A long underground passage reaches the edge of Loch Hacklett through three entrances, an unusually watery setting for a later prehistoric souterrain.
Quick facts
- Date
- Iron Age type; exact date unconfirmed
- Architect / designer
- Unknown
- Type
- Slab-roofed souterrain with three entrances and associated collapsed structure
- Designation
- Scheduled monument (SM5806)
- OS grid reference
- NF 94900 71217
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Very large slabs roof a long passage with two entrances from the shore and another upslope. A collapsed central structure may have been a corbelled expansion of the passage or a separate beehive-like building above it. The system runs into a small cliffed promontory only just above winter loch level.
Its story
Souterrains are generally associated with later prehistoric, often Iron Age, settlement and may have served storage, concealment or other specialised purposes. Here the unusually low loch-edge position and unresolved central structure complicate any single functional explanation.
Why it is included
Scheduling recognises a well-preserved and unusual souterrain whose plan, associated structure and undisturbed surroundings may illuminate a poorly understood class of Iron Age monument.
What to notice
- Massive slabs spanning the passage roof.
- Three approaches from shore and higher ground.
- Collapsed stonework at the system's centre.
Reading the surroundings
Never enter the passage: collapse, darkness, water and confined space present serious hazards. Verify lawful access locally and inspect only from a safe distance without moving slabs or clearing openings.
Timeline
- Iron Age (probable) An underground passage was constructed beside the loch.
- Later collapse The central structure and part of the roof lost their original form.
- Present designation The promontory and concealed archaeological ground remain protected.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
No excavated construction date is supplied, and the central stonework may represent either an enlarged chamber or a collapsed building above the passage.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Tigh Talamhant Souterrain, SM5806 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove: Tigh Talamhant — National-record identity, location and archaeological context for the souterrain.
Location
OS grid reference NF 94900 71217 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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