Description

The monument comprises the remains of a galleried dun, a type of small fort, dating from the Iron Age (800BC-400AD). The dun is visible as a thick drystone wall which cuts across a steep coastal promontory. It continues along the eastern cliff edge terminating in a substantial entrance from which a ramp descends to the beach below. It is located to the southwest of Rubha Guail, a coastal headland on the Isle of Skye, at approximately 10m above sea level. 

The dun survives as a drystone wall up to 2m wide by 3m high with evidence of an internal passage or 'gallery' which may contain a staircase, enclosing a coastal promontory. The walling of the monument would originally have stood higher. To the southwest the drystone walling is built against a volcanic dyke. Within the enclosed area are two stepped platforms separated by a wall line with a possible opening in its centre. The entrance to the dun is substantial, a 2m wide by 3.7m in length opening defined by large stones and is located at the eastern end of the lower platform. From this entrance a ramp descends to a small beach defined by the promontory cliff to the west, a steep slope to the north, bedrock projections to the east and narrow rock fissure leading to the water.

The scheduled area is irregular. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. 

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The national importance of the monument is demonstrated in the following way(s) (see Designations Policy and Selection Guidance, Annex 1, para 17): a.  The monument is of national importance because it makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past as a galleried dun and promontory fort and dating to the Iron Age (800BC-400AD). b.   The monument retains structural, architectural, decorative or other physical attributes which make a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past, in particular a substantial wall with an internal gallery enclosing a coastal promontory and clearly defined entrance. d.   The monument is a particularly good example of a promontory fort with a galleried wall and is therefore an important representative of this monument type. e.   The monument has research potential which could significantly contribute to our understanding or appreciation of the past in particular archaeological, architectural, and scientific interest in particular there is the potential for undisturbed archaeological deposits to survive, along with traces of internal structures, artefacts, environmental remains and material for radiocarbon dating. This can help us to date the monument more closely and tell us about the lifestyle of the occupants, including their daily activities, dress and diet as well as the local economy and wider maritime trade routesf.   The monument makes a significant contribution to today's landscape and our understanding of the historic landscape. There is the potential to study the monument in relation to other Iron Age duns and settlements on a local and national scale to contribute to a better understanding of their distribution and chronology, their role in society, exploitation of natural resources and landforms, changing settlement patterns, economy and maritime trade

Assessment of Cultural Significance

This statement of national importance has been informed by the following assessment of cultural significance:

Intrinsic characteristics (how the remains of a site or place contribute to our knowledge of the past)

The monument comprises the remains of a galleried dun dating from the Iron Age (800BC-400AD).

Due to its drystone construction and characteristic plan, the dun has been broadly dated to the late Iron Age with the potential for occupation into the early medieval period (400AD-1000AD). This is supported by dating evidence from comparable sites such as Dun Ardtrek (scheduled monument SM7120) which has multiple phases of occupation. At Dun Ardtrek the initial construction has been radiocarbon dated to 170 BC - AD 110 whist early medieval pottery dating to the 6th -7th centuries was associated with its latest phase (Mackie 2002; 204-207). Other artefacts discovered at the site include iron tools, bronze ornaments, a Roman Samian pottery sherd and a Roman melon bead. Like Dun Ardtreck there is the potential that this monument has more than one phase of occupation and retains evidence of re-modelling and abandonment.The monument makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past, in particular a substantial wall with internal staircase enclosing a costal promontory and clearly defined entrance. There is the potential for undisturbed archaeological deposits to survive, along with traces of internal structures, artefacts, environmental remains and material for radiocarbon dating. This can help us to date the monument more closely and tell us about the lifestyle of the occupants, including their daily activities, dress and diet as well as the local economy and wider maritime trade routes. 

Contextual characteristics (how a site or place relates to its surroundings and/or to our existing knowledge of the past)

The monument is located to the southwest of the headland called Rubha Guail and occupies a small coastal promontory with steep drops to the beach on the southeast coast of the Isle of Skye. The monument overlooks the Sound of Sleat and the entrance to Loch Hourn. To the southwest is the entrance to Loch na Dal.

The dun is part of a wider group of at least 24 recorded broadly contemporary coastal fortifications on Skye. The majority are located in the north half of the island and make use of steep promontories which project into the sea or back on to sea cliffs. A close comparator in form is Dun na H'Airde, Greshornish Point, Skye (NRHE ID 11131) which is also split into two platforms with an entrance orientated towards the beach. Scheduled examples include Dun Grugaig, dun 730m S of Glasnakille, Elgoll (scheduled monument SM915) and Kraiknish dun, 200m SW of Laimhrig na Moine, Isle of Sky (scheduled monument SM13795).Duns are a broad monument type and are widespread across Scotland. The National Record of the Historic Environment records over 1700 entries for duns. Due to its meaning of 'fort' in Scots Gaelic the word 'dun' appears in the name of many settlement types such as brochs and forts.The monument is in a defendable position, protected by steep drops from the promontory and with access to fresh water in the form of a burn approximately 200m beyond the galleried wall. From the dun entrance a ramp descends to a small beach which is defined by a steep bowled slope to the north, bedrock projections to the northeast and promontory cliff to the southwest between which a narrow channel leads to the sea. This beach provides a natural harbour at high tide access to which could have been tightly controlled by the occupants of the fort. With no identifiable entrance in the wall which runs across the promontory, the fort may have  primarily been accessed from the sea. 

There is evidence of other prehistoric activity within a kilometre of the dun. Approximately 780m northeast is a coastal cave (MHG53610) with evidence of occupation in the Iron Age and the Early Medieval period with finds from this site dated from the 3rd century BC to the 6th-7th century AD. Beyond this, approximately 900m northeast of the monument, are the remains of a circular drystone structure - potentially the remains of another dun - built against the edge of a gully (MHG53612). There is the potential to study the monument in relation to other Iron Age duns and settlements on a local and national scale to contribute to a better understanding of their distribution and chronology, their role in society, exploitation of natural resources and landforms, changing settlement patterns, economy and maritime trade.

Associative characteristics (how a site or place relates to people, events, and/or historic and social movements)

We are unaware of any associative characteristics connected to this site.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

National Record of the Historic Environment ID 365757: https://www.trove.scot/place/365757 (accessed on 21/03/2025).

Local Authority HER/SMR Reference MHG53611 (accessed on 21/03/2025).

Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. (2024). Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. (available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk) (accessed on 25/06/2025).

Wildgoose, M. (2010) Leitir Fura Kinloch, Isle of Skye - A Clearance Settlement Managed for Public Display A Re-evaluation after 10 years of Public Access. PART 1. The Report and Recommendations. Archaeological and Ancient Landscape Survey. Survey Report No. 197. Commissioned by Forestry Land Scotland.

MacKie, E. W., Campbell, E., Henderson, J., Newman, A., Noddle, B., Photos-Jones, E., ... Webster, P. (2002). Excavations at Dun Ardtreck, Skye, in 1964 and 1965. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 130, 301–411. (available at https://doi.org/10.9750/PSAS.130.301.41 ) (accessed on 07/07/2025).

trove.scot

https://www.trove.scot/place/365757/

HER/SMR Reference

https://her.highland.gov.uk/Monument/MHG53611

Source: Historic Environment Scotland