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MHG11794 - Camore Wood

Summary

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Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

NH78NE 2 775 894.

('A' NH 7807 8960) Hut Circle (NR)
('B' NH 7806 8936) Hut Circle (NR)
('C' NH 7778 8950) Hut Circle (NR)
('D' NH 7762 8952, 'E' NH 7752 8946) Hut Circles (NR) (2 shown)
('G' NH 7742 8938, 'Z' NH 7738 8933) Hut Circles (NR) (2 shown)
('H' NH 7731 8951, 'J' NH 7722 8941) Hut Circles (NR) (2 shown)
('M' NH 7703 8936) Hut Circle (NR)
('N' and 'O' NH 7715 8933, 'Q' NH 7713 8926) Hut Circles (NR) (2 shown) ('S' NH 7722 8922, 'Y' NH 7725 8916, 'T' NH 7724 8921) Hut Circles (NR) (3 shown)
('U' NH 7722 8900) Hut Circle (NR)
(NH 770 893) Cairns (NR)
(NH 771 894) Cairns (NR)
(NH 773 894) Cairns (NR)
(NH 7740 8936)Cairn (NR)
(NH 7762 8951) Cairn (NR)
OS 6" map, (1959)

Some 300 yards SE of the cairn (NH78NE 1) near the centre of Camore Wood, at the edge of a clearing, is a hut circle (possibly Hut 'L'). It measures 30' x 34' internally, within a bank 5' 6" to 6' thick except at the entrance, in the SE, where it projects outwards on either side to form a passage 10 or 11' in length and 9' in width.
On top of a knoll some 300 yards S is a circular enclosure 28' internal diameter, within a bank 6' thick. The interior has been hollowed out.
The entrance, from the NE is 6' wide. There are several small mounds and the remains of a few simple oval hut circles about the wood at this point, but undergrowth and planting have obscured the details.
Four of the 'hut circles' noted on the OS map in the E half of the wood have more the appearance of cattle enclosures.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909.

Centred at NH 775 894 is a settlement of 25 stone-walled huts ('A' to 'Y') and the remains of a contemporary field system.
All the huts are circular and with the exception of 'D', 'E', 'I', 'L', 'M', 'O' and 'P', are formed by a wall spread to a regular width all round. Huts 'C' to 'Y' are mutilated by reafforestation.
Apart from 'D', 'L', 'O' and 'P' the measurements are given between wall centres.
Hut 'A' measures c.13.5m in diameter withthe wall spread to c.2.5m. The 'simple' entrance in the SW is c.1.5m wide.
'B' is the same size as 'A' and has a 'simple' entrance in the NE,
c.1.5m wide. A boulder immediately outside the entrance appears to be displaced from the NW side of the entrance. Around the S arc, outside the hut wall, are traces of what is possibly a drainage ditch.
At NH 7800 8926, about 115.0m SSW of 'B', in a SW- facing slope, is a possible hut formed by a circular hollow, c.6.5m in diameter, bounded by a turf-covered bank of earth and stone in the N, W and S, and by an irregular scarp in the E. The bank varies in width from c.3.5m in the N to c.5.0m where it ends on the S.
'C' is the same size as 'A' and 'B', but the entrance is not evident.
'D' has no facing stones evident but the interior appears to be circular, c.11.5m in diameter, and is bounded by a wall spread to c. 3.0m at the rear, widening to c.5.5m at the 'clubbed' entrance in the SE.
'E' measures c. 14.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.2.5m in the N, but too reduced to measure elsewhere. The entrance, in the S, is poorly defined.
'F' and 'G' are contiguous, lying N to S.
'F' measures c. 13.5m in diameter with the wall spread to c.3.0m. The entrance, in the E, is mutilated.
'G', to the S of 'F', may be an enclosure associated with 'F' rather than a hut. It is formed by a sub-circular wall spread to c.3.0m, but the N arc is missing; the wall stops short of 'F' by about 1.5m on both sides. It measures c.14.0m from the NW through the entrance in the SE on both sides of which is a mound extending SE for c.5.0m. In the interior is a circular depression c.4.5m in diameter.
'H', at the S base of a ridge running E to W, measures c. 11.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.2.5m. The entrance cannot be seen.
'I', is ill-defined measuring c.13.5m in diameter with the wall spread to an indeterminate width and the entrance is not evident.
'J' measures c.12.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.2.0m. The entrance in the ENE is mutilated. A stone clearance heap lies immediately outside the W arc of the hut.
'K' measures c.14.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.3.0m. The entrance in the ESE is mutilated. A lynchet curves to the W from the NW arc of the hut.
'L' has no facing stones evident but the interior appears to be circular, c.10.0m in diameter, and is bounded by a wall spread to c.3.0m at the rear increasing to c.6.0m at the 'clubbed' entrance in the S.
'M' measures c.9.5m N to S with the wall spread to c.4.0m. The entrance in the W is mutilated. The E arc of the hut has been destroyed by a quarry.
'N' and 'O', set into the top of a knoll, are contiguous, lying E to W.
'N' measures c.11.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.3.0m. The 'simple' entrance in the E is c.1.5m wide.
'O' abuts onto the W side of 'N' and is formed by a hollow c.14.0m in diameter. A wall has probably surrounded it but there is little trace of it now. The entrance is indicated by a gap in the SW of the scarp forming the hollow.
'P' is joined to 'O' by a wall and is visible as a platform, c.6.5m in diameter, set into a W facing slope, and is surrounded by traces of a wall. The entrance is not apparent.
'Q', set on a knoll, measures c.9.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.2.5m. From the W side of the entrance, which is in the ESE, an ill-defined bank leads SE for c.5.0m.
'R' measures c. 8.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.2.0m. It is set into a W-facing slope with the mutilated entrance down the slope.
'S' measures c.11.5m in diameter with the wall spread to c.3.5m. The 'simple' entrance is in the S. A gap in the N arc leads into an attached u-shaped annexe measuring c.4.5m. N to S by c.5.0m transversely, with a wall spread to c. 2.0m.
'T' is the same size as 'A', 'B' and 'C' and has a 'simple' entrance in the E.
'U', at NH 7721 8903, measures c.10.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.3.0m. The W quadrant has been destroyed.
'V' set into a W slope, measures c.8.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.2.0m. The entrance cannot be seen. Attached to the NNE side is a circular hollow, c.4.0m in diameter, bounded by traces of a stone wall. It is possibly an annexe to the hut, similar to hut 'S', but there is no sign of intercommunication.
A curving field wall extends from the S side of hut 'V' and fades out near hut 'W'.
'W' and 'X' are contiguous, lying NE to SW.
'W' measures c. 11.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.3.0m. Although there are two gaps in the wall of this hut, that in the SE from the better approach, is probably the entrance.
'X', on the SW of 'W', is the same size as 'W', with an entrance in the SE. Attached to the SW side of 'X' is an oval enclosure measuring c. 9.0m NW to SE by c.3.5m transversely, within a wall spread to c.2.0m. No entrance to this enclosure is evident and there is no trace of intercommunication with the hut.
About 10.0m and 20.0m S of 'X' are two circular depressions, each c.8.0m in diameter, possibly the remains of huts.
'Y' measures c. 10.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c.2.5m. The entrance cannot be seen.
Of 'Z', published on OS 6"map, there is no trace in an area of whin. It may have been destroyed by a modern fence and ditch.
The 'cairns' published on OS. 6", where evident are stone clearance heaps. Together with a few others, an occasional lynchet and a few field walls, they indicate the remains of a contemporary field system which has probably been most destroyed by forestry operations.
Except for hut 'L' it is impossible to relate the RCAHMS information with any degree of certainty to any of the huts.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (R L) 31 March 1971.

Scheduled Ancient Monument Management Plan, 1st April 2003 to 31st March 2008. HS, 11/03/03. See assoc. docs. File.
J Aitken : 25/03/03

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 7755 8935 (1165m by 823m) (23 map features)
Map sheet	NH78NE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DORNOCH

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