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MHG2566 - Upper Munsary

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Type and Period (3)

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Full Description

Upper Munsary: A heap of ruins; apparently a good farm at one time as there are a number of parks of arable land close by (see also ND24NW 15).
Name Book 1877

This is centred around two grass-covered long rectangular structures set almost parallel to each other. There is also a circular sheepfold to the N, and a small grass-covered rectangular structure with a kiln to the W.
The longest structure is aligned NE-SW, with maximum dimensions of 38.1m long by 5.6m wide at the NE end and 5m at the SW end. The walls are spread to c1.25m wide and are 0.15m high. The structure is divided into three parts, that at the NE end being 17.5m long between wall centres. The middle room being 8m long and the SW end being 10.5m long. There are no obvious breaks in the walls denoting entrances.
The external area at the SW end of this structure was disturbed, so it was unclear whether the building had originally been longer. However, some 4.5m to the SW there was a slight, small structure 2.4m long and 3.75m wide, which could once have been attached to the main building. This structure was separated from that to the SE by a ditch running parallel to it, somme 0.7m deep and 1.2m wide. This line was continued SE-wards by a grass-covered wall, now some 0.6m wide and 0.25m high. Another wall ran off the E corner of the building to the N, forming an arc beyond the sheepfold.
The SE rectangular structure was on a slightly different alignment to that described above. Its overall dimensions were 25.6m long, with its width varying from 7.5m at the NE end to 4.25m at the SW end. The walls are spread between a minimum of 0.85m and a maximum of 3m. They are 0.25m and 0.5m high. The structure is divided in two, that at the NE end is 16.5m long between wall centres and that at the SW end is 6.5m long. There is an entrance in the N wall by the internal division which is 1.4m wide and another, centrally placed in the dividing wall, is c0.5m wide.
To the SW is another small structure, again on a slightly different alignment. It is 6.6m long and 4.8m wide, with walls 0.75m thick and standing 0.45m high, and an entrance centrally placed in the N wall which is 0.8m wide. A grass-covered wall extends SW-wards from this structure.
A circular sheepfold, with an internal diameter of 13.2m, is situated 70m NNE of these structures. Its wall is 0.65m thick and a maximum of 1.05m high. The ruined entrance is almost to the SSW.
To the SW of the sheepfold, some 80m away, is another rectangular grass-covered structure aligned SW-NE. Its overall dimensions are 14m long and 4.8m wide. It consists of a large kiln at the NE end, spread to 7.05m long, 4.95m wide and 1.35m high, with a central hollow 0.7m in diameter. It is presumed that much of its corbelled walls are still in situ. The associated rectangular structure has apparently been split into two parts, with a small 'room' at the SW end 2.5m long. The walls are spread to between 0.6m and 1m wide, and are 0.4m high.
NMRS MS/645, p.7-8.

A farmstead comprising four unroofed buildings, two of which are long buildings, and three enclosures is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Caithness 1877, sheet xxviii), but it is not shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10,000 map (1975).
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 24 November 1995

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 2083 4514 (100m by 100m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND24NW
Civil Parish	WATTEN
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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