31897: ECC 6.1 Eilean Chalium Cille

Summary:

HOUSE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
BLACK HOUSE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
COW HOUSE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
LONGHOUSE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Blackhouse

Location:

NB 37989 21209

Full description:

"Situated to the north side of the highest point at the west end of Eilean Chalium Cille, the remains of this blackhouse survive as a turf wall with a stone facing on its interior face. Measuring 11 metres from west to east and 4 metres from north to south they stand to no more than 0.6 metres and for much of their extent to no more than 0.25 metres. A single entrance may be seen in the east end of this house. This is typical of early blackhouses where the sole entrance was through the end of the byre (in this case the east end of the structure) and the dwelling (at the west end of the structure) was then entered internally from the byre. The remains of this blackhouse suggest that it was originally constructed primarily of turf with a stone toe or lining on its interior face. Location, form and survival suggest that this structure relates to the pre-crofting phase of usage of Eilean Chalium Cille, possibly to the medieval or post-medieval phase." (Burgess 2004, 76)

References:

Chris Burgess, Northamptonshire Archaeology. 2004. Northamptonshire Archaeology Archaeological Survey and Evaluation of Eilean Chalium Chille and the Putative Site of the Seaforth Head Castle. Part No Loch Seaforth Head Gazeteer.

Acknowledgement:

Information provided by Western Isles Council Sites & Monuments Record, January 2006.