MHG21432 - Crofting township - South Erradale, Gairloch

Summary

Crofting township at South Erradale, Gairloch

Type and Period (3)

  • CROFTING TOWNSHIP (19th Century - 1801 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ENCLOSURE (Post Medieval - 1560 AD? to 1900 AD?)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Post Medieval - 1560 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • None recorded

Full Description

A field-system and a crofting township comprising thirty-seven roofed, four partially roofed, five unroofed buildings, and ten enclosures is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet lvi). The field-system lies at the SE end of the township. Seventeen roofed, one partially roofed, four unroofed buildings, and the field-system are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10560 map (1969).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 25 April 1996

Thumbnail Photo of building remains
Wester Ross Project - Cathy Dagg, 03/04

Crofting township laid out on the grid pattern unique to Gairloch Estate on the broad flat ground flanking the River Erradale. A scatter of 19th century croft houses are still occupied, but there are a number of modern houses, buildings under construction and building plots laid out, mostly along the main road. At the east end of the township, furthest from the main road, the transverse road becomes a rubble sunken trackway and there are the greatest number of ruined structures, most probably 1845 croft buildings. The 1845 head dyke is well-preserved.

The name Erradale is recorded on Blaeu’s map. Roy’s military survey shows Eridale as two clusters of dwellings, both north of the river, while John Thomson’s map of 1823 shows a scatter of houses along the river.

Not located during this visit was the ‘Garradh Iaruinn’ or ‘iron dyke’ at the upper end of the crofts, a fence wall entirely composed for fifty yards of its length of masses of bog iron, varying from 3 to 13 inches in thickness, and some of them nearly a yard in length, erected in 1845. (Dixon’s ‘Gairloch’ p. 87) Also the Infants’ Burial Ground at the start of the old road to Badachro (Chadwick: Short Walks around Gairloch)
Wester Ross Project - Cathy Dagg, 23/3/04

A survey of South Erradale was undetrtaken by Macinnes, A. in 2013. <1>

1st Edition OS 6" <2>

NGR adjusted based on 2009 aerial photographs. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred NG 7452 7125 (1695m by 1036m) (2 map features)
Map sheet NG77SW
Geographical Area ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish GAIRLOCH

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (1)

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