6/12/2023 0 Comments Vallum homeopathic![]() Other crop-marks show up within the enclosure, notably a right-angled ditch running from about NM 2857 2465 to NM 2867 2664. Crawford's ground interpretation of the site in 1933 continued the north side of the vallum past Thomas's NE angle, to meet a small inland cliff 220 yds NE of the Abbey - an interpretation which is apparently supported by aerial photographs.Īlthough he could see no trace of it, Crawford also suggested that the S side might continue from its last known point above the road to meet this small cliff, which itself might form the east side of the enclosure. Crawford identifies this with Martin's "Dun ni Manach". A rocky fort is thus formed, in which there are suggestions of dwelling places in the form of smooth, turf-grown hollows, although similar natural hollows do occur. North of the entrance the top of the rampart is 7' or 8' above the bottom of the ditch, and SE of it the rampart becomes double, one portion about 6' high, curving round the hill at once, and the other continuing a little south before turning east, both alike ending on the precipitous east brow of the hill.įrom the north side of the entrance there runs an apparently artificial scarp which ends on the steep northern brow of the hill. On Cnoc nan Carnan there is a gap which Crawford thought was an original entrance, with on the south side, apparently in the bank itself the remains of a round enclosure which he interpreted as a hut circle. It is only intermittently traceable between the NW angle and the mill-stream (NM 2853 2460) but south of the stream it is clearly visible passing along the western brow of Cnoc nam Carnan (NM 2853 2455). The west side, by far the best preserved, consists of a large, crudely constructed, earthen rampart with an external ditch and counterscarp bank. South of the Abbey it was discovered at a depth of 6' running through the Relig Oran ( NM22SE 10) to an original entrance roughly where the roadway now passes the Relig Oran wall. His east side was determined by sections, resistivity survey and ground observation except beneath the Abbey buildings where the course is deduced. The rampart and ditch of the north side are still traceable from the NW corner as far as Thomas's NE corner. (Centred NM 286 245) The vallum of the Celtic monastery has enclosed an area of about 10 acres, roughly 1100' by 500', and seems to have been for delimitation rather than defence, the east side as defined by Thomas consisting of only a slight faced bank above an equally slight ditch. ![]()
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