EHG3503 - Fasnakyle Bridge

NH 3253 2945 (centred on) Walkover surveys in July and October 2008 of the offsite cable route for this wind farm proposal led to the identification of an unrecorded ruined crofting complex. It contains seven distinct elements, three of which are rectangular house sites, the others being ancillary features relating to cultivation. They are clustered within a 200m stretch of the SE side of the Strathglass valley, overlooking the valley floor between Fasnakyle and Kerrow at altitudes of 135–155m OD. A modern 4x4 track up this dense scrub woodland hillside passes through the cluster, with sites A–F between 30 and 200m NE of the track and site G 7m to its SW. Sites A–D were initially located during an as yet unreleased walkover survey by GUARD for the Beauly-Denny pylon line, and then visited and described as part of this project. Details of each structure are: A) NH 3254 2949 – Possible hut platform Strange feature containing wall outlines partially buried by clearance rubble dump, but with dug-in back wall. Possible second phase of dug-in structure with walling later abandoned and used as dump. Max dimension 6m. B) NH 3253 2945 – Dry stone wall and clearance cairn 5–8m long wall base, only 2 sides. Possible kitchen garden as F. Cairn is very small stone heap. C) NH 3259 2941 – Croft house 1 (described by GUARD as a collapsed building) Major feature, long croft house, c18 x 5m, NNE/SSW orientation, rectangular plan with squared corners, internal divisions. May have less substantial shed onto N end wall. D) NH 3256 2941 – Stone platform (described by GUARD as a collapsed building) 3 x 3m outline wall base/surface for a very small hut or possibly a haystack platform. E) NH 32516 29383 – Croft house 2 Rectangular wall outline up to three courses high, 8.8 x 5.1m, walls 0.5m thick, with internal crosswalk and squared corners. NNE/SSW orientation, E side partly dug into hillside, big cornerstone at base of NW corner. Some collapsed rubble inside and outside wall outlines. F <1>