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MHG14545 - Enclosure - Kiltarlity Cottages

Summary

Enclosure by Kiltarlity Cottages.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

The Inverness Field Club, led by Donald Coghill, surveyed a number of sites in the Aird area between 1987 and 1989.
Northeast of Kiltarlity Cottages. A substantial rampart 50 yards long running N.E. - S.W. between the road and the bottom of a steep bank. In its best section it is 5 to 6 yards wide at the base and over 3 feet high from the bottom of the ditch at the southeast side. This ditch is about 3 yards wide at the bottom. At the other and north side of the road there is the rampart only which runs at right angles to the northwest and above the edge of a steep bank, where after 55 yards it meets the bottom of another steep bank. It appears there could be other minor earthworks to the southeast of the area. Over the fence above the bank at the southwest side, and in rough grazing at the edge of an arable field, there are the stone footings of a circular enclosure. This enclosure has a flatter side at the southeast where there is a 6 feet wide entrance, and opposite there is another 6 feet wide gap. The diameter of this enclosure in both directions is 28 yards. <1>

NGR adjusted based on 2015 aerial photographs. <2>

Photographs of the feature were supplied by I Shepherd of the Lovat Estates in 2016 ahead of the excavation of a water pipeline that would run through the enclosure. <3>

The site was visited by M Marshall of NoSAS on 23/04/2016: a sub-circular enclosure approximately 29m in diameter surrounded by a grass covered stoney bank c0.5-0.6m in height and with a spread of 1.5-2m. Two entrances are seen, the one in the west wall is 2m in width and the one at the SE corner is 1.5m in width. The stoney mounds internally are field clearance; also internally are the old stumps of 2 felled trees. An old field boundary on which a few mature oak trees, some quite ancient, are growing is contiguous. Interpretation – this feature is unlikely to be an animal enclosure, although the entrances would indicate this. The surrounding landscape, which is (almost) parkland suggests that the feature is a plantation enclosure (constructed to keep animals away from newly planted trees) possibly 18th century; it may well have had later use as a stock enclosure. <4>

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 4934 4401 (36m by 33m) Indicative centroid
Map sheet	NH44SE
Civil Parish	KILTARLITY AND CONVINTH
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

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External Links (1)