New open access book maps a medieval kingdom of the Isles

[Imperial Dave]

https://www.medievalists.net/2026/01/new-open-access-book-maps-a-medieval-kingdom-of-the-isles/

Nice 

[gavindbm]

The link to open access version is https://books.socantscot.org/digital-books/catalog/book/23

Going to have a look later...as I am currently painting 12th Century Lord of the Isles forces...

[Imperial Dave]

Thanks Gavin

[Nick Harbud]

Anyone planning a review for Slingshot?

[Imperial Dave]

A good shout

[gavindbm]

Exploring the book.  Chapter 14 looks like the one which maps all the archaeology into a historical narrative.

There is evidence of a large square tower (Norman style tower keep) 19m x 19m which was built sometime in period 1100-1300 (but it may never have been finished, or may have been slighted in war or...) on the smaller of the two islands in the loch.  Later the tower was removed and there is less sign of any strong fortifications - though we are dealing with two small islands in an inland loch (so there was a significant water obstacle!).

The tower might have been built by Somerled's descendants. (Somerled is my current army painting project)

Interestingly the site is an inland loch while a lot of the other castles from a similar(ish) period are on the coast. See the map below - taken from Kathleen MacPhee's book on Somerled: Hammer of the Norse.  The open access book is about Finlaggan castle (number - Somerled is recorded as starting his career in Morvan and is thus linked to Ardtornish castle (number 6). 

You cannot view this attachment.

[gavindbm]

Chapter 15 is about the evidence that the site was of major importance to the Lordship of the Isles. 

To quote: 'The  evidence  is  not  clear,  but  the  author  is  inclined to think that the tower was deliberately erected over the top of a functioning thing site. If so, it would have been intended to make a strong statement about a new order, a takeover by a new force that replaced or suppressed the existing power structure. It is  this  observation  that  leads  the  writer  to  conclude  that  the  builder of the Finlaggan tower is more likely to have been Ranald, son  of  Somerled,  rather  than  Rognvald  Godredsson,  the  two  main  contenders for  this  role  identified  in  Chapter  14,  perhaps  about 1200.'

Equally the evidence would allow me to push the date earlier and the responsibility onto Somerled for building the tower as a sign of his authority/power/control.  (Though the author of the report has a deeper understanding of the period than I do...so probably has very good reasons for thinking this is a generation later.)

[gavindbm]

We seem to have an earlier thread on the same topic https://forum.soa.org.uk/index.php?topic=9908.0

Anyone planning a review for Slingshot?

I am happy to do a short one.

We also seem to have an earlier thread on the same topic https://forum.soa.org.uk/index.php?topic=9908.0

[Imperial Dave]

Well volunteered that man!