EHG1338 - DBA and walkover survey - Wester Cornhill

A walkover survey was carried out by Highland Archaeology Services in 2005 in response to an application for native woodland regeneration at Wester Cornhill, near Ardgay, Sutherland, Scotland. There were several clearly visible features within the scheme area, all of which appear to be 18th – 20th century in date. However they could occupy the sites of earlier features, of which buried traces could survive. They ranged from the footings of former buildings to stone dykes and field clearance cairns, and are worth retaining in the landscape. The report recommended that these features should be avoided by the scheme. Buffer zones were not pegged on site in this case since all the features should be clearly visible. To avoid the likelihood of future root damage, trees should not be planted within the expected distance of the mature canopy according to species. There were currently some active young trees growing on or against some of the features which should be removed by cutting to ground level and the stumps treated. Mature trees growing on the archaeological features should be left. <1>