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MHG12011 - Farmstead - Salamor

Summary

A ruined longhouse.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

CUCAP air photographs show a small roofless building at NC 3760 6868.
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 11 August 1995.

A partially roofed building is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Sutherland 1878, sheet v). It is shown as a five compartment, unroofed building on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1991).
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 10 August 1995.

The enclosures and fields are as described by the previous field investigator. The ruined longhouse of Solmar is 40.0m by 4.0m, standing to the wall head in places.
Revised at 1:10,000.
Visited by OS (J B) 27 November 1978.

About 150 m SW of the ruins of Solmar is an extensive area of rectangular enclosures. The area lies in a wide hollow running N-S and the enclosures are separated by banks of turf measuring 3.0m wide, varying from 0.1m to 0.3m in height. It is probable that the area is an elaborate system of fields belonging to the croft of Solmar.
Visited by OS (W D J) 11 April 1960.

(Centred NC 3753 6855) Earthworks.
Visible on OS air photograph 5.S.20:190 :flown 18 August 1955.

Salamor is a shepherd's dwelling.
Name Book 1874. <1>

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.

Located on a flat terrace above a grassed slope leading to the coast is a ruined longhouse. This site is considerably more complex than the description in the NMRS, following OS field visits in 1960 (WDJ) and 1978 (JB), would suggest. Measuring 40 m by 4 m and oriented NE-SW, this building has six closed compartments. The two most easterly compartments are butt-jointed extensions to the original structure. At the W end there is an adjoining open-fronted compartment which may have served as an outhouse store. There are an adjoining pair of yards at the E end of the longhouse. The first of these is built against the front wall of the house and measures 12 m by 13.5 m by 9 m with the second yard being essentially a 21 m extension to the E of this. There is a further adjoining yard at the E end of the rear of the building where there is also a possible garden area. Downslope from the longhouse, situated on a flat terrace above Eilean Dubh inlet, are the foundations of a small subsidiary building measuring 4 m by 7.2 m with walls 0.6 m wide (NC 3760 6868). The field system at the SW of this farmstead is of at least nine linear fields and is as described in the NMRS (centred on NC 3753 6855). Although this farmstead and agricultural landscape is under little direct threat, a proper survey at a larger scale than 1:10 000 is appropriate. <2>

a) subrectangular, tri-compartmental structure, built of roughly dressed basal quartzite blocks and and apparently all of one build except for largely levelled S compartment, which appears to have been rebuilt on earlier footings. The rest stands largely to wall heads. Stripfields 151 lie on terrace below, to SW.
B) On terrace directly below steading, perched above small beach, is a small rectangular structure defined by low footings. The initials 'K A' have been spelled in stones in interior - at NC 3760 6868.
Stone used is similar to that 19th century sheepfolds elsewhere on the headland (eg site 125), suggesting they were built in single phase of Improvements with stone brought in for the purpose.
19th century shepherd's steading, possibly overlying remains of earlier township (though no real evidence on the ground for this, other than strip fields 151). See NMRS NC36NE 3.
On level terraces under thick turf and marram, tucked into base of steep craggy slope to E. W-facing across Kyle of Durness and Eilean Dubh.
Recommendations: None. <3><4>

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 37652 68675 (44m by 51m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC36NE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DURNESS

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