An Caisteal (Coll)
An Caisteal (English: The Castle) is a
Description
The fort is known locally as An Caisteal, which translates into English as "the castle".
Traces of the fort are visible on a rocky boss, which reaches 12 metres (40 ft) above the surrounding ground. Three sides of this cliff are extremely sheer; in some places all the way, 12 metres (40 ft), to the ground below. The rock is inaccessible on these three sides; although it is accessible from the north over a natural terrace. This terrace is a narrow shelf which ascends around the cliff-face to on the north-west of the cliff.[2]
The fort's main wall occupied the crest of a terrace, on the north and east sides; on the south side, the wall followed the cliff-edge. The main wall encloses an area of 29 metres (95 ft) from the north-west, and transversely 26 metres (85 ft) to the south-east. According to the RCAHMS, only a small proportion of this area would have been inhabitable, since large areas of this space are covered with bare rock. Only a band of rubble marks the wall in the east, although the west and south-west wall is in places 0.5 metres (20 in) high. There are traces of an outer wall which would have guarded the easiest approach to the fort. This wall lines a part of the lower terrace on the north-west.[2]
When Beveridge visited and documented An Caisteal he found one of two "doubtful" hammerstones at the site.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Beveridge, Erskine (1903). Coll and Tiree. Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable. pp. 11–12.
- ^ www.canmore.rcahms.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
- www.canmore.rcahms.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2009.