posted 04-11-99 02:44 AM
I strongly recommend going to http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/index.html The web site of The Royal Commission for Ancient and Historic Monuments Scotland and using their CANMORE database. This has a fairly simple search engine which give instant result.
I found nothing under McNeal or MacNeal but plenty under MacNeil. I'm sure that their might be other things under varients of MacNeil. As a taster here some of the resultsof my quick look through;MCNEIL'S BAY, GUNNA
Type of Site: Battle Site
NMRS Number: NM05SE 3
Location
Map reference: NM 093 511
Parish: Coll
Council: Argyll And Bute
Archaeology Notes
NM05SE 3 093 511.
MacMeil's Bay is the traditional landing place of the MacNeil's of Barra who were slain there by the MacLeans of Coll.
E Beveridge 1903.
Bibliography
Beveridge, E (1903 )
Coll and Tiree: their prehistoric forts and ecclesiastical antiquities with notices of ancient remains in the Treshnish Isles,
[s.l.] (Edinburgh), 18-19,
ERISKAY : Alternative(s): WEAVER'S CASTLE
Type of Site: Tower-House
NMRS Number: NF71SE 8
Location
Map reference: NF 7 1
Parish: South Uist
Council: Western Isles
Archaeology Notes
NF71SE 8 unlocated.
" On Eriska, there is a tower which has been a stronghold of the MacNeils."
J MacCulloch 1824.
There is no local knowledge of a tower on Eriskay. Weaver's Castle (NF70NE 1) is supposed to have belonged to the MacNeils of Barra. It seems fairly
certain that the castle and the tower are one and the same. Visited by OS (E G C) 23 May 1965.
Bibliography
Macculloch, J (1824 )
The Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland: containing descriptions of their scenery and antiquities, with an account of the political history and ancient
manners and of the origin, language, agriculture, economy, music, present condition of the people &c &c &c,
4v, London, Vol.3, 3,
KIESSIMUL CASTLE, BARRA : Alternative(s): KISIMUL CASTLE; CASTLE BAY
Type of Site: Residential/ Tower-House
NMRS Number: NL69NE 3
Location
Map reference: NL 665 979
Parish: Barra
Council: Western Isles
Archaeology Notes
NL69NE 3 6651 9791.
(NL 6651 9791) Kiessimul Castle (NR) (Remains of).
OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)
Kiessimul Castle stands on a low rock rising a few feet above high water mark, 200 yds. from the shore of Castle Bay.
The Commission (RCAHMS 1928) dates the tower and curtain wall to the 15th c. with later buildings of the 17th and 18th c. MacGibbon and Ross (D
MacGibbon and T Ross 1889), however, date the original buildings to the 13th c. and are supported by Toy (S Toy 1966), who points out that "since there is
no note of its existence before the early part of the fifteenth century it has been assumed that it belongs to that period, despite its obviously more ancient
character", He notes the ommission of the prow on the south side of the keep from the commission plan and draws attention to the addition of a fourth storey at
a later period. Cruden (S Cruden 1960) says the south "wall face is perfectly flat" and disagrees with Toy (S Toy 1966) that there is a prow.
RCAHMS 1928; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1889; S Toy 1966; S Cruden 1960.
Generally as described above. According to Mr Robins (Schoolmaster, Castlebay, Barra) the original buildings are 13th. century with later additions from 15th
to 18th c. Toy's assertion (S Toy 1966) that there is a prow on the S wall of the keep is incorrect, and hence the plan supplied by the commission (RCAHMS
1928) (which agrees with Cruden {S Cruden 1960}) is accurate. The castle has been, and is in the process of being restored. It is occupied by The MacNeil of
Barra.
Visited by OS (N K B) 24 May 1965.
Bibliography
Cruden, S (1960 a)
The Scottish castle,
Edinburgh, 42,
Dunbar, J G (1978 a)
'Kisimul Castle, Isle of Barra',
Glasgow Archaeol J, 5, 1978, 25-43,
MacGibbon and Ross, D and T (1896-7 )
The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century,
3v, Edinburgh, 51-6,
Millar and Kirkhope, H B and J (1965 d)
'Borve Castle, Benbecula',
Discovery and Excavation, Scotland, 1965, 21-2,
RCAHMS (1928 )
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Ninth report with inventory of monuments and constructions
in the Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles,
Edinburgh, 126-8, No. 439,
Ritchie and Harman, J N G and M (1985 )
Exploring Scotland's heritage: Argyll and the Western Isles,
Exploring Scotland's heritage series, Edinburgh, 83, no. 29,
Toy, S (1966 )
The castles of Great Britain,
London, 130-2, 4th
Tranter, N (1962-70 )
The fortified house in Scotland,
5v, Edinburgh, vol. 5, 108,
Turner and Dunbar, D J and J G (1973 )
'Breachacha Castle, Coll: excavations and field survey, 1965-8',
Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 102, 1969-70, 174, 177,
CASTLE SWEEN : Alternative(s): MACMILLAN'S TOWER; LOCH SWEEN
Type of Site: Defence/ Castle
NMRS Number: NR77NW 1.00
Location
Map reference: NR 712 788
Parish: North Knapdale
Council: Argyll And Bute
Archaeology Notes
NR77NW 1.00 7123 7882
NR77NW 1.01 7123 7883 Carved Stone Ball; Flint Arrowhead
NR77NW 1.02 7123 7882 Platforms; Kilns; Building
For industrial remains (including kilns and platforms) towards SE corner of curtain-wall enclosure, see NR77NW 1.02.
(NR 7123 7883) Castle Sween (NR)
Macmillan's Tower (NR) Well (NR)
OS 6" map, Argyllshire, 2nd ed., (1924)
Castle Sween, now ruinous, was probably built in the mid-12th century (S Piggott and W D Simpson 1970). The main structure, a quadrangular enclosing
wall, 6'-7' thick, measuring 84' x 70' over all, against the inner face of which three main ranges of timber buildings were originally disposed round a small
court, is Norman in appearance. The annexe to the W and its round tower - Macmillan's Tower - were probably added in the early 14th century, while the
rectangular keep was probably added to the NE corner in the 16th century. There is also a well, doubtless original, in the NE angle of the courtyard.
The castle was beseiged by Robert the Bruce, and was finally destroyed by Sir Alexander Macdonald in 1647.
S Piggott and W D Simpson 1970; W D Simpson 1967; J G Dunbar 1966.
The castle is as described and planned.
Visited by OS (DWR) 6 June 1973
No change to the report of OS (DWR).
Surveyed at 1/10,000.
Visited by OS (BS) 25 January 1977
Two small-scale excavations within the E half of the courtyard of this castle revealed a sequence of domestic and service ranges, culminating in an elaborate
industrial complex, all of which broadly echoed the succession of families associated with the site. The original simple enclosure castle as occupied by the
MacSweens until the mid 13th century may have featured some form of tower-like structure in the NE corner of the enclosure. The site was then extensively
remodelled under the Stewart Earls of Menteith, who built two towers outside the W wall of the primary enclosure, and a stone-built N range inside (c.1262
to 1362).
When the site was later occupied by the MacNeills of Gigha on behalf of the Lords of the Isles, a substantial E range with first floor hall, was built within
the courtyard, to compliment the new NE or 'Macmillans Tower' during the 15th century. Finally, with the discovery of a series of kiln-like structures and
ancillary sheds and compounds, it was evident that up to the end of its active life, under the Earls of Argyll c.1650, the E courtyard was largely cleared of
major buildings and the area given over to industrial usage, probably metal working.
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Castle Quest
posted 04-10-99 11:14 AM
