Alternative Names Dun Dearduil; Glen Nevis; Dundbhairdghall; Deardinl; Dun Dearg Suil; Dun Dear Duil
Site type FORT, VITRIFIED STONE
Canmore ID 23727
Site Number NN17SW 6
NGR NN 1270 7012
Council HIGHLAND
Parish KILMALLIE
Former Region HIGHLAND
Former District LOCHABER
Former County INVERNESS-SHIRE

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Archaeological Notes

NN17SW 6 1270 7012.

(NN 1270 7012) Dun Deardail (NR)
(Remains of Vitrified Fort) (NAT)
OS 6" map (1902)

Dun Deardail, a vitrified fort, occupies the sloping summit of an eminence on the W flank of Glen Nevis. It is near-pear-shaped on plan with its long axis lying ENE-WSW, and measures internally c.46.0m by c.27.0m at its widest in the WSW and c.11.0m at the narrowest part in the ENE. The ruinous stone wall is spread to a maximum of c.8.0m in the N, and to a minumum of c.4.5m at the entrance in the W, with a maximum height of c.2.5m, and shows numerous lumps of vitrifaction, but no evidence of built masonry. The interior slopes down unevenly from E to W, with, in the E, two stony scarps turning N-S supporting two level platforms. The lower of these is presumably what RCAHMS (MSs notes, 3 July 1956, R W Feachem) describes as "a secondary internal division, possibly recent", but there is nothing to show that it is not contemporary with the fort. The entrance, marked by a gap at the lowest point in the wall, shows no trace of "a wall foundation 23ft long flanking its S side" described by Christison (1889). A faint path up the NW slope to the entrance is probably the original approach.
Around the top of a lower knoll approximately 120.0m N of the fort are traces of a wall, noted by Christison and described by Feachem as an outer defence, but by OS (ASP; 18 July 1961) as natural. It appears to be the scant remains of an associated enclosure wall rather than a defence, and can be traced around the E, N and W sides of the knoll. At each end it disappears in marshy ground at the base of the eminence on which the fort stands. Traces of what is probably a continuation of the same wall occur to the S of the fort and here it seems to have terminated on the rock face forming part of the SE defences. Within this enclosure, at the base of the N slopes of the fort beside a marshy area, is a circular depression c.4.0m diameter, c.0.5m deep which is probably a well or cistern. Feachen compares this enclosure wall with a similar structure at Torr Dhuin, Auchteraw, Invernessshire (NH30NW), and it is similar, although on a smaller scale, to that at Tap o'Noth, Banffshire. (NJ42NE 1).
The name, now spelled Dun Deardail, has been in dispute in the past being published as Dundbhairdghall on OS 6" 1873, and noted as Deardinl and Dun dearg suil by MacCulloch, and Dun dear duil by W Johnson (Plan of the Lordship of Lochaber, 1831; West Highland Museum, Fort William).
Surveyed at 1/10,000.
Visited by OS (AA) 18 May 1970.

Notes and Activities

October 2008

CONSERVATION

Notes NN 1270 7016 to NN 1267 7011 This well preserved vitrified fort (SAM 2893) was subject to a small programme of erosion repair and path work in October 2008. The fort is situated in an impressive and evocative location. It has great archaeological potential, both in terms of buried archaeological deposits and in structural detail, and as a monument in its own right within the wider landscape. Visitor access is assured and encouraged by the construction of a well-built ‘link’ path leading from the West Highland Way.
The fort is situated on a prominent knoll on the N-facing spur of Sgurr Challum, above and to the E of Glen Nevis.
The fort consists of an upper citadel that measures c20m from N to S by c15m transversely within a well preserved grass-covered vitrified wall 4m thick and up to 2.5m in height internally. There are several impressive exposures of vitrification in the wall. A lower enclosure extends to the W, the two areas identified by a well defined break of slope, a change in the direction of the enclosing wall and different interior topography, the citadel consisting of a level terrace and the lower enclosure defined by undulating terrain. The lower enclosure measures c30m from E–W by c28m transversely. An entrance is visible in the lower W end, defined by a slight hollow in the enclosing wall that measures c2m in width.
FCS Forest District staff repaired the erosion caused by visitor pressure on the N flank of the fort and crossing its rampart by cutting turfs from outside the scheduled area and carefully placing them in the exposed ruts and hollows. The access path was then relocated around the NW flank of the fort, its new route indicated by regular strimming, following the line of the original approach. The path work started at the base of the slope (at NN 1270 7016) and continued around the NW flank of the knoll to meet the original entrance (at NN 1267 7011). Along this new route the turf was lifted in steeper areas, the path levelled slightly (by no more than 0.5m in width and up to 0.1m in depth) and then the turf re-laid. The FCS Archaeologist was present to record any archaeological deposits present. No features or deposits of archaeological significance were observed. A
temporary sign was erected to explain the purpose of the works and attempt to modify visitor behaviour.
Matt Ritchie – Forestry Commission Scotland

Further details

Books and References

Cardonnel, A de (1788) Picturesque antiquities of Scotland, London
Page(s): vol. ii, p. 6 Held at RCAHMS D.20.CAR.R

Christison, D (1889c) The duns and forts of Lorne, Nether Lochaber, and the neighbourhood', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol.23
Page(s): 371-3

Cotton, M A (1954) 'British camps with timbered-laced ramparts', Archaeol J, vol.111
Page(s): 78 Held at RCAHMS E.9.COT

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