Crannogs – the amazing artificial islands that abound in Perthshire’s many Lochs
The Reconstructed Crannog On Loch Tay Near Kenmore
Over the last year in these “blogs “ we
have looked at many of the older
historical aspects of Perthshire and indeed Strathearn in particular . The
Strath was a haven for the wandering
tribes of the Neolithic period that were spreading out over Western Europe . Spreading out and into a Scotland
that was not to emerge as a nation for nearly four and half thousand years .
The ubiquitous
standing stones that still stare down upon us from the farm fields all a round
are a remnant of the ancient past . Recent archaeological investigations have
thrown light upon the hitherto unknown
Neolithic Cursus that bisects the ground that is the new Strathearn Campus .
Diggings at Forteviot , some ten miles
east of Crieff , have turned up
numerous finds of this period .A Bronze age grave was unearthed
complete with a gold – banded dagger still wrapped in its
4 000 year
old sheath . The significance of this became quite clear when the grave was identified . It had been sealed
by an enormous 4 ton cap stone which required a giant crane to lift clear . This was the last resting place not of a simple tribesman but in all probability of an important chief , prince or perhaps even a king . The dig also turned up something that surprised the
archaeologists . Organic materials
had been preserved in the sealed grave .These
included a wooden bowl , what appeared
to have been a leather bag and numerous plant fragments and some tree bark
.When one puts these finds into an historical time scale , it is even more
amazing . The grave dates back to a
period when the Egyptian Pyramids were being constructed all of 5 000 years ago !
Perthshire and
Strathearn have more than just a few ancient sites such as Forteviot and the
Cursus of Crieff . Our ancient fore bearers created numerous artificial islands
on the multitude of lochs that abound in these airts. These are called crannogs
and are artificial or natural modified islands constructed by the people as far back as the Early Iron
Age of 2500 BC . Strangely enough they are found scattered throughout
Scotland and Ireland but with only one example in Wales and none
in England . Crannogs were constructed
as defended settlements usually by peace
loving farmers who could feel safe on
their island homes surrounded by family , neighbours and of course their precious animals .
Crannogs although not entirely a Perthshire phenomenon
are very
much part and parcel of our ancient heritage . Research is still
progressing mainly under the auspices of the Scottish Trust for Underwater
Archaeology based at the Crannog Centre on Loch Tay . The Centre is a
wonderful day out for the family and is located
near Kenmore at the eastern end of the Loch not far from Kenmore . Full
details can be obtained by logging into their web site www.crannog.co.uk . I quote from an excellent
brochure produced by the Perth and
Kinross Heritage Trust:
The results of underwater excavation at
Oakbank Crannog , namely the mass of detailed information about the structure
and the way of life of the inhabitants eventually led to the decision to reconstruct
a full sized crannog near Kenmore on Loch Tay as an archaeological experiment.
The crannog consists of a free standing timber platform supported by alder and
oak piles , joined to the shore by a 16 metre long timber walk way .On the
platform there is a round house with wattle walls and internal partitions surrounding
a central hearth .The floors are made from small alder trees laid parallel to
each other, like those discovered at Oakbank and they are covered with bracken from
the hillside nearby . In everyway great efforts have been made to create a site
as much as possible like an Iron Age crannog .The reconstructed crannog is the core of the Scottish Crannog Centre
comprising an exhibition centre to explain the work of the underwater
archaeologists in Loch Tay over the years ; the reconstruction itself to show
what a crannog would have been like ; and a demonstration area on shore where
different aspects of ancient technologies are demonstrated and where the public
can try their hand . In addition , regular
special events provide visitors with opportunities to learn more about
Iron Age craft skills and to experiment with ancient methods of cooking , wood
working and working with fibres .
Loch Tay is indeed the epicentre of the crannog discoveries with over 18 revealed in a detailed survey of
the loch carried out in 1979 .Their preservation can be attributed to the
nature of the cold peaty waters of
Loch Tay The underwater survey and excavation at Oakbank and the subsequent
reconstruction nearby has provided us with a unique example of living history .
It should be made clear that this is not a new discovery –
the presence of crannogs has been known for over 300 years and the history of the area first published in 1938 by W
Gillies – “ In Famed Breadalbane “
mentioned and identified some 13 sites .
Moving south into Strathearn we can locate several crannogs similar to those found in Loch Tay . Loch
Earn at its St Fillan’s ( east ) end has one of the most notable and indeed historically renowned “ islands “ . Neish
Island is well documented in local
history being the base of the Clan Neish complete with castle and small harbour . The
Neishes were natural enemies of the adjoining Clan MacNab from over the hills in
Killin . The story goes that a party of Neishes waylaid a number of MacNabs returning with purchases
from the Crieff market . Revenge was swift when the chief of the MacNabs sent his oldest son “Smooth “ John MacNab and
a number of his brothers over the
hills to Neish Island .They had
brought with them a large
boat which they used to row over to the
island and attacked the unfortunate inhabitants
.It was a massacre with the only survivors being reputed to have been a young boy and his dog . The head of
the chief of Clan Neish was taken as a trophy and thrown by Smooth
John at the feet of his father on their
return to Killin !
If we proceed
east wards from Loch Earn and Neish Island towards Crieff we come
across perhaps one of the most
fascinating of Perthshire’s crannogs .
Loch Monzievaird ( pronounced mon –ee- vaird )
nestles in a picturesque setting below the country mansion house of Ochtertyre
once home of the Murray family and now
owned by Sir Brian Souter of
Stagecoach bus fame . On the northern shore of the little loch lies a decaying pile
of rubble – still easily discernible as a castle but somewhat spoilt by a
multitude of warning signs and protective fencing advising of the dangers of
falling masonry . Castle Cluggie was once the stronghold of the Comyn family – the
Red Comyn in particular had a running feud with Robert King of Bruce and the
sovereign was certainly no stranger to this part of the Strath . The castle is
located on a piece of land jutting into the loch and just to the west of it lies a small crannog known
as Prison Island . The archaeology of this particular location has been recorded in detail by the Perth&
Kinross Heritage Trust and reveals an interesting occupational pattern of the small island . The
investigation carried out by the
Scottish Trust for Underwater Archaeology revealed that an oak pile projecting through the loch bed near the
surface was carbon dated as sometime after 1660 .This contrasted dramatically
with a piece of softwood projecting from a deep vertical section and carbon
dated to a period of between 800
and 480 BC . Expert conclusions state that
this is clear evidence of a settlement
constructed in the Early Iron Age and reused very much later.
A lot of fascinating
information concerning Perthshire’s crannogs has been published by the Perth
& Kinross Heritage Trust in association with The Scottish Crannog Centre. Further
details and purchase of booklets look up their web site http://www.pkht.org.uk/publications.php
Visitors and locals alike can enjoy a great day out at
the Crannog Centre Check out their web site on http://www.crannog.co.uk/
2018 Main Season: Open daily from 30th
March to 31th October.
Opening times: 29th March to 30 October from 10am to 5:30pm ; 31st Oct 10-4:30pm . In all cases, last full tours are one hour
before closing. Other off-season group bookings welcome by appointment.
Standard admissions are
Adults: £10.00;
Seniors:£9.00; Children £7.00; Students £9.00 ( 17 and over );Families from £32 (2+2). Event day admissions
are slightly higher.
All tickets are valid throughout the day of
purchase.
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