UHI Institute for Northern Studies Post Doctoral Research Associate, Dr Shane McLeod, has been awarded the prestigious Murray Prize for History 2025.

Description

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).