree is Taigh an Eilein which was reported first in Blaeu’s Atlas of 1662 and later in the Old Statistical Account of 1797 as being a ‘castle’ in an island with access via a drawbridge, later demolished to construct a mansion after drainage (Beveridge 1903: 117; Holley 2000: 192).’
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