Creag a’ Chaisteil

Creag a’ Chaisteil Fort

This fort is situated at the foot of Creag a’ Chaisteil on the south shore of Calgary Bay.  It occupies a northward-projecting promontory, the sides of which are formed by high cliffs on the west, north and north-east.  There is no evidence of artificial defences on these sides.  However, on the south and east, where the approach is over level ground, a grass-covered band of rubble, about 3.0 m thick and up to 0.6 m high, marks the position of a defensive wall.  It was built of boulder-faced rubble and would originally have been between 2.1 m and 2.4 m in thickness. It has two entrances on the south east and south west.  Excavation has shown that the south-east passage was paved and would have had a door at its inner end.  In the south-west passage evidence was discovered of two building phases, the passage having been 3.0 m wide at first and subsequently reduced to 1.3 m.

Evidence was found of a roughly oval house with beaten-earth floor, timber posts and wattle-and-daub walls sited on a natural, rocky boss just inside the south-east entrance.  There may have been other houses in the interior.

                          Grid Reference 358 495