EHG5909 - Excavation - Lost Inverlael: Finding Balblair Project

A targeted excavation was undertaken by members of the local community, including pupils from Ullapool High School, and led by Highland Archaeology Services in 2021 at Inverlael Township. Although known through documentary sources, the site located at the south end of Loch Broom was previously entirely un-excavated. This limited excavation is part of a wider project which has included a walkover survey (see EHG5908) and will include further excavations in 2022 (see EHG5910). The excavation was primarily a training exercise but also aimed to attain dating and occupation evidence for structures on the south of the River Lael. It and was limited by volunteer numbers to two trenches over two structures noted during the walkover survey. An interim report was issued aiming to make the initial findings available to all interested parties as soon as possible. Further reports and recommendations will follow in 2022. <1> A final report on all the the excavations was produced in 2024. Although the excavations were small scale and targeted the findings implied a large community living across the main or lower part of the site around the time it was cleared. The findings also clearly implied a greater time depth to the site back into the 1600’s. In addition, there was good evidence for a prosperous community with large scale grain processing and a scatter of more expensive imported items. The results from this work presented some obvious areas for more work that may answer more questions about Inverlael and about post-medieval rural settlement and economy in the Highlands. The work was targeted in geographic area and limited in scope of excavation. It demonstrated a potential to recover material indicating domestic use and status. The limitations were linked to limited/poor dating and shallow stratigraphy. It was recommended that further work be carried out to gain a better understanding of the wider community of Inverlael. This should include: fuller survey of the shielings and outlying structures; Excavation to find the mill; Further excavation to understand structure A24; Excavation of suitable shielings; Loch Maree glass making. <2>