32 



The Crannoge (a in Map, Plate VII.) is of an oval shape, being about 

 1 50 feet long, and 75 feet wide. On the south a narrow causeway (c on 

 Map), now partly submerged, joins it to the mainland, and from its 

 northern end a spit (i on Map), about 6 feet wide, and 200 feet long, 

 extends into the lake. On a drift hillock, near the east margin of the 

 lake, there is the ruin of a Liss (d on Map), or clay fort. 



That this island is artificial seems evident, as round the Crannoge 

 and the spit the water immediately becomes deep, and also on each side 

 of the causeway. ISTo circles or lines of enclosing piles were observed, 

 although they may exist ; but, if they do, they are covered with bog stuff, 

 and are under the present surface of the water. In the causeway no 

 piles or beams were found, but it seems to have been constructed as a 

 passage into the Crannoge. 



Since the island was inhabited it seems to have been covered by 

 water to at least two feet higher than at present, as shell marl is found 

 on the parts that are below that level. On the south shore of the Cran- 

 noge there is a row of round oak piles, about four inches in diameter, 

 bearing IS". 30 W. ; on the S. W. shore are twos row of similar piles, 

 about five feet apart, and alongside them are oak beams, all bearing 

 N. 55 W. Opposite to these, near the centre of the island, a thick oak 

 beam, having a similar bearing, was found ; at the shore on the £T. W. 

 there is a double row of piles, seemingly part of a wall, bearing north 

 and south. Near the junction of the island and the spit there are ash 

 beams, ranningS. 63 W. (mag. E. and W.) with the length of the latter ; 

 to the south of the spit are thick oak piles, bearing S. 63 "W., and dia- 

 gonally across it are ash (?) beams forming a flooring. The S. 63 "W. 

 piles may be part of the south formation wall of the spit. 



On the east of the Crannoge no piles were observed, but there was 

 an irregular flooring of ash, sallow, and oak beams and from the sallows, 

 trees have grown, which now form a fringe round the island.* 



Six small excavations were made, and from them we proved that 

 under nearly the whole of the Crannoge there was a basket flooring, 

 about a foot below the present water level. In one of these sinkings, 

 near the centre of the island, the following section was found — in this 

 place the surface of the ground was about three feet higher than the 

 level of the water : — 



Section of the Crannoge. 



Feet. 



3. Bog stuff, with a few bones, some sticks and stones, 3 5 



/ Abed of regularly laid fern stalks and leaves (Pteris aquilina, or Brake \ 



\ fern), on a flooring of wicker work, made of hazel rods, about an inch ( q .5 



i in diameter. Over the ferns were a few bones, and a quantity of l 



\ nut shells, / 



( Bog stuff, mixed with branches of trees, and containing a few stones 1 5 .q 

 ( and logs of timber ; this stuff was not bottomed, Over ) 



9'0 



* These fringes of sallow trees I have remarked round many Crannoges, and in every 

 case they may have grown from some of the beams. 



