UHI Institute for Northern Studies Post Doctoral Research Associate Celebrates Prestigious Award
UHI Institute for Northern Studies Post Doctoral Research Associate, Dr Shane McLeod, has been awarded the prestigious Murray Prize for History 2025.
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The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland presents an award every two years to recognise the best paper featuring original research on the history of Scotland, specifically from the medieval to the Early Modern periods. All papers submitted for publication in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland that meet the established criteria are eligible for this award.
Dr McLeod’s research paper examines the sentinel sites located in the Inner Hebrides of Western Scotland and forms part of the wider ‘Norse and the Sea’ research project, which examines the maritime culture in Scandinavian Scotland between AD790 and 1350. The region of the Western Mainland and its islands features several Gaelic place-names along the coasts that suggest a network of observation points guarding maritime routes. Most of these sites are hills and incorporate Gaelic names such as ‘Teine’ (fire) and ‘Faire’ (watch/sentinel).
Through a combination of desk-based research and site visits, the study demonstrates that these locations enabled surveillance of key waterways over long distances, allowing watchers to alert their communities to potential attacks.
Where multiple beacon or watch sites are found close together in a logical sequence, it indicates a coordinated defensive strategy across an island or a broader geographic area. This also suggests that many place-names denoting beacon and watch sites may have been lost over time. As is common with many pre-modern place-names, providing precise dates for these sites is challenging. The paper includes a discussion on the likely historical context of the names.
The existence of a coordinated defence system suggests a significant allocation of resources and planning, at least at the local or regional level, which helps to date the sites. Additional clues for dating can be derived by examining the political and military context of the medieval period. The research concludes that some of the sites may date back to the pre-Viking Age, but the Late Norse period, specifically the twelfth century, is the most likely period of use for the sites whose names still exist.
Dr McLeod says, “It is a great honour to receive the Murray Prize from The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, whose Proceedings continue to be at the forefront of research into Scottish history and Archaeology. I would like to thank UHI’s HARC (Humanities and Arts Research Cluster) whose funding allowed me to visit some of the sites.”
Professor Alex Sanmark stated, “I am delighted that Dr McLeod has been awarded this prestigious prize for his exceptional research into the little-known sentinel sites in Viking and Norse Scotland. By bringing together a variety of source materials, this groundbreaking research will significantly enhance our understanding of early medieval society in the Western Highlands and Islands of Scotland.”