MHG4207 - Sgorr Reidh, Rhum

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (1)

  • DEER TRAP (Post Medieval - 1560 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

Full Description

Ruined, in heath on steep hillslope, with SW aspect and altitude of 250-300m OD.
SMR card.

A wall follows an irregular course for a distance of about 300m along the cliff edge at Sgorr Reidh. Along the wall, usually at corners, there are at least eight structures, the largest measuring about 2.6m by 2.2m within a corbelled wall upto 1.7m high. Only one has an entrance, and most of their floors have been sunk below the surrounding ground level.
Ref unknown.

Sgorr Reidh NM 312 983 to 314 981. Small circular huts connected by a sinuous drystone wall running approximately parallel to the cliff edge and within 20 yds (18.4m) of it. Dimensions of these structures as in NM39NW5. With two exceptions, the huts are all built on the landward side of the wall, usually at an angle in it. The two exceptions are on the seaward side of the wall and about 5 yds (4.68m) from it. Altogether there are 8 certain huts and 4 probable ones.
David GC; 1967; Discovery & Excavation in Scotland; CBA (Scot); pp27

Doubts that it is actually a deer trap - too steep a drop to the trap: - impractical.
Love J A; 1980; Deer Traps on the Isle of Rhum; Deer; Vol 5(3); pp131-2


NM39NW 6 312 983 to 312 981.

(Centred: NM 313 982) A complex of small, circular dry-stone huts connected by a sinuous drystone wall running approximately parallel to the cliff edge and within 20 yds of it. The dimensions of the structure are the same as those of NM39NW 5, to which this complex is very similar.
With two exceptions, the huts are built on the landward site of the wall, usually at an angle in it. The exceptions are on the seaward side of the wall and about 5 yds distant from it. There are 8 certain, and 4 probable huts. (Visible on RAF AP's 106G/Scot/UK53: 3051-2)
G C David 1967

On top of a 1000' cliff and set in a stony block-field totally devoid of pasture. In the centre of the enclosure is a pen 18' by 15' with very open-built walls. It is scarcely possible that this could be a shieling, but it may be an installation from which to stampede deer over the cliff.
R Miller 1967

At NM 312 982, a smaller but similar structure to NM39NW 5, having eight cells built against the wall, mainly oval and measuring c.2.5m by c.1.8m internally, and one free standing enclosure c.4.0m in diameter between the wall and the cliff. It is probably connected with NM39NW 5.
Visited by OS (AA) 14 May 1972

The largest cell had much of its corbelled roof in place. It measured 3.7m E-W by 3m N-S. The structure is partly subterranean, as are most of the chambers in these features.
NMRS MS/868/1

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred NM 3124 9826 (197m by 220m) (2 map features)
Map sheet NM39NW
Civil Parish SMALL ISLES
Geographical Area LOCHABER

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (0)

External Links (2)

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