EHG483 - Walkover survey - Achany Wood, Inveran

A rapid walkover survey was undertaken in two phases by Wordsworth Archaeological Services in 1998 of the a proposed WGS area at Inveran, Achany Wood, Lairg. The purpose of this survey was to supply information on the location and condition of any archaeological sites so that they could be protected prior to the felling of the standing timber and during subsequent replanting operations. A desk-based search had been carried out by the Highland Council Archaeology Service in their Sites and Monuments Record and no archaeological sites were recorded during this search. The 1st and 2nd edition OS maps of the area were examined by the writers in Highland Council Archives. The area was initially surveyed by J Kendrick in July, but the extensive vegetation growth, especially of bracken, made it difficult to identify any significant archaeological features. The second visit was carried out on the 4th December by J Wordsworth after frost had killed the bracken. While visibility was much improved, previous forestry ploughing and extensive thinning where the felled timber had been left in place, made for difficult survey conditions. The areas were examined in a series of traverses that attempted to follow the contours of the ground west to east. Because of the rapid nature of this survey and the surface terrain, there was no guarantee that all the archaeological features were recorded. However it was considered that the most significant features were noted. Three sites (Sites 6,7 & 10) had previously been identified on Forestry Commission maps. D MacNeill from the Forest Authority, had also annotated on the map supplied a ‘hut circle’ (Site 3), a ‘trench-type feature’ (Site 4) and 2 other ‘possible features’ (Sites 13 & 14). Another site (Site 11) had been taped on the ground but this was not recorded on the map supplied. Apart from the previously identified hut circle and the possible cairn to the north of it, the remains noted were consistent with a late prehistoric or medieval settlement in this area. There was little evidence for extensive settlement. In part this may have been due to the effects of forestry ploughing and it was clear that a small group of cairns such as those found at Site 9 must have been part of a more extensive system of cultivation. However, there were not extensive tracts of deep peat in this forest and it was likely that larger features such as hut circles and clearance cairns would survive despite the effects of ploughing. The settlement traces may have been destroyed by later cultivation practices such as runrig that had not themselves survived forestry ploughing. Alternatively it may be that the nature of the terrain and the underlying soils were less suitable than that chosen for the recorded settlements to the east. However, a 1794 Estate map suggested there was extensive cultivation in this area. Also the pollen samples taken in association with the excavations at Allt na Fearna showed there was considerable manipulation of the land and the vegetation in the Lairg area from prehistoric to modern times. Little evidence survived of these impacts in Inveran Wood. <1>