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MHG24227 - Scardroy/Keanloch Beanchran

Summary

Upper township, Scardroy/Keanloch Beanchran

Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

NH25SW 8 centred on 209 519

What may be a township comprising three unroofed buildings is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet xcvi). One unroofed building is shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1971).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 5 March 1996

Site of Keanloch Beanchran township at the west end of Loch Beannacharain NMRS No NH25SW 0008. The core of the original (lower) township is now occupied by Scardroy Lodge and its policies (MHG 54367).

The upper township is situated 500m to the NW and was surveyed by NOSAS in 2007/8 as part of phase 2 of a larger project covering Strathconon. It is at an altitude of 180m and is situated around several knolls on a south facing slope to the NW of the Lodge. It comprises 6 buildings, 2 enclosures several field or possible boundary walls and pockets of former improved ground. The majority of this area is surrounded by a high deer fence and is used for pheasant rearing. It is mixed woodland with young trees but it is fairly open and overgrown with tussocky lush grass and heather. In the SW part, outwith the deer fence/pheasant area, there is a grassy fertile knoll with a steep bank down to a flat grassy field bounded by a stone wall and the Scardroy Burn. It is on extremely marginal land and the farms here may have been established as a result of clearance from the original township of Keannloch Beachrain.
The Upper Township (402 – 415) is centred on NH 209 519.

402 Earth bank - centred on NH 20918 51509. A substantial curving earth bank c.65m in length. It is 0.5m high, deteriorating towards the NE end and has a spread of 1-1.5m. It is situated above and on the edge of a steep slope down to the Scardroy Burn and may have been constructed to prevent stock from going over the edge.

403 Building/Possible Enclosure - NH 20981 51738 A large building on a NW-SE axis on top of a knoll. Measures 6m x 4m and is surrounded on three sides by low incomplete turf and stone walls. The fourth side, the NW wall, has more stone composition and is 0.5m high with a 1.5m-2m spread. There is an entrance in the NW corner.

405 Building - NH 21098 51903 A building on an E-W axis with internal measurements of c.13m x 3.5m. The substantial stone wall footings which are generally 0.4m high and have a spread of 1.5m, are grossly overgrown with long grass, 2 trees are growing in the centre. There are 2 compartments - the main W one is 9 x 3.5m and the E one is 4 x 2m. There is an entrance in the S wall of the main compartment. The site is sheltered on the E side of a knoll and there appears to be a small area of former improved ground to the south. Marked on FES

406 Enclosure - NH 21032 52025 A large sub-square enclosure on a S facing slope surrounded by a substantial earth bank (which could be of fairly recent construction). The enclosure measures 31 x 29m. It may have been constructed recently to encourage growth of young grass as part of the pheasant management.

407 Building - NH 21004 52048 A small building on an E-W axis measures 4 x 2m. Walls are overgrown but appear to be of stone, the E wall being most evident. There may be an entrance in the SE corner. Marked on the 1st edition OS survey.

409 Possible Boundary wall - centred on NH 20874 51947 A short stretch of earth bank grossly overgrown with heather is located close to building 410. As far as can be estimated it is generally 0.4m high and with a spread of 1.5-2m.

410 Building - NH 20883 51948 A building on an E-W axis, grossly overgrown with heather and with two compartments. W one is 6 x 2.5m and E one is 4 x 2m, as far as can be estimated the stone walls are generally 0.5m high and with a spread of 1-1.5m. Corners are squared and there may be an entrance in the S wall.

411 Possible Boundary wall - N part centred on 20867 51898 A substantial turf and stone wall which at its SW end finishes at a crag above the Scardroy Burn. The east end disappears into a marsh but the wall may continue to the south as stone footings can be seen continuing southward for 80m from the crag to join an upstanding stone wall close to the burn.

412 Enclosure - NH 20895 51892 A square enclosure measuring 11 x 11m is seen on the NE side of a knoll. It is surrounded by the remains of turf banks to 0.4m height. There may be an entrance in the SW corner.

413 Pit - NH 20939 51892 On the E end of a knoll this pit was 0.5m deep and had a diameter of 1.5m. No stone work was detected.

414 Building - NH 20932 51887 Barely discernable in the long grass this building is on an E-W axis and measures 9 x 3m internally. The south wall is more evident and there may be an entrance here. <1>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 2093 5186 (361m by 447m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH25SW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	CONTIN

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