Print

MHG37978 - Field system and clearance cairns - Loch Ashie

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

An extensive area of field clearance cairns and low field walls were recorded by Wordsworth Archaeological Services on behalf of ASH Consulting Group in 1999 during a walkover survey on the site of a proposed Water Treatment Works near Loch Ashie. The cairns averaging 3-4m in diameter and up to 0.5m high, lay mostly to the west of a modem post and wire fence. They covered an area around 150m wide by at least 450m long and probably extended as far north at the recorded cairn at NH 6388 3662 (see MHG3539). The cairns were of a type normally associated with prehistoric roundhouse settlements. No associated house sites were noted in this survey, either because they lay outside the survey area or because the long heather obscured them. Traces of low field walls were visible between the cairns, though these may have belonged to later settlements. <1>

Additional survey work at the site was undertaken by CFA Archaeology in 2000 in advance of the construction of the Water Treatment Works. The work included walkover and contour survey which identified the main features of the site - field walls and clearance cairns - including those seen previously in 1999 but additional sites and detail were recorded, and a representative selection of these were excavated. The clearance cairns varied across the site in terms of size, topographical location and the size of the constituent stones. Several had larger stones at the base with smaller cobbles on top, and many had a fine silty (probably windblown) matrix. A complete or patchy old ground surface was present under many of the cairns, but severe leaching and the consequent loss of organic silts made interpretation uncertain. No clear kerbing or internal structure to the cairns was seen and few had suffered notable post-depositional disturbance. The field walls were in essence linear clearance cairns, having sufficient structure to retain form and stability. In all cases facing stones occurred on one or both sides. These took several forms; intermittent erect slabs or large boulders were common in places, and fairly continuous horizontal stones in others. The excavated sections showed that large and small horizontal laid stones had been used, but not in the same stretches of wall. Only occasionally were clearance cairns located close to walls, reinforcing the impression that they were contemporary and performed in essence the same function. <2>

A second phase of intrusive work was mundertaken by CFA Arechaeology In August 2001 which involved a watching brief during the excavation of an underground power cable trench to supply the completed treatment works. This work did not reveal any additional archaeological remains. <3>

Some of the field walls seen by CFA in 2000 which lay outwith the immediate Water Teatment Works development area are visible in Scottiish Gov/SEPA LiDAR data, especially those seen to the northeast. A further extensive field system with roundhouses lies immediately to the southwest (see MHG62938) and they probably originally formed a single field system acros the whole area. <4>

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 6377 3638 (778m by 584m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH63NW
Civil Parish	DORES
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (5)

External Links (1)