Scheduled MonumentsScotlandDun Gallain,fort,Colonsay
Iron Age · Fort,colonsay

Dun Gallain,fort,Colonsay

Scotland
HES SM5969
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort,colonsay
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Dun Gallain is a dun, or Iron Age fort, located on the island of Colonsay in Argyllshire, Scotland. The monument consists of the remains of a stone-built defensive structure typical of the Iron Age period in the Scottish Hebrides, with evidence of rubble walls that once formed a substantial fortification. Its position on Colonsay reflects the strategic importance of the Inner Hebridean islands during the Iron Age, when such duns served as strongholds for local populations. The site remains a significant example of Iron Age settlement architecture in the western Scottish islands, though the present-day remains are fragmentary.

Dun Gallain,fort,Colonsay is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5969. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Dun Gallain,fort,Colonsay?

Dun Gallain is a dun, or Iron Age fort, located on the island of Colonsay in Argyllshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5969.

What period does Dun Gallain,fort,Colonsay date from?

Dun Gallain,fort,Colonsay dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort,colonsay. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.

Who is responsible for protecting Dun Gallain,fort,Colonsay?

Dun Gallain,fort,Colonsay is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM5969.

What other scheduled monuments are near Dun Gallain,fort,Colonsay?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tobar Fuar,dun 1100m NW of Machrins,Colonsay (1.2 km), Teampull a'Ghlinne,chapel,Colonsay (3 km), Dunan nan Con,dun,hut circles,enclosures & field system (3 km).

Aubrey Research

Generate a full report for this location

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in Britain — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.

Research the area around Dun Gallain,fort,Colonsay