Dun Ringill (

Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...

: ''Dùn'', 'fort', ''Ringill'', 'point of the ravine') is an Iron Age hill fort on the Strathaird peninsula on the island of

Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some o ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

. Further fortified in the Middle Ages, tradition holds that it was for several centuries the seat of

Clan MacKinnon Clan MacKinnon ( ) is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the islands of Isle of Mull, Mull and Skye, in the Inner Hebrides. Popular tradition gives the clan a Dal Riada, Dalriadic Gaelic origin. The 19th-century historian W. F. S ...

. It is located east of Kirkibost on the west shore of Loch Slapin.

History

The original structure of Dun Ringill is consistent with an Iron Age

broch In archaeology, a broch is an British Iron Age, Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure found in Scotland. Brochs belong to the classification "complex Atlantic roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s. Brochs are round ...

dating to approximately the first years of the

common era Common Era (CE) and Before the Common Era (BCE) are year notations for the Gregorian calendar (and its predecessor, the Julian calendar), the world's most widely used calendar era. Common Era and Before the Common Era are alternatives to the ...

. The main and subordinate structures were occupied and modified throughout its history until the 19th century. Tradition relates that the structure was occupied by the MacKinnons as their clan seat well before the 16th century. It is mentioned in historical texts in the 16th century and likely that the MacKinnons were already established there in 1360. The dun was also known as Castle Findnaus and the MacKinnons established a small farming village township north of the dun. By the 16th century, the MacKinnons moved their seat to Dunakin.''The Medieval Castles of Skye and Lochalsh'' pp. 39-43. Miket, R., and Roberts, D. ''Birlin Limited'', 2007, .

Description

Dun Ringill today is a stacked stone

ruin Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...

overlooking Loch Slapin. The present structure is approximately in height and on each side, with a ditch following the outer wall. Its most notable feature is the central landward facing doorway approximately high that leads into the center of the structure. The interior of the structure contained two rectangular buildings measuring . The original layout was similar to that of a

, a form of complex Atlantic roundhouse. A stone wall foundation encloses area adjacent to the structure. Similarly to other castles and fortified houses, the wall probably formed a defensive perimeter and livestock enclosure. The remains of the wall itself are hidden by vegetation. A site survey has shown that there are remains of other buildings in the immediate vicinity; and although their age is uncertain, it is likely their construction and occupation was throughout the history of Dun Ringill up until the 19th century. Dun Ringill fence line

To the north and west is a hilly coastal plain. Loch Slapin lies to the east and south of the structure. On either side of the structure are earth and stone ramps that descend down to the ocean. These ramps likely allowed easy access to the water and shipping. Since roads in this part of Skye did not exist until recent times, sea travel was the predominant mode of transportation.

In popular culture

The rock band Jethro Tull performed a song entitled "

Dun Ringill Dun Ringill (Scottish Gaelic, Gaelic: ''Dùn'', 'fort', ''Ringill'', 'point of the ravine') is an Iron Age hill fort on the Strathaird peninsula on the island of Skye, Scotland. Further fortified in the Middle Ages, tradition holds that it was ...

" on their 1979 '' Stormwatch'' album. The lyrics call for a meeting down by Dun Ringill during the wee hours of a stormy night, when "we'll watch the old gods play." The song was written by Tull leader

Ian Anderson Ian Scott Anderson (born 10 August 1947) is a British musician best known for being the chief vocalist, Flute, flautist, and acoustic guitarist of the British rock band Jethro Tull (band), Jethro Tull. He is a multi-instrumentalist who also p ...

, who lived at Kilmarie House, within walking distance of Dun Ringill, at the time."Dun Ringill, Kilmarie"
Retrieved 25 March 2009.

Notes

References

* ''Scotland Blue Guide'', A&C Black, London, 12th Edition, 2001, . * ''Scotland an Oxford Archaeological Guide'', Oxford University Press, 1998, * ''The Medieval Castles of Skye and Lochalsh'' pp. 39–43. Miket, R., and Roberts, D. ''Birlin Limited'', 2007, .

External links

* {{Broch 1st-millennium BC architecture in Scotland Archaeological sites in the Northern Inner Hebrides Brochs in the Isle of Skye Castles in the Isle of Skye Clan Mackinnon Former populated places in Scotland Hill forts in Scotland Scheduled monuments in Highland