Dùn an Achaidh facts for kids
Dùn an Achaidh, also known as Dun Acha, is an ancient fort called a dun on the Scottish island of Coll. It's located near the village of Acha. Many people consider it the best-preserved dun on the island. Local stories say this fort was the home of a Norse (Viking) king's son. An expert from the early 1900s, Erskine Beveridge, thought Dùn an Achaidh was one of the most interesting forts on Coll.
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What Does the Name Mean?
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The name "Dùn an Achaidh" comes from the Scottish Gaelic words An t-Achadh, which means "the field" in English. So, the name means "the fort of the field."
According to Erskine Beveridge, local people also called it Dun Bhorlum mhic Anlaimh righ Lochlinn. This long name can mean "the fort of the ridge of the son of Olaf, King of Norway." It could also mean "the fort of Borlum, son of Olaf, King of Norway." Beveridge noted that borlum is an old Gaelic word for "ridge," which perfectly describes where Dùn an Achaidh is built. Another person, Rev. Dugald MacEchern, said borlum means "home farm." He also mentioned that locals thought Borlum was a person's name.
Where is Dùn an Achaidh?
Dùn an Achaidh is about 350 meters (1,150 feet) southwest of Acha Mill on Coll. It's one of the forts furthest from the sea on the island. The fort sits on top of a rocky ridge that is about 22 meters (72 feet) higher than the land around it. A small stream, called Allt a' Mhuilinn (which means "the stream of the mill"), flows nearby. Dùn an Achaidh is also about 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) south of another ancient site called Dùn Anlaimh.
What's Left of the Fort?
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The wall of the fort was probably about 2.5 meters (8 feet) thick. It ran along the ridge and enclosed an area about 32 meters (105 feet) long and 9 meters (30 feet) wide. The main entrance to the fort is on the northeast side. To protect this entrance, there was another wall about 5 meters (16 feet) below the top of the ridge. This wall was made of large boulders.
Archaeologists have found several interesting items at the site. These include decorated pottery, a spinning tool made of slate, and a stone pounder. These ancient finds are now kept at the National Museum of Scotland.
A Look at Its History
Erskine Beveridge believed that some of the forts on Coll and the nearby island of Tiree were used by the Vikings during the Viking Age. He noted that the names of some forts, like Dùn an Achaidh and Dùn Anlaimh, and local stories seemed to support this idea.
In 1587, there was a lot of fighting between different clans in the Scottish Highlands. To try and stop this, the Scottish government created something called the General Band. Landowners and chiefs had to promise that their followers would behave peacefully. One list from this time mentioned "broken men," who were often outlaws without a chief. Beveridge thought these "broken men" on Coll might have lived in the old forts, like Dùn an Achaidh, because they offered good defense. He believed that some of these forts were used even in more recent historical times.
Beveridge also mentioned a local story that Samuel Johnson, a famous writer, visited Dùn an Achaidh during his trip to the Hebrides. However, Johnson and his travel companion, James Boswell, never wrote about visiting any forts on Coll.
Local Stories About Dùn an Achaidh
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According to local tradition, Dùn an Achaidh was the stronghold of a Norseman. He was said to be the son of a king named Anlaimh (Olaf). The story goes that the islanders didn't like his rule. So, they rebelled and attacked the fort at night. They set it on fire and drove out the Norse people. Beveridge noted that this story about the fire seemed true. He saw signs of fire on the fort's foundations even before he heard the local legend.
In the early 1900s, Rev. Dugald MacEchern also shared a similar story about Dùn an Achaidh:
Acha, and Dun Acha, but its full name is Dun Acha Bhorrolam; also Dun Bhorlum Mhic Anlaimh righ Lochlainn. The tradition is that on this height or short ridge, which itself is a natural castle, there was a fort-the stronghold of a Norseman, son of Olaf or Anlamh, and that it was set fire to. There are, it is said, still traces of its having been destroyed by fire. Borlum is "board-land," the home farm of a residence or mansion, and the name as it stands means "the Board-land of the son of Anlaf, king of Lochlann." The people, however take Borlum to be a proper name.
