Site Report

WoSASPIN 2374
NR37NE 1 3983 7838.

NR 399 783. The 'great cave' (Uamh Mhor on OS 6" map) lies 200 yards E of that noted on NR37NE 7, opening on to a flat area about 20ft above the sea. It is at least 50 yards deep and contains recent drystone walls in its entrance, presumably sheep pens. A trench just behind these cut through 1ft of cave earth into a layer of clean yellow sand and large boulders, the bottom of which was not reached after 3ft (MacKie 1974). Miss Hoppett (1960) notes this cave, also a grass-covered enclosure, 40ft by 35ft, bounded by walls 1 1/2-2ft high, 27 yards in front of it. There are also traces of cultivation, probably lazy beds, around the cove. Period in use was probably 1750-1850 (Hoppett 1960; Celoria 1959).
This may be the cave referred to by Martin (1934) who sites it only to the 'north end' of the island. He calls it Vah Vearnag and states 'it will contain two hundred men to stand or sit in it. There is a kill (sic) for drying corn made on the east side of it, and on the other side of the cave which was used for a bed-chamber; it had a fire on the floor and some chairs about it, and the bed stood close to the wall. There is a stone without the cave door, about which the common people make a tour sunways'. The cave lay a mile north-east of a chapel and well (possibly NR37NE 3).
E W MacKie 1974; I N Hoppett 1960; F Celoria 1959; M Martin 1934.

NR 3982 7834. Uamh Mhor (name verified) is as described by MacKie (1974). It measures at least 70.0m long with two adjoining entrances 12.0m and 7.0m wide, and about 5.0m high. Apart from the complex of sheep pens at the entrances, there is no evidence of occupation other than of a recent temporary nature. Lazy beds occur on the raised beach in front of the cave.
Surveyed at 1:10,000.
Visited by OS (NKB) 29 June 1978.

NR 3982 7839 (NR 37 NE 1) A vast cave with much evidence for past human use in the form of constructions from a range of periods. Two test pits were dug, though neither of these produced any cultural remains other than a few sherds of late 19th to early 20th-century bottle glass and ceramics.
Sponsors: NMS, Prehistoric Society, Munro Fund, University of Edinburgh, Hunter Trust, Russell Trust
K Hardy 2002

NR 3983 7841

In 2003, this site was examined by EASE Archaeology as part of the Coastal Zone Assessment of the island of Islay. The condition of the site at that time was recorded as 'Fair', while the site was described as follows:

IY66: Uamh Mhor - Caves and enclosure
Description - A cave complex, known as Uamh Mhor or the Great Cave, extends inwards for some 70m and has a lofty roof and dry floor. It comprises two large interconnected chambers and has been utilised in recent times and possibly in the more distant past. There are drystone walled and mortared walled enclosures built around its two entrances. These form pens, most likely for sheep. There are traces of other drystone structures within the cave, but none appear to be other than of relatively recent date. Previously, a test pit excavated in the larger chamber found layers of clean sand over boulders (MacKie, 1974). Immediately outside are the remains of a subrectangular enclosure. This measures 11m by 5m and has walls of stone and turf. Literary references suggest that the cave was in use as a habitation in the 17th C. RCAHMS, Canmore. MacKie, E, 1974, 11.
Period - 18-20th C
Recommendation - Nil
Moore, H. & Wilson, G., EASE Archaeology, 'Report on a Coastal Zone Assessment Survey of Islay', (2003)