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MHG11710 - Leathad Leanaich

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Type and Period (2)

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Full Description

NH79SW 6 717 947.

('E' NH 7171 9472) ('F' NH 7165 9477) ('G' NH 7166 9477) Hut Circles (NR)
('H' NH 7175 9483) ('J' NH 7167 9490) Hut Circles (NR)
OS 25" map, (1968)

Centred at NH 716 947 on the SW slopes of Leathad Leanaich, is a settlement of thirteen stone-walled huts (A-N) and an associated field system.
Hut 'A' is well preserved, but peat build up has obscured details, such as wall thickness, in the others. The entrance to huts 'C', 'K' and 'H' is not apparent. Except for 'M' and 'N', the entrance in the others is from the S and marked by a simple gap in the bank.
Hut 'A' is circular and measures c. 10.5m in diameter between wall centres. Occasional inner and outer facing stones are visible giving a wall thickness of 1.7m, but insufficient for accurate internal or over- all measurement.
'B', set into a slope, is circular and measures c. 10.5m in diameter between wall centres.
'C', is 12.5m in diameter between centres of an ill-defined wall.
'D', is circular and measures c. 12.5m in diameter between wall centres. 'E', described by RCAHMS (1911) as an ill-defined oval hut circle, measures c. 13.0m N-S by c. 11.0m between wall centres. A contemporary field wall extends NNE from the NE side of the hut and another extends SSE from the E side of the entrance.
'F' and 'G' are adjacent, lying WNW - ESE. 'F' measures c. 10.5m between centres of an ill-defined wall.
'G', described by RCAHMS as an enclosure on an artificial mound, abuts on to the ESE of 'F'. Occasional inner facing stones are visible giving an internal diameter of 5.5m within a wall spread to c2.0m all round. The interior of 'G' is lower than 'F'. A 3.5m wide gap in the wall between them suggests intercommunication.
'H' is mutilated and measures c. 11.5m in diameter between wall centres. 'J' is visible as a circular platform, c. 11.0m in diameter, built up on the slope.
'K' is oval and built up on the slope, measuring c. 11.5m N-S by c. 9.5m between centres of a wall spread to c. 3.0m on the SW arc, but only apparent as a rickle of stones on the NE arc.
'L' is oval on plan, measuring c. 12.5m N-S by c. 10.5m between wall centres.
'M' is visible as an oval platform, set into the slope measuring c. 7.0m NE-SW by c. 9.0m transversely. A hollow in the NW between the excavated and built up areas of the platform may be the entrance.
'N' built up on the slope, is circular and measures c. 8.5m in diameter between wall centres. The entrance is in the SE.
The field system, formed by stone clearance heaps with occasional lynchets and field walls, is best defined in the area immediately to the W of hut 'E' where a typical plot measures about 35m by 20m.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909; Visited by OS (R L) 22 October 1969.

Huts 'C', 'D', 'K', 'L' and 'M' surveyed and 'F', 'G', 'H' and 'J' revised at 1/2500.
Huts 'A', 'B' and 'N' surveyed at 1/2500
Visited by OS (J M) 14 May 1975.

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 7176 9477 (792m by 795m) (15 map features)
Map sheet	NH79SW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DORNOCH

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