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MHG39420 - Clearance cairn - Achins

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NC96SE 32 960 635.

Centred at NC 960 636 there is a large enclosure formed by a heather-covered earth-and-stone bank 0.3m high and measuring 170m N-S by 62m transversely; 38m SW of the enclosure there is a hut circle, with heather-covered walling measuring 0.3m high, about 7m in diameter. The entrance, 1.4m wide, is in the SW.
About 100m SE of this is another hut circle, 7.0m in diameter, with a mutilated bank 0.3m high.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
There is now no trace of the enclosure and hut circle noted in 1960, 50m N of the latter hut circle.
Visited by OS (R D) 26 November 1964 and (J L D) 24 May 1960; Visible 106G/Scot/UK 75: 4360-1 (flown 1946)

(A: NC 9601 6352 B: NC 9608 6345 C: NC 9607 6350) Hut Circles (NR) (NC 960 636 Enclosures (NR)
OS 6"map, (1963)

Two hut circles (A and B), a homestead (C), and two adjacent enclosures. 'A', on a slight rise, measures aproximately 9.5m in diameter over a heather-covered wall spread at most pronounced, in the E half, 2m broad by 0.3m high; the entrance is no longer evident.
'B' measures about 6m diameter internally; the wall has practically disappeared in the WNW half, and elsewhere is reduced to a peat and heather-covered spread of 1.5m by 0.2m high. The entrance is no longer evident.
'C': Contrary to the last statement by previous OS field surveyor (RD), the hut circle and enclosures do exist as a homestead, comprising a hut circle within an oval enclosure. The hut measures some 11.5m diameter over a wall reduced to a peat-covered, obscure spread; the entrance is no longer evident. The enclosure measures an estimated 47m N-S by 39m transversely. Its wall has been destroyed in the S, but presumably had skirted the N foot of the knoll at that point; elsewhere the wall is discernible as a slight, heather and peat-covered ridge with occasional stone protruding. A definite break, 3m wide, in the line of the enclosure wall in the WNW suggests an entrance.
The two adjacent enclosures mainly encompass the rocky summit area of a N-S ridge, contrasting with the open moorland plain occupied by the hut circles and the homestead. The enclosures measure approximately 80m N-S by 65m and 90m N-S by 55m; their heather-overgrown walling generally exhibits coursed small to medium stone. The southern of the two enclosures extends from the ridge on to the moorland plain, and in the S salient incorporates the S half of a boat-shaped structure 19m along the main axis (E-W) by 9m transversely within a heather-covered wall spread 2m broad on average and up to 0.3m high. Inside the E end of the structure is a heather-covered stony mound of uncertain mound of uncertain purpose, 3.0m in diameter by 0.5m high. Some 10m to the N is a stone clearance heap. The enclosures and the boat-shaped structure are undoubtedly contemporary.
In conclusion, a much later date is suggested for the two northernmost enclosures and the attendant structure, but which period remains conjectural.
Revised at 1:10560. Visited by OS (J M) 17 November 1981.

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 9602 6357 (4m by 4m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC96SE
Civil Parish	REAY
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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