EHG5564 - DBA and walkover survey - Muckrach Estate

A desk-based assessment and walkover survey was carried out by Highland Archaeology Services in 2021 in order to inform woodland creation proposals for areas of Muckrach Estate, near Grantown-on-Spey. The DBA noted that this was an area of high archaeological activity, particularly in the form of post medieval farming with several townships shown on historic maps. The walkover survey identified and recorded 175 features or small groups of features, most of which had already been noted in the DBA. These included the remains of 6 townships, 2 groups of isolated clearance cairns a group of possible pre-historic cairns and at least 12 groups of grouse butts. Recommendations are made for avoiding these features during plantation, including exclusion from planting areas with a programme of marking out, and some additional recording to enable planting in some areas. <1>