Cnocan na Ban, Isle of Coll
Watching brief
Rebecca Shaw – Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
NM 191 582 (centred on) A watching brief was undertaken,
30 July – 1 August 2014, on land at Cnocan na Ban during
the laying of c1500m of cable track. The excavations mainly
recorded varying depths of peat above a clayey and silty or
gravelly subsoil. Despite being close to known archaeological
sites the only features recorded were domestic peat cuttings
and a turf field bank.
Archive: RCAHMS. Report: WoSAS HER
Funder: Mono Consultants
(Discovery and Excavation in Scotland (2014), p. 42)

Cnocan na Ban, Isle of Coll
Watching brief
Rebecca Shaw – Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
NM 191 582 (centred on) A watching brief was undertaken,
30 July – 1 August 2014, on land at Cnocan na Ban during
the laying of c1500m of cable track. The excavations mainly
recorded varying depths of peat above a clayey and silty or
gravelly subsoil. Despite being close to known archaeological
sites the only features recorded were domestic peat cuttings
and a turf field bank.
Archive: RCAHMS. Report: WoSAS HER
Funder: Mono Consultants
(Discovery and Excavation in Scotland (2014), p. 42)

Grishipoll Farm
Watching brief
Rebecca Shaw – Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
NM 193 596 (centred on) A watching brief was undertaken
on 10 August 2011 during the excavation of three turbine
bases and associated cable tracks. The excavation revealed
clean sand, with occasional windblown banding and a single
isolated sherd of 18th-century imported Chinese pottery.
Archive: RCAHMS. Report: WoSAS
Funder: Alex and Seonaid Maclean Bristol

(Discovery and Excavation in Scotland (2011), p. 33)

Grishipoll Farm
Watching brief
Rebecca Shaw – Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
NM 193 596 (centred on) A watching brief was undertaken
on 10 August 2011 during the excavation of three turbine
bases and associated cable tracks. The excavation revealed
clean sand, with occasional windblown banding and a single
isolated sherd of 18th-century imported Chinese pottery.
Archive: RCAHMS. Report: WoSAS
Funder: Alex and Seonaid Maclean Bristol

(Discovery and Excavation in Scotland (2011), p. 33)

A possible Viking pagan burial was found in the 1950s by Colin Mitchell from Ardrishaig. This was located in sand-hills about 750 m north-east of Grishipoll (Canmore ID 21567). The skeleton was accompanied by ‘two pieces of an iron socketed spearhead’. This item is now in the National Museum of Scotland (catalogue no. X.IL 751).

Also in Grishipoll is Càrnan Mhic an Rìgh ‘the small cairn of the son of the King’ (MacDougall 1937: 44; see also Gregorson Campbell 1895: 10). The antiquarian Erskine Beveridge collected this extraordinary story during his visits to Coll in 1896 and 1897: ‘Fifty yards north of Grishipol farmhouse … is a small mound … This burial cairn was opened about the year 1765 by three Norwegians (or strictly, “by three men from Lochlinn” which may mean either Denmark or Norway) in the presence of Mr Hugh MacLean, then the laird of Coll. It is added that the strangers took home with them the relics disclosed, claiming these to pertain to a fellow country-man, if not even an ancestor’ (Beveridge 1903: 46). It is difficult to know how to interpret this account, and it is currently unknown if there are any records of these finds in Scandinavian collections.

The same mound was re-opened by Edward Clarke on 22 July 1797: ‘Falling into conversation with [Mr MacLean, the brother of the wife of the Laird of Coll] on the subject of cairns, he informed me, there was only one in the whole island, called Cairn mich Re [sic], signifying the cairn, or tomb, of the king’s son. I thought this would be a very favourable opportunity for putting in practice a plan I had long had in agitation, of opening one of these cairns; and expressing a wish to that effect, Mr. MacLean informed me he had often thought of doing it himself, and if I pleased, we would set out for the spot immediately. Having provided a sufficient number of the islanders with spades, a pick-axe, &c. we proceeded about three miles across the island to the spot mentioned by Mr M. I found here a small cairn by the road side. It is situated near the village of Grissipol in the north part of the island. We soon fell to work, and made rapid progress, endeavouring to perforate the cairn by opening the channel from east to west. While we were thus employed, a venerable figure, with hairs as white as snow, came slowly up to the cairn, shaking his head, and muttering something in Gaelic, which I did not understand. Mr MacLean, interpreting for me, told me he said ‘it was unlucky to disturb the bones of the dead. I am sorry to add, our labours at the cairn were not productive of much information. We discovered nothing; but in casting out the stones I found several of that description of stones which are venerated in Mull for their imaginary virtues: also, several specimens of beautiful black Mica … Finding our labours ineffectual, we left our work’ (Otter 1824: 234–5). Norse graves are often found at an estate’s boundary.

A possible Viking pagan burial was found in the 1950s by Colin Mitchell from Ardrishaig. This was located in sand-hills about 750 m north-east of Grishipoll (Canmore ID 21567). The skeleton was accompanied by ‘two pieces of an iron socketed spearhead’. This item is now in the National Museum of Scotland (catalogue no. X.IL 751).

Also in Grishipoll is Càrnan Mhic an Rìgh ‘the small cairn of the son of the King’ (MacDougall 1937: 44; see also Gregorson Campbell 1895: 10). The antiquarian Erskine Beveridge collected this extraordinary story during his visits to Coll in 1896 and 1897: ‘Fifty yards north of Grishipol farmhouse … is a small mound … This burial cairn was opened about the year 1765 by three Norwegians (or strictly, “by three men from Lochlinn” which may mean either Denmark or Norway) in the presence of Mr Hugh MacLean, then the laird of Coll. It is added that the strangers took home with them the relics disclosed, claiming these to pertain to a fellow country-man, if not even an ancestor’ (Beveridge 1903: 46). It is difficult to know how to interpret this account, and it is currently unknown if there are any records of these finds in Scandinavian collections.

The same mound was re-opened by Edward Clarke on 22 July 1797: ‘Falling into conversation with [Mr MacLean, the brother of the wife of the Laird of Coll] on the subject of cairns, he informed me, there was only one in the whole island, called Cairn mich Re [sic], signifying the cairn, or tomb, of the king’s son. I thought this would be a very favourable opportunity for putting in practice a plan I had long had in agitation, of opening one of these cairns; and expressing a wish to that effect, Mr. MacLean informed me he had often thought of doing it himself, and if I pleased, we would set out for the spot immediately. Having provided a sufficient number of the islanders with spades, a pick-axe, &c. we proceeded about three miles across the island to the spot mentioned by Mr M. I found here a small cairn by the road side. It is situated near the village of Grissipol in the north part of the island. We soon fell to work, and made rapid progress, endeavouring to perforate the cairn by opening the channel from east to west. While we were thus employed, a venerable figure, with hairs as white as snow, came slowly up to the cairn, shaking his head, and muttering something in Gaelic, which I did not understand. Mr MacLean, interpreting for me, told me he said ‘it was unlucky to disturb the bones of the dead. I am sorry to add, our labours at the cairn were not productive of much information. We discovered nothing; but in casting out the stones I found several of that description of stones which are venerated in Mull for their imaginary virtues: also, several specimens of beautiful black Mica … Finding our labours ineffectual, we left our work’ (Otter 1824: 234–5). Norse graves are often found at an estate’s boundary.

Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 2008, p.36

Grishipoll House (White House)
Standing building recording
Rebecca Shaw – Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
NM 190 597 Historic building works, carried out 4–7 July 2008, recorded a large two-storey structure made of local rubble set in lime mortar. The structure consisted of three substantial gables; one at each end and a central one (aligned off-centre to the S), with a symmetrical eastern frontage. The central gable divided the interior creating two rooms. The upper and lower rooms at the northern end both had a further partition.
Although the eastern elevation was originally constructed with a central entrance on both the lower and upper floors, at some point the lower section of the upper entrance was blocked to form a window. A draw-bar slot in the southern jamb of the main entrance indicates that at some point the house required this defensive feature. Documentary sources suggest that the house was built at some time between 1737 and 1754, and cartographic evidence shows that it was abandoned and unroofed by 1881.
Archive: RCAHMS. Report: WoSAS
Funder: Seonaid and Alex MacLean-Bristol

Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 2009, p.34–5

DES 2009: 34–5
Grishipol House (or White House), Isle of Coll
Watching brief and excavation
Rebecca Shaw – Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
NM 190 597 (centred on) A programme of works was undertaken between 27 October 2008–6 July 2009. The work consisted of the monitoring of all ground-breaking works and the subsequent excavation of the features that were uncovered. Of the eight features investigated two were possible drainage ditches (1112 and 1120), two possible rigs (1108 and 1113), with feature 1124 also bearing similarities to rigs, and three features 1106, 1114 and 1130, which all appeared to be fairly late in date.
From the amount of handmade pottery it is apparent that the immediate area around Grishipol House was settled before the mid-18th century. The prehistoric sherds in conjunction with the sherds of Beaker pottery found around Grishipol
c1980, indicate prehistoric activity in the area. However, although some of the sherds may be prehistoric, most of them were not diagnostic, and some of the pottery has also been dated to the Norse and medieval periods, demonstrating the continued occupation of the site over a long period of time.
Archive: RCAHMS. Report: WoSAS SMR
Funder: Seonaid and Alex MacLean-Bristol

Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 2008, p.36

Grishipoll House (White House)
Standing building recording
Rebecca Shaw – Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
NM 190 597 Historic building works, carried out 4–7 July 2008, recorded a large two-storey structure made of local rubble set in lime mortar. The structure consisted of three substantial gables; one at each end and a central one (aligned off-centre to the S), with a symmetrical eastern frontage. The central gable divided the interior creating two rooms. The upper and lower rooms at the northern end both had a further partition.
Although the eastern elevation was originally constructed with a central entrance on both the lower and upper floors, at some point the lower section of the upper entrance was blocked to form a window. A draw-bar slot in the southern jamb of the main entrance indicates that at some point the house required this defensive feature. Documentary sources suggest that the house was built at some time between 1737 and 1754, and cartographic evidence shows that it was abandoned and unroofed by 1881.
Archive: RCAHMS. Report: WoSAS
Funder: Seonaid and Alex MacLean-Bristol

Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 2009, p.34–5

DES 2009: 34–5
Grishipol House (or White House), Isle of Coll
Watching brief and excavation
Rebecca Shaw – Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services
NM 190 597 (centred on) A programme of works was undertaken between 27 October 2008–6 July 2009. The work consisted of the monitoring of all ground-breaking works and the subsequent excavation of the features that were uncovered. Of the eight features investigated two were possible drainage ditches (1112 and 1120), two possible rigs (1108 and 1113), with feature 1124 also bearing similarities to rigs, and three features 1106, 1114 and 1130, which all appeared to be fairly late in date.
From the amount of handmade pottery it is apparent that the immediate area around Grishipol House was settled before the mid-18th century. The prehistoric sherds in conjunction with the sherds of Beaker pottery found around Grishipol
c1980, indicate prehistoric activity in the area. However, although some of the sherds may be prehistoric, most of them were not diagnostic, and some of the pottery has also been dated to the Norse and medieval periods, demonstrating the continued occupation of the site over a long period of time.
Archive: RCAHMS. Report: WoSAS SMR
Funder: Seonaid and Alex MacLean-Bristol