Bronze Age remains
Sanna
Brief History
Sanna (Norse - sandr: sand, and ey: an island), along with Ardnamurchan Point and Lighthouse, is arguably one of the most visited places on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, with its white sands, turquoise seas and spectacular views over to the Small Isles drawing people from all over the world.
Historic remains found at Sanna have included a bronze brooch and pin dated 8th or 9th century, middens containing pottery made by Bronze Age people, flint knives, axe heads, a barbed arrowhead, and a cremation site consisting of burnt bones.
The 1881 census lists 23 households with a total of 105 people. Many of the heads of households are listed as women and there is a distinct lack of work age men. This is due to working age men having to subsidise their livelihoods from their crofts by working away, often at sea, leaving wives, daughters and sisters to run some of the crofts.
Historic remains found at Sanna have included a bronze brooch and pin dated 8th or 9th century, middens containing pottery made by Bronze Age people, flint knives, axe heads, a barbed arrowhead, and a cremation site consisting of burnt bones.
The 1881 census lists 23 households with a total of 105 people. Many of the heads of households are listed as women and there is a distinct lack of work age men. This is due to working age men having to subsidise their livelihoods from their crofts by working away, often at sea, leaving wives, daughters and sisters to run some of the crofts.
Click here to find out more about Sanna
Ground Stone Axe © Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, MAA ID: 1951.1046 C
This stone axe dates to the Neolithic period around 4000 – 2300BC and would have been used by thefirst farmers in Ardnamurchan, who built the chambered cairns, at Swordle, Camas nan Geall andKilchoan. The axe would have been used to chop down trees, clear vegetation, and help the farmersin their daily chores, but it might also have held ritual significance for the people as well.
View of Sanna © Ardnamurchan History and Heritage Association
Shells on Sanna Bay © Ardnamurchan History and Heritage Association
Sanna thumbnail
MEM Donaldson's home, 'Sanna Bheag'. © MEM Donaldson Collection, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, High Life Highland
Sanna Bheag was home to photographer and writer MEM Donaldson and artist Isabel Bonus in the first half of the 20th century. Donaldson and Bonus designed the house in the style of the traditional Croft houses in the area, adding more modern elements, and a darkroom for Donaldson's photographic processes. It was important to Donaldson that local material was used in its construction; local blue granite was used for the walls, and the thatched roof - which Donaldson helped to lay - included turf, straw and heather. The house was completed in 1927 by professional stonemasons from the Isle of Mull and local crofters. Isabel Bonus died in 1941, and Donaldson lived in Sanna Bheag until a fire damaged the building in 1947.
Reconstructed side of a pottery bell beaker, from 21 sherds, decorated with twisted cord impressions. © Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, MAA ID:1926.502 A
This type of pottery is known as an All Over Cord Decorated Beaker dating to the early part of theBronze Age probably around c 2450–2300 BC. This type of pottery are found all over the British Islesand Europe, they are often associated with burials and some fragments have been found duringexcavations at Cladh Aindreis in Swordle.
Stonemasons constructing Sanna Bheag, 1920s. © MEM Donaldson Collection, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, High Life Highland
Sanna Bheag was home to photographer and writer MEM Donaldson and artist Isabel Bonus in the first half of the 20th century. Donaldson and Bonus designed the house in the style of the traditional Croft houses in the area, adding more modern elements, and a darkroom for Donaldson's photographic processes. It was important to Donaldson that local material was used in its construction; local blue granite was used for the walls, and the thatched roof - which Donaldson helped to lay - included turf, straw and heather. The house was completed in 1927 by professional stonemasons from the Isle of Mull and local crofters. Isabel Bonus died in 1941, and Donaldson lived in Sanna Bheag until a fire damaged the building in 1947.
Barbed and Tanged Arrowhead © Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, MAA ID: 1951.1045 B
This flint barbed and tanged arrowhead dates to the early Bronze Age, around 2300-2000 BC. They were used for hunting by Bronze Age people. Flint is not found naturally in Scotland, apart from asbeach pebbles, so this arrow may have been made in another part of Britain.
Ground Stone Axe © Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, MAA ID: 1951.1046 C
This stone axe dates to the Neolithic period around 4000 – 2300BC and would have been used by the first farmers in Ardnamurchan, who built the chambered cairns, at Swordle, Camas nan Geall andKilchoan. The axe would have been used to chop down trees, clear vegetation, and help the farmersin their daily chores, but it might also have held ritual significance for the people as well.
'Sanna Bheag', 2007 © Am Baile, High Life Highland. Photo by Andrew Taylor
'Sanna Bheag', the former residence of photographer and writer MEM Donaldson, who lived here for twenty years from 1927, until a fire damaged the building. Since the fire, the building has been altered: Most noticeably it now has a flat roof, instead of the original thatched roof.
MEM Donaldson, in front of her home 'Sanna Bheag'. © MEM Donaldson Collection, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, High Life Highland
'Sanna Bheag' was home to photographer and writer MEM Donaldson and artist Isabel Bonus in the first half of the 20th century. Donaldson and Bonus designed the house in the style of the traditional Croft houses in the area, adding more modern elements, and a darkroom for Donaldson's photographic processes. It was important to Donaldson that local material was used in its construction; local blue granite was used for the walls, and the thatched roof - which Donaldson helped to lay - included turf, straw and heather. The house was completed in 1927 by professional stonemasons from the Isle of Mull and local crofters. Isabel Bonus died in 1941, and Donaldson lived in Sanna Bheag until a fire damaged the building in 1947.
Barbed and Tanged Arrowhead © Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, MAA ID:
This flint barbed and tanged arrowhead dates to the early Bronze Age, around 2300-2000 BC. They were used for hunting by Bronze Age people. Flint is not found naturally in Scotland, apart from as beach pebbles, so this arrow may have been made in another part of Britain.
Dig into layers of history
© MEM Donaldson Collection, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, High Life Highland
Sanna expanded as a crofting township when people moved here after being evicted from other townships on Ardnamurchan. There wasnʼt enough productive land available for each family so while some men worked away, women often crofted the land here and raised animals in the common grazing area. When not helping on the croft, children would walk to school in Achosnich.
People lived in Sanna during the prehistoric period.
Prehistoric objects found by archaeologists here include pottery made by the Bronze Age people, a barbed arrowhead, and a ground stone axe.
Sanna Bheag
Now a private dwelling, photographer and writer MEM Donaldson lived at Sanna Bheag, a dwelling built with local materials and labour. Her work shows the every day lives of Ardnamurchan residents of the time.
Explore how Sanna has changed through time.
21st Century
Today
Sanna is still a crofting township and a popular destination for visitors to Ardnamurchan.
Sanna is known for its variety of stunning coastal scenery, and today is popular with tourists and locals alike who come here to enjoy the white beaches, turquoise waters, rockpools, and views of Ardnamurchan Point and The Small Isles. I encourage visitors to leave the beach as they found it and be mindful of the local wildlife.
Crofting and Fishing
1925
The photographer MEM Donaldson built Sanna Bheag.
1920s
Women of Sanna and Plocaig petitioned for a public road to Achnaha.
We finally got a road to Sanna in 1925 - the women of Sanna and Plocaig led the campaign and petitioned Queen Mary. Before the road was built, goods for the village were carried all the way from Achnaha, and coffins had to be carried that way too.
A resident of Sanna you may have heard of is the photographer and writer MEM Donaldson. She travelled extensively through Scotland, and her work shows everyday lives of Ardnamurchan residents of the time.
Now a private dwelling, photographer and writer MEM Donaldson lived at Sanna Bheag, a dwelling built with local materials and labour. A fire in 1947 damaged the building, the cause of which is still a mystery. Thankfully, MEM Donaldson’s work survived the fire, and remains an archive that captures her experience of life in the 20th century Highlands. You can find out more about her life here: https://www.highlifehighland.com/inverness-museum-and-art-gallery/m-e-m-donaldson/
The writer Alasdair MacLean writes about his childhood on the family croft at Sanna in his book, Night Falls on Ardnamurchan. It details the daily tasks of life crofting in Sanna, and gives an insight into crofting life at the time.
Eviction and Emigration
1860s
Sanna became a new crofting township.
My family and other folk moved to Sanna when we were evicted from the homes we had built - first in Bourblaige, and then Swordle. I hear the whole Swordle area is a large sheep farm now, and it breaks my heart to think of that land being inhabited only by sheep, when it used to be a community of hard working families. It’s been tough to have to start over again, especially here in Sanna, where the land is so difficult to croft. I envy the sheep who have the best of the land now!
Back in 1851 there were only three households here, but ten years on there are 23.
Prehistoric
Bronze Age
People first started to settle in Sanna.
There is a fort built here that looks out to sea - it’s the perfect vantage point to spot enemies arriving and scare them off with iron-tipped arrows!
When people first arrived on the peninsula they set up camp here - and you can see why; it’s a beautiful spot and great for gathering food from the sea - especially shellfish suppers, my favourite!
