A FORGOTTEN medieval kingdom and a nameless royal castle are among archaeological discoveries outlined in a new book after a major 10-year project on a Scottish island.
After nearly 30 years of analysis, The Archaeology of Finlaggan, Islay, offers a comprehensive account and interpretation of the major archaeological research undertaken on the island from 1989 to 1998.
Data from the project, which included work by Time Team specialists in 1994, confirmed that Finlaggan, a historic site on Eilean Mòr, was the centre of power of the Lordship of the Isles, a quasi-independent state of political and cultural importance, in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The project, which was directed by Dr David Caldwell on behalf of National Museums Scotland, also revealed the existence of a previously unknown and unnamed castle at Finlaggan from the 12th and 13th centuries.
“I am privileged to have led a skilled and dedicated team of specialists and volunteers on such an important project on a key place of national significance,” Dr Caldwell said.
“The processing of all the data that was gathered has been a major part of my life since the 1990s, and I hope I have not only provided an account of interest but also a basis for others to carry out more research in the future.”
In Dr Caldwell’s book, he explains that the Lords of the Western Isles were powerful chiefs with royal pretensions, and treated English and Scottish kings as if they were on a par with them and have long been recognised by historians as an important phenomenon, and a serious challenger to the Stewart dynasty for control of much of Scotland.
It was believed that the two islands in Loch Finlaggan were the centre from which the MacDonald Lords of the Isles inaugurated their own kings or lords, were advised by a council, and exercised authority from around 1300 to 1500 AD.
Dr Caldwell’s book backs up the historical accounts and confirms Finlaggan’s crucial role as the ceremonial, administrative and judicial centre of a medieval kingdom.
Evidence correlated in the book includes several mounts and keys that belonged to caskets which are thought to have protected documents and other valuables.
The remains of a council house, mentioned in a 1549 account, where meetings of the Council of the Isles took place, were also discovered.
The book also reveals that the main island was accessed by boat to a jetty from which cobbled paths lead to the main buildings, including a feasting hall, chapel and private accommodation, and to a causeway leading to the council chamber on the smaller island which experts say would have been an ideal layout for ceremonial events.
The Archaeology of Finlaggan, Islay also details evidence of a palatial complex with a chapel, which are only usually found at royal castles and palaces, and a large and “imposing” great hall.
The book also traces the possible origins for Finlaggan as a centre of power and ritual back across millennia.
From prehistoric times, to a potential assembly site in the Viking age, to a previously unknown royal castle belonging to 12th- and 13th-century kings of the Isles, the ancestors of the MacDonalds, Dr Caldwell’s book lays out the historical importance of Finlaggan.
Archaeological evidence also revealed that a castle occupied two islands in Loch Finlaggan, a large stone tower on one, which provided living quarters and extra security for the king or lord, and one or more courtyards on the other, which contained kitchens, a chapel with a burial ground, houses, workshops, and a great hall where feasting took place.
The tower is estimated to have been approximately 19 by 19m overall, 21m square including a plinth, and would have been comparable in size to stone keeps in England like those in the castles of Carlisle, Bamburgh and Lancaster.
As the erection of large rectangular stone towers was essentially limited to great Anglo-French lords and kings in Britain and Ireland, the castle can be interpreted as a political statement, as well as a sign of the wealth and connections of the ruling class.
The castle may have been dismantled because it was structurally unsound or due to enemy action before the palace at Finlaggan began to take shape in the 14th century.
Dr Helen Spencer FSAScot, head of research at the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, said: “As a charity, part of our mission is to share knowledge of the past with everyone, which is why we are especially grateful to our thousands of Fellows across the globe.
“Their subscription fees enable us to act as an independent academic publisher, making high-quality Scottish history and archaeology books more affordable and open access. If you would also like to support our work, please consider becoming a Fellow.”
The Archaeology of Finlaggan, Islay is available from the Society’s website here. Dr Caldwell will also be delivering a free public lecture on Finlaggan on Saturday 29 November in Edinburgh and online which you can find here.
