Condition

1
WHEELHOUSE; MIDDEN; CIST
Iron Age
10026
Na h-Eileanan Siar

Description

Remains of what appears to be a wheelhouse, exposed by coastal erosion, are situated at A' Ceardach Ruadh (the Red Smiddy) on the west side of Baleshare Island where the machair ends in a sandy cliff above the beach. Cists and skeletal material have been recovered form this site. Coastal erosion had removed 7-8m of the beach front in the 1990s. No wheelhouse was visible at this location though there was some stone lying on the beach. A piece of human skull and a sherd of pottery were collected from the beach at this point. The midden identified at site 637, continues along next to this site. 22/09/2014 ShoreUPDATE: A 2-3m thickness of midden material comprising peat ash with frequent marine shell, bone and pot exposed along 50-60m of eroding dune face. A small amount of stone, just appearing appears to be laid horizontally. No sign of other stone structures yet. They may survive in the mound of which the midden forms the seaward side. This is almost certainly the beginnings of the erosion of a further wheelhouse; part of the settlement of which wheelhouse 9609 c. 200m to the north is part. January 2015 Images sent in by David Newman from December 2014 and January 2015 show that erosion has continued during the winter storms of 2014-15. As well as removing the sand from the adjoining beach, the dune face has been scoured exposing the midden deposits already revealed, including much redder coloured midden material to the south. The stones recording in the September 2014 update are still visible in the January images. Further south another long section of midden around 1m high has been revealed extending the site almost to the trackway evident in the satellite image. To the north a new stone structure has been revealed at the beach level around 10m north of the existing stone features. August 2016 Erosion continues, some stock damage noted.
Site visited as part of a UHI archaeology course on November 27 2021. The midden exposure appeared very fresh.

Location

77617.00
861608.00
27700
57.5293388
-7.3884339

Submitted photographs

Image Date Caption User
Midden face 27/11/2021 Midden face Nigel Buckly
Midden face
Midden face detail with cockle shell 27/11/2021 Midden face detail with cockle shell Nigel Buckly
Midden face detail with cockle shell
Midden face 27/11/2021 Midden face Nigel Buckly
Midden face
May 2018: aerial view of eroding coast edge with extensive midden desposits 25/05/2018 May 2018: aerial view of eroding coast edge with extensive midden desposits EllieSCHARP
May 2018: aerial view of eroding coast edge with extensive midden desposits
Jan 2019: Midden deposits visible in eroding section 25/05/2018 Jan 2019: Midden deposits visible in eroding section Tom
Jan 2019: Midden deposits visible in eroding section
Jan 2019: Stonework visible at base of section 25/05/2018 Jan 2019: Stonework visible at base of section Tom
Jan 2019: Stonework visible at base of section
Aug2016-View from SW 07/08/2016 Aug2016-View from SW DavidNewman
Aug2016-View from SW
General view, May 2016 22/09/2014 General view, May 2016 training1
General view, May 2016
General view of site, May 2016 22/09/2014 General view of site, May 2016 training1
General view of site, May 2016
Detail of stonework visible at base of section, May 2016 22/09/2014 Detail of stonework visible at base of section, May 2016 training1
Detail of stonework visible at base of section, May 2016
General view of coast edge at site, May 2016 22/09/2014 General view of coast edge at site, May 2016 training1
General view of coast edge at site, May 2016
Coast edge in January 2015 22/09/2014 Coast edge in January 2015 DavidNewman
Coast edge in January 2015
Coast edge in December 2014 22/09/2014 Coast edge in December 2014 DavidNewman
Coast edge in December 2014
Northern structure 28/01/2015 Northern structure DavidNewman
Northern structure
Angled 28/01/2015 Angled DavidNewman
Angled
Detailed view 09/11/2014 Detailed view DavidNewman
Detailed view
General view 09/11/2014 General view DavidNewman
General view
View of whole exposure, looking E 22/09/2014 View of whole exposure, looking E training1
View of whole exposure, looking E
Relative location in coast edge of of Site 9612 to south and Site 9609 to north, looking NE 22/09/2014 Relative location in coast edge of of Site 9612 to south and Site 9609 to north, looking NE training1
Relative location in coast edge of of Site 9612 to south and Site 9609 to north, looking NE
The site, looking North 22/09/2014 The site, looking North training1
The site, looking North
Closer view of midden material, note horizontally laid stone. 22/09/2014 Closer view of midden material, note horizontally laid stone. training1
Closer view of midden material, note horizontally laid stone.

Submitted updates

Update id Date User
3632 27/11/2021 Nigel Buckly
Tidal state Low
Site located? Yes
Proximity to coast edge Coast edge
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion; active wind erosion (in dunes only); has eroded in the past
Access accessible on foot (no footpath)
Description Field trip practice with UHI. Evidence of recent clean up of midden face.
3326 25/05/2018 EllieSCHARP
Description May 2018 Drone survey carried out January 2019 Site visit Site as described, remains very vulnerable
2721 07/08/2016 DavidNewman
Tidal state Low
Site located? Yes
Proximity to coast edge Coast edge
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion; active wind erosion (in dunes only); has eroded in the past
Threats stock erosion
Visibility above ground Limited visibility (partial remains)
Visibility in section Clearly visible in section
Access accessible on foot (no footpath)
Local knowledge is well visited
Description Remains of what appears to be a wheelhouse, exposed by coastal erosion, are situated at A' Ceardach Ruadh (the Red Smiddy) on the west side of Baleshare Island where the machair ends in a sandy cliff above the beach. Cists and skeletal material have been recovered form this site. Coastal erosion had removed 7-8m of the beach front in the 1990s. No wheelhouse was visible at this location though there was some stone lying on the beach. A piece of human skull and a sherd of pottery were collected from the beach at this point. The midden identified at site 637, continues along next to this site. 22/09/2014 ShoreUPDATE: A 2-3m thickness of midden material comprising peat ash with frequent marine shell, bone and pot exposed along 50-60m of eroding dune face. A small amount of stone, just appearing appears to be laid horizontally. No sign of other stone structures yet. They may survive in the mound of which the midden forms the seaward side. This is almost certainly the beginnings of the erosion of a further wheelhouse; part of the settlement of which wheelhouse 9609 c. 200m to the north is part. January 2015 Images sent in by David Newman from December 2014 and January 2015 show that erosion has continued during the winter storms of 2014-15. As well as removing the sand from the adjoining beach, the dune face has been scoured exposing the midden deposits already revealed, including much redder coloured midden material to the south. The stones recording in the September 2014 update are still visible in the January images. Further south another long section of midden around 1m high has been revealed extending the site almost to the trackway evident in the satellite image. To the north a new stone structure has been revealed at the beach level around 10m north of the existing stone features. August 2016 Erosion continues, some stock damage noted.
Continue monitoring
1788 22/09/2014 training1
Tidal state Low
Site located? Yes
Proximity to coast edge Coast edge
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion; active wind erosion (in dunes only); has eroded in the past
Visibility above ground Not visible
Visibility in section Limited visibility in section
Access easily accessible - no restrictions
Local knowledge is well known
Description Remains of what appears to be a wheelhouse, exposed by coastal erosion, are situated at A' Ceardach Ruadh (the Red Smiddy) on the west side of Baleshare Island where the machair ends in a sandy cliff above the beach. Cists and skeletal material have been recovered form this site. Coastal erosion had removed 7-8m of the beach front in the 1990s. No wheelhouse was visible at this location though there was some stone lying on the beach. A piece of human skull and a sherd of pottery were collected from the beach at this point. The midden identified at site 637, continues along next to this site. 22/09/2014 ShoreUPDATE: A 2-3m thickness of midden material comprising peat ash with frequent marine shell, bone and pot exposed along 50-60m of eroding dune face. A small amount of stone, just appearing appears to be laid horizontally. No sign of other stone structures yet. They may survive in the mound of which the midden forms the seaward side. This is almost certainly the beginnings of the erosion of a further wheelhouse; part of the settlement of which wheelhouse 9609 c. 200m to the north is part.
Rapid erosion of this soft coastedge is occurring. Urgent action required. Promote to Priority 1*

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