Mingary Castle: Two Exciting Finds Today

Saturday, 10 August 2013

Two Exciting Finds Today

Tom Addyman of Addyman Archaeology has been on site for the last couple of days and, with his arrival, the finds have suddenly started again. The first is a cannonball, found at the eastern end of the moat. It's probably in pieces because it hit the castle wall and fractured before falling into the moat where time and weathering have broken it into four pieces.

The second find is a musket ball. It's in immaculate condition, and very heavy, probably because it has a high lead content. It too came out of the moat, close to where the cannonball was found. It's about 20mm in diameter, but it's slightly flattened on one side, probably from contact with a solid surface.

The archaeologists are back excavating in the moat but we don't yet know the extent that they will be able to open up. More news, hopefully, next week.

Many thanks to Ricky Clark for the photos.

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The Mingary Castle Preservation and Restoration Trust

"The most intact thirteenth century castle in Scotland" is how archaeologist Tom Addyman describes Mingary Castle. Seat of Clan MacIain, commanding the sea route through the Sound of Mull, Mingary dates back to the thirteenth century and may be much older - there is some evidence, not least from the name, that the Vikings fortified the site. However, since it was last inhabited in the mid-nineteenth century, the castle has been deteriorating. A recent survey showed that, unless urgent restoration work was carried out, the castle was in danger of collapse.

The Mingary Castle Preservation and Restoration Trust, which is Scottish registered charity SC043705, was set up in 2013 to address this problem. Work started on the site in April 2013, and it is hoped to have the building fully restored to its mediaeval grandeur by the end of 2014.

Mingary Castle stands on Ardnamurchan Estate land, near the village of Kilchoan on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Donald Houston, who owns the Estate and is responsible for the upcoming work on the castle, is determined that the many written records that are being prepared as part of the work should be fully available to the public on-line. This will be done through the main Mingary Castle website, of which this blog will be a part.

Businesses Involved in the Project