Site Report

WoSASPIN 4164

NR 825 912. The ruins of the house of the Barons of Dunardry are reported N of Loch a' Bharain - Loch of the Baron. A 17th century MacTavish of Dunardry is recorded.
M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964.

Ruins show at NR 8252 9117 but they may be too slight to be a baronial residence.
Possible house visible on RAF air photographs 541/A/398:3105-6 (flown 1948).

There is nothing significant in the area.
Visited by OS (RD) 31 March 1970.

NR 8252 9116 (centred). Footings of a building measuring approximately 9 by 5 metres, with walls nearly 1 metre thick, are preserved below the water level of the reservoir (and therefore not accurately measured). Adjacent to the building, areas of the shore have been cleared of stones for use as nausts (?), presumably post-dating the abandonment of the building and the raising of the water level of the loch in connection with the construction of the Crinan Canal. Another area of rubble and possible boulder walling, about 20m north of the building footings, may indicate the footings of another small building. To the NE of this is an infield area cleared of stone and bounded by slight traces of a wall. A small possible enclosure is located on the opposite bank of the burn which feeds the loch, measuring about 5 by 4 metres by 0.3m high. Parts of the site have been damaged by coniferous forestry.
See sketch plan in SMR archive.
Visited WoSAS (PR) January 1998
Entered WoSAS (CF) 16/08/99