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MHG32296 - Hut Circle - Camore Wood

Summary

A hut Circle in Camore Wood.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A hut circle at Camore Woods. Recorded by the OS as Hut circle 'F'. The hut circle is marked on the 1st edition OS map. A second hut circle (or enclosure?) abuts immediately to the southwest (see MHG48758).

('A' NH 7807 8960) Hut Circle (NR)
('B' NH 7806 8936) Hut Circle (NR)
('C' NH 7778 8950) Hut Circle (NR)
('D' NH 7762 8952, 'E' NH 7752 8946) Hut Circles (NR) (2 shown)
('G' NH 7742 8938, 'Z' NH 7738 8933) Hut Circles (NR) (2 shown)
('H' NH 7731 8951, 'J' NH 7722 8941) Hut Circles (NR) (2 shown)
('M' NH 7703 8936) Hut Circle (NR)
('N' and 'O' NH 7715 8933, 'Q' NH 7713 8926) Hut Circles (NR) (2 shown) ('S' NH 7722 8922, 'Y' NH 7725 8916, 'T' NH 7724 8921) Hut Circles (NR) (3 shown)
('U' NH 7722 8900) Hut Circle (NR)
(NH 770 893) Cairns (NR)
(NH 771 894) Cairns (NR)
(NH 773 894) Cairns (NR)
(NH 7740 8936)Cairn (NR)
(NH 7762 8951) Cairn (NR)
OS 6" map, (1959)

Some 300 yards SE of the cairn (NH78NE 1) near the centre of Camore Wood, at the edge of a clearing, is a hut circle (possibly Hut 'L'). It measures 30' x 34' internally, within a bank 5' 6" to 6' thick except at the entrance, in the SE, where it projects outwards on either side to form a passage 10 or 11' in length and 9' in width.
On top of a knoll some 300 yards S is a circular enclosure 28' internal diamter, within a bank 6' thick. The interior has been hollowed out.
The entrance, from the NE is 6' wide. There are several small mounds and the remains of a few simple oval hut circles about the wood at this point, but undergrowth and planting have obscured the details.
Four of the 'hut circles' noted on the OS map in the E half of the wood have more the appearance of cattle enclosures.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909.

Centred at NH 775 894 is a settlement of 25 stone-walled huts ('A' to 'Y') and the remains of a contemporary field system.
All the huts are circular and with the exception of 'D', 'E', 'I', 'L', 'M', 'O' and 'P', are formed by a wall spread to a regular width all round. Huts 'C' to 'Y' are mutilated by reafforestation.
Apart from 'D', 'L', 'O' and 'P' the measurements are given between wall centres.
'F' and 'G' are contiguous, lying N to S.
'F' measures c. 13.5m in diameter with the wall spread to c.3.0m. The entrance, in the E, is mutilated.

The 'cairns' published on OS. 6", where evident are stone clearance heaps. Together with a few others, an occasional lynchet and a few field walls, they indicate the remains of a contemporary field system which has probably been most destroyed by forestry operations.
Except for hut 'L' it is impossible to relate the RCAHMS information with any degree of certainty to any of the huts.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (R L) 31 March 1971.

The site was scheduled with a number of others in the near vicinity in 1975.

The hut circle was recorded by Dornoch Heritage Society in 1993. Site F9: Plan: Central stone hearth classified as animal enclosure by RCAHMS. F= c13.5m diam with wall spread to c 3m. Entrance in E is mutilated. G: S of F may be associated enclosure rather than hut. Sub circular wall spread to c3m but N arc missing. Wall stops short of F by c 1.5m on both sides. Measures c14m from NW through entrance on SE on both sides of which there is mound extending for c5m. In interior is circular depression c4.5m diam. <1> <2>

5898: SAM MP 2003: F/G: Double hut circle. To N is simple hut circle c12m across with ESE entrance. The 1 to S has SE facing entrance & what appears to be extended entrance with thickened or double area of wall to NE. Hut circles cleared & grass covered.

PD: Full desc referring to photos taking after site cleared.

Trees cut back & markered. Heavily grass grown. V strong earthworks over 1m high - HAW 8/2003

GIS spatial data amended in 2019 according to location as seen on 2009 vertical APs. <3>

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 7742 8939 (24m by 24m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH78NE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DORNOCH

Finds (0)

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External Links (3)