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MHG11962 - Fishing station - Portnacon

Summary

This fishing station is described in the NMRS from cartographic sources.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A rapid coastal zone assessment survey was conducted by GUARD in the Autumn of 1997 commissioned by Historic Scotland from the Viking and Early Settlement Archaeological Research Project based at the University of Glasgow.

This fishing station is described in the NMRS from cartographic sources (OS 6-inch map, Sutherland 1878, sheet xv and OS 1:10,560 map, 1961, NC 46 SW). This site is comprised of a two-storey and attic storehouse, with an external stair to the first floor and a small cottage next door. Both of these buildings display the characteristic Sutherland Estates projecting eaves and are currently in use, with the main buildings being converted to B&B accommodation. There is also a small, wooden smoking-house set on a stone base. There is a c 50 m long jetty and pier which is 4 m wide and is in good condition except for some damage to the stone work at the seaward side. The wood-piled extension to this pier and jetty (Hume, 1977, 314) is no longer functional and is only evident as uprights at low tide. Whilst this complex can be viewed as a nineteenth century fishing station, the jetty and pier also served the ferry crossing of Loch Eriboll into the twentieth century (Close-Brooks, 1995; 60). See also Beaton, 1995, 93; Close-Brooks, 1995, 33; and Hume, 1977, 59. <1>

NGR adjusted based on 1999-2001 vertical aerial photographs. <2>

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 4269 6034 (29m by 56m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC46SW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DURNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

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