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MHG12282 - Loch Dola

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Type and Period (2)

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Full Description

(Centred NC 614 080) Settlement and Field System (NR)
OS 1:10,000 map, (1971)

A settlement consisting of hut circles, enclosures and field clearance, mainly on the summit and N-facing slope of a ridge. With few exceptions diameters range between 6.4m and 11m, and entrances are generally in the SE or S.
Hut 'A', at NC 6143 0810, is larger than usual, with interior diameters of 10.3m and 13.7m. It is adjoined on the SSW by a smaller circle 8.5m by 9.4m, the common bank being 3.6m across and apparently unbroken by an entrance. Both huts are entered separately from the SE.
Hut 'B', at NC 6137 0803, measures internally 7.3m by 9.4m. It appears to have been much larger but to have been filled up on the W side, making the bank on that side 4.2m across.
Hut 'C', at NC 6142 0799, on the top of the ridge, measures 6.4m by 7.3m and seems to have been hollowed out. Hut 'D', at NC 6154 0812, 10m in diameter with a heather-covered bank 3.6m wide and 0.4m high, has no apparent entrance.
Enclosure 'E', at NC 6126 0791, on the top of an adjoining ridge, is 11.5m in diameter with an earth and stone bank 3.0m wide, 0.3m high internally and 0.5m high externally. The entrance, 1.0m wide, is in
the SE.
Hut 'F', at NC 6110 0807, is 10.5m in diameter with an entrance 1.4m wide in the SE. It is fragmentary but best preserved in the SE.
Hut 'G', at NC 6134 0815, measures 9.7m by 8.8m with an entrance 1.5m wide in the SE.
Enclosure 'H', at NC 6162 0795, measures 13m by 12m and consists of a substantial wall of stone and turf now spread to an average width of 4m and an average height of 0.8m. No entrance is identifiable, but it was probably in the SE or S.
Enclosure 'J', at NC 6167 0792, is 11m in diameter and consists of a turf-covered wall of stone, 2.5m wide, with an average height of 0.5m. The entrance, 1m wide, is in the S.
'K', at NC 6166 0797, is a circular stone structure built into the slope on its SW side. It appears to consist of a stone wall about 1m wide and barely 0.2m high. It has an overall diameter of 5.5m and its interior, largely filled with stones, is 0.8m deep. Though no trace of water was seen, it is possible that this has been a well.
Hut 'L', at NC 6140 0798, was almost effaced in 1909 and by 1963 was too fragmentary to classify.
Hut 'M', at NC 6140 0806, is shown on OS 6"map, 1st ed. (1873), but is not otherwise mentioned.
Stone clearance heaps are scattered throughout the area which measures about 700m by 300m.
Sites 'D', 'E', 'H', 'J' and 'K' were first discovered during field investigation in 1963.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909; Visited by OS (W D J) 2 July 1963 and (E G C) 7 July 1963.

A settlement of ten hut circles (A-J) and a field system are generally as described by the previous field investigators. The previously noted enclosures 'E', 'H' and 'J' are hut circles. Structure 'K' is sub-circular on plan, measuring internally 2.7m E-W by 2.4m transversely. Its function is unknown, although it may be a well as previously suggested. The bare stone of the wall contrasts with the two adacent huts ('H' and 'J') suggesting that it probably post-dates them. Huts 'L' and 'M' cannot be located. The clearance heaps are particularly concentrated around huts 'B' and 'C', and occasional lynchets also occur. No measurable plots were seen.
Revised at 1:10,000.
Visited by OS (J B) 7 October 1980.

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 6143 0804 (766m by 424m) (3 map features)
Map sheet	NC60NW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	LAIRG

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