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MHG1168 - Hut Circle, Minera

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Centred at ND 157 344, on the margin of open moorland, are four hut circles (A-D) all depleted and heather and grass-covered, and traces of associated land-use.
'A', at ND 1571 3447, measures approximately 14m in diameter over a wall up to 0.4m high, but spread to an indefinite width. In the S, a depression breaks the wall and pierces the hut interior; this was probably the entrance, accentuated by later disturbance.
'B', at ND 1568 3444, measures 7m in diameter within a wall, 0.2m average height, spread to a width of 2 to 2.5m. The entrance is in SSE. At a lower level outside this hut, to SW, is an enclosure, very possibly a hut circle, much reduced, and with its ENE arc apparently overlaid by 'B'. It measures some 10.5m N-S by 7m transversely over a peat-silted wall, 0.2m high and spread to a maximum width of 3m. The entrance is in the S.
'C', at ND 1577 3442, is built up on a slope and measures 9.0m N-S by 8m transversely within a wall, 0.2m average heght but of indeterminate width. The simple entrance is in the S.
'D', at ND 1576 3438, appears to comprise a hut circle within a second hut circle, sharing a common entrance in the SW. The outer structure measures 8.5m NE-SW by 7.5m transversely within a wall at best 3m wide and 0.5m high. The inner circle, less pronounced, measures internally 5.5m NE-SW by 4.5m transversely; its wall is very indeterminate. Outside the entrance, there appears to be a horned forecourt.
There are several stone clearance heaps and a number of field walls partly buried in the peat, in the vicinity of these hut circles.
Surveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (J M) 19 October 1982.

Five heather and grass-grown hut-circles (lettered A-E and centred on ND 157 344) are situated amongst field clearance heaps and traces of field boundaries immediately to the S of a modern fence and an older ruinous stone dyke separating the improved fields from the open moorland at Minera. Hut-Circle ?E? has not been recorded previously.
A (ND 1571 3447) measures 11.8m N-S by 13.8m transversely within a stony bank spread to a maximum thickness of 2m and no more than 0.3m in height. The bank is heavily eroded and the N arc has been virtually destroyed. The entrance is possibly on the SSW, where a shallow depression breaks the bank and continues into the interior, but this may be the result of more recent disturbance.
B (ND 1568 3444) measures 8.9m from N to S by 9.8m internally. Its bank is spread 1.8m in thickness, and stands to a maximum of 0.4m in height at the entrance on the S. The peat covered circular enclosure to the SW noted by the OS was not visible in deep heather on the date of visit.
C (ND 1577 3442) is situated on a raised terrace some 90m to the S of hut-circle A. It measures 12m from N to S by 14m transversely within a bank spread about 2.5m in thickness by 0.2m in height; the entrance was possibly on the S. Some stone is visible in the bank, and there is also a spread of stones outside the bank on the W.
D (ND 1576 3438) is situated 40m SW of hut-circle ?C? and has the appearance of comprising one small hut-circle constructed within a larger hut-circle. The larger measures 12.5m from N to S by 14m transversely within a heather-grown stony bank spread up to 4m in thickness and 0.5m in height. There is a broad gap in the E arc, where the bank has been levelled, but the original entrance may have been on the SW. The perimeter of the inner hut-circle is much less pronounced and measures 5m from NE to SW by 4.3m internally.
E (ND 1582 3442) is situated on a low terrace some 30m E of hut-circle C. It measures 11.3m in diameter within a heather-grown stony bank spread 2.6m in maximum thickness and 0.3m in height. The position of the entrance could not be discerned.
Within the area occupied by the hut-circles there are several stone clearance heaps, including a line of five to the NE of hut-circle A, and also three lengths of field-bank partly buried in the peat. A fourth length of bank extends up the slope to the E.
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, IP) August 1997

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Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 1579 3453 (280m by 365m) (9 map features)
Map sheet	ND13SE
Civil Parish	LATHERON
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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