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MHG4331 - Dalcrombie

Summary

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

Renumbered from NH62NW0007A
JHooper, 13/12/2002
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NH62NW 7.00 61 29.

7.01 6110 2974 Carn Mor Hut-Circle; Field-System
7.02 609 294 Loch Duntelchaig Hut-Circles; Field-System
7.03 6105 2898 Dalcrombie Hut-Circle; Small Cairns

An extensive field-system and at least six hut-circles, seven shieling-huts, and a burial cairn are disposed along a well-drained E-facing slope rising up from the scrubby birch woodland which
fringes the W side of Loch Duntelchaig. The remains described here extend over about 1200m from N to S by at least 300m across and form part of a more extensive system of enclosure which can be traced for at least another 500m to the S and over 1200m to the SE, along the broad terrace between the N side of Loch Ruthven and the E side of Loch Duntelchaig. (See also NH62NW 10, 11, 12).
The field-system is composed of four main elements: large enclosures, smaller enclosures, rig and small cairns. The rig, and possibly some of the smaller enclosures, are likely to be medieval or later in date, whie the large enclosures and the small cairns appear to be earlier.
Towards the S end of the site there are three large enclosures measuring up to 250m across, to the N of which the gentler slopes on which the site is situated become more restricted and smaller enclosures (typically measuring about 100m across) appear to overlie the remains
of larger enclosures similar to those to the S. Some of the banks in the N half of the site display a slight reverse 'S' on plan and may be related to rig, up to 5m between furrows, visible intermittently across this half of the site. The rig, and possibly the smaller
enclosures or fields, may represent an outfield for one of the townships to the S (NH63NW 10 or 12). At the S end of the site, along the fringes of the fields and enclosures, there are scatters of small cairns measuring up to 5m in diameter and 0.4m in height. A discrete cluster occurs on a slight ridge in the boggy ground at the S end of the site, around the burial cairn (USN93 457).
The six hut-circles (USN93 23, 24, 26, 435, 436 and 465) are disposed along the gentler slopes between the 270m and 290m contour and all lie within the large enclosures and fields. The hut-circles measure up to 9.6m in diameter within stony banks up to 1.7m in thickness and 0.7m in height. Most are levelled into the slope with only two (USN93 435 and 436) being situated on flat ground. The position of the entrance is visible on four of the hut-circles, with two on the E (USN93 24 and 26) and two on the NW (USN93 23 and 465). What may be a further hut-circle is overlain by a field bank (USN93 434). USN93 25 may also be a hut-circle measuring 3.8m in diameter internally, the smallest
round house identified in the area.
The shieling-huts (USN93 4-64) are situated towards the N end of the site in sheltered locations and measure up to 7m by 3m within stone-and-turf banks up to 1.2m in thickness and 0.4m in height. One hut (USN93 433) is situated within a small enclosure. At the S end of the site, on a slight ridge within a scatter of small cairns, is a burial cairn (USN93 457), which has previously been identified as a hut-circle. It measures 8.3m in diameter and 0.4m in height, with a flattened top and an intermittent kerb.
(USN93 23-26, 433-436, 458-465)
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 20 October 1992.

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 6100 2899 (14m by 14m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH62NW
Civil Parish	DAVIOT AND DUNLICHITY
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

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