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MHG17932 - Farmstead - Bagh Uaigneach

Summary

Situated at the south of a small bay at the NE of Loch Eriboll is a deserted farmstead.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A farmstead containing what may be two unroofed buildings is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Sutherland 1878, sheet vi). Two unroofed buildings, one of which is sub-divided, are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10,560 (1983).
Information from RCAHMS (FO) 9 August 1995.

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.

Situated at the south of a small bay at the NE of Loch Eriboll is a deserted farmstead comprised of two structures at right-angles to each other as described in the NMRS from cartographic sources. The structure at the NE measures 13.3 m NE-SW by 3.8 m over walls 0.8 m thick and is bi-compartmental. The NE compartment is 6.5 m long and has a window-opening, surviving only as the bottom lintel, at the seaward (NW) side and a possible collapsed fireplace in the NE gable. The entrance to this compartment is in the same wall as the window and the partition wall is immediately on the right through this entrance. The SW compartment is 6.8 m long and is entered on the seaward side with the SW gable end on the right through this entrance. There are no discernible internal features in this compartment. The NE gable of this structure is abutted by an enclosure which runs to the NE. This enclosure is visible for 10 m at the seaward side before it disappears into the beach rubble. This wall may have originally been 13.5 m long judging by the area of collapse but the encroachment of the storm beach makes this difficult to ascertain. The enclosure is 7 m wide.

The second structure of this complex is at right-angles to the first, 3 m away at the SW end and measures 16 m E-W by 4.3 m. The 3 m gap between these two structures is full of rubble and is overgrown, but there is a suggestion of structural elements within this rubble and this area may have been a corn-drier or similar ancillary farm building. The second structure is also bi-compartmental with the E compartment measuring 6 m long and entered through the seaward (NW) wall with the partition-wall on the right through the entrance. There is a possible fireplace in the east gable, marked by a large lintel-stone. This compartment is full of rubble. At the west end of the 10 m long west compartment there is an adjoining, three-sided store which extends the length of this structure by 2.5 m. The west end of this structure has been reduced to 1-2 courses and is covered in beach rubble and tumble. The maximum height of survival of the structures at this complex is 2 m high at the gables furthest removed from the sea. The seaward edges of this site have been reduced to as low as 1 course (0.2-0.3 m). To the west of these structures, in a flat area NE of Loch Uamh Dhadhaidh, is a green field that exhibits no obvious cultivation-marks but which has drainage channels cut through it. Where the turf has been ripped away from the edge of the storm beach in the area between the structures and the field there are a number of large, deep-set angular blocks visible which appear to be an attempt to create a channel between the lochan and the sea to either drain excess water away from the land and back to the sea or channel sea-water into the lochan. This site is being badly eroded by both the sea and the lochan. <1>

NGR adjusted based on 2023 vertical aerial photographs. <2>

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 4557 6444 (21m by 21m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC46SE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DURNESS

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