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MHG12824 - Cnoc Olasdail

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Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

(Centred NC 548 182) Enclosures (NR) (six shown)
OS 6" map (1963)

A settlement of seven hut circles accompanied by probable field clearance heaps lying on the SW slopes of Cnoc Olasdail.
'A' : NC 5497 1817. The most easterly of the hut circles measuring 6.3m in diameter, with a bank of earth and stone 0.3m high and spread to a width of 1.3m. There is a mutilated entrance about 1m wide on the
south. Within a radius of 200m on the west and north-west are five other hut circles slightly scooped into the slope on the north and built up on the south. They range from 8m to 12m in diameter with turf banks averaging 0.2m in height and about 2.5m in width with possible, but mutilated, entrances on the south.
'B': NC 5461 1812. 370m west of 'A' is a solitary hut circle with an earth and stone bank 0.2m high and spread to a width of 2m. There is a possible, very mutilated entrance on the south.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 30 April 1961

This settlement, comprising six stone-walled huts (A-F) lies among rough grazing land. 'A', 5.0m in diameter internally, is as described. 'B' is set on a small rise in the marshy valley floor. It measures 7.0m N-S by 6.0m within the turf-covered wall. Some stones, probably clearance, have been thrown at the west side of the entrance. The other huts are generally in a poor condition with 'F' the best preserved. The feature shown at NC 5486 1820 is a fortuitous arrangement of a clearance heap and a stretch of banking, and is not a hut circle. A field system of nine hectares surrounds the huts and continues to the east, but it does not extend beyond the change of slope to include 'B'. It consists of small, turf-covered clearance heaps, short stretches of banking and a few lynchets. No measurable field plots were encountered.
Revised at 1:10,000
Visited by OS (JB) 20 August 1976

Eight hut circles and enclosures are noted at about NC 5503 1819 - No 15; 5499 1814 - No 17; 5501 1820 - No 18; 5497 1822 - No 21; 5491
1817 - No 22; 5486 1823 - No 24; 5483 1827 - No 25; 5495 1819 - No 30:- some of which must coincide with the OS recorded sites.

As well as the 'cairnfield' covering an area 350m by 275m at NC 561 181, clearance cairns occur at NC 5502 1817, NC 5499 1820, NC 5495 1823, NC 5481 1803, NC 5487 1828 and NC 5489 1823 and range from 2m to 4m in diameter, with a height of 0.7m. At NC 5497 1817 and NC 5494 1816 are turf mounds 3m to 4m in diameter and 0.5m high in which no stone is visible.
R J Mercer 1980

On the eight enclosures and hut circle features noted by Mercer four List Nos 15. (Plan), 22 (Plan), 24 and 25 (Plan) are identified with OS hut circles A, D, E and F; respectively; a fifth, (No 17) applies to a slight, annular bank associated with land activity abandoned in the 18/19th century. The remaining three not positively located. The cairns, mounds and cairn-field are constituted at the field system described by OS investigator (JB).
Visited by OS (JM) 25 June 1981

OS 'A' As previously described. It incorporates a clearance cairn into its SW wall. Inner facing stones are visible on the W.
OS 'C' A hut platform with an entrance to the SE, situated on a SW-facing slope. It measures 7.1m (NNW-SSE) by 6.1m with slight traces of a bank to the NW, over walls c. 1.8m thick, 0.2m maximum height, with a rear scarp of c.0.3m. There are possible insubstantial platforms immediately to the SW.
OS 'D' Hut platform situated on a SW-facing slope. It measures 10.8m SE-NW by 7.9m over a bank spread up to 3m thick, c. 0.2m high. There is a broad entrance to the SSE.
OS 'E' Hut platform situated on a SW-facing slope. It measures 10m NNW-SSE by 7.2m over a bank 2m thick, c. 0.2m high. The entrance is to the S.
G To the immediate S of hut platform D, at NC 5483 1813, there is a hut-platform on a SW-facing slope. It measures 8.5m SSE-NNW by 5.2m. Erosion reveals a revetment of large boulders along the SW side
which stand up to 0.6m high. There is no sign of an entrance.
Surveyed at 1:10,000.
H At NC 5488 1813 a small sub-rectangular enclosure incorporates a
small cairn.
Surveyed at 1:10,000.
At NC 5510 1818 there is an insubstantial enclosure visible by the occasional stone (some upright) and a short length of bank to the W. There has been no attempt to level the enclosure, which measures 7.9m N-S by 9.6m, into the hillside. Several prominent boulders are set into a slight bank; this may possibly be a stone circle.
Visited by RCAHMS (SMF) 19 October 1989.

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 5482 1819 (498m by 225m) (3 map features)
Map sheet	NC51NW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	LAIRG

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