Between April 11th and April 19th, 2017 CMW worked with Calluna Archaeology to investigate what is likely the Alms House built by James MacFarlane in the 1600's. This site was identified as "Site 28" during the 2016 Walkover survey of the Arrochar Parish

 

 Abstract

An excavation was carried out on a site at Creag a’Phuirt on the west shore of Loch Lomond in 2017. It was thought that this might be an almshouse built by James Macfarlane opposite his house on Island I Vow between 1612 and 1625 to provide for travellers passing through the district. The building proved to be a small, well-built, slightly trapezoidal-shaped structure, with a slate roof, but no obvious entrance or fireplace. The floor consisted of re-deposited loch-side material with water-rolled stones and contained a sherd of late 16th/17th century window glass and a broken sherd of 17th century pottery. Considering its location and date, this structure may well have been the almshouse perhaps comprising two stories, with access from an outer stair. By the mid-19th century the walls had been robbed and the site left ruinous. 

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