Dunyvaig Castle 5th September 2021.

3D Model

The 2021 season (Trench 7) focused on the remains of the northwest bastion and the adjacent area outside the castle walls where the geophysics suggested a linear feature running across the peninsula. This part of the site is under threat from coastal erosion so we wanted to assess the damage, but also investigate how the bastion fits in the overall chronology and the phasing of the castle. This is a relatively early feature of the castle architecture, predating the rebuild of the curtain wall during which the bastion was probably demolished. The new wall was instead bolstered with a sloping batter, which was built on top of the remaining bastion foundations to provide additional stability at this corner of the curtain wall. The rest of the trench was covered in layers of rubble, used to level the remains of a substantial building with mortared walls and floor. After its abandonment, the building was filled with kitchen refuse rich in animal bone after which it was demolished. More models to come of Trench 7!