Discovering Bute's Archaeology

For a long time Bute has remained one of Argyll’s most underexplored archaeological landscapes.

Now RCAHMS, working with the Discover Bute Landscape Partnership Scheme (DBLPS), are carrying out the most detailed ever survey of the archaeology of the island.

In seven weeks of survey work over 600 known and new archaeological sites have been recorded.  Using handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) units accurate to under a metre, the survey has considerably improved the precision of the information about Bute currently held within RCAHMS searchable online database Canmore. The records are also being updated to include information from historic Ordnance Survey mapping, eighteenth century estate maps and the Ordnance Survey Name Books.

Now available as a PDF for free download

The Archaeological Landscape of Bute was published in 2010 following two years fieldwork by RCAHMS and DBLPS. Although the paper version has now sold out, the book has now been turned into a free download available on this page.

The downloadable PDF has been enhanced so that readers can search for details of each site mentioned in the book. Click on any of the site numbers (in blue) and you will be taken to the RCAHMS Canmore database for more details.

Dunagoil fort, for example, has Canmore database number 40291. Click on the number and you will be taken directly to the RCAHMS Canmore page for that site. There you will see more detailed information, including; digital photographs, archive maps and historic documents.

We hope this facility will enable readers to explore Bute’s historic features in even more depth, and perhaps stimulate a longer-lasting interest in the island’s fascinating cultural heritage.