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MHG42846 - Township - ARISAIG

Summary

Eight buildings with associated banks and cultivation remains identified during a programme of works associated with the A830 road upgrade.

Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

Created automatically by NMRS Register Utility
User: Admin, Date: Wed 13 Oct 2004
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NM68NE 35 6634 8651

NM 6790 9194 (Kinsadel) - NM 6639 8656 (Arisaig) Field survey, test pitting and monitoring of trial pitting was carried out in advance of a proposed road alignment of the A830 between Kinsadel and Arisaig. Forty-four sites were identified by desk-based assessment and field survey. Two possible prehistoric sites were discovered, including a possible burial cairn (NM 6634 8651) which comprised a mound measuring 12m in diameter and c 2-3m high, on the summit of a natural knoll. Numerous post-medieval sites were recorded, ranging from single enclosures, shielings, field banks/dykes, rig and furrow cultivation, terrace cultivation and clearance cairns, to an extensive post-medieval relict township at Achriag (NM 6580 8787). The township incorporated the remains of several rectangular buildings, field systems, clearance cairns, trackways, enclosures and paths.
A report will be deposited with the NMRS.
Sponsor: Historic Scotland on behalf of the SE Development Department Transport Planning.
A Rees 2000

NM 6639 8656 (Arisaig) to NM 6790 9194 (Kinsadel) Following field survey and test pitting (DES 2000, 47), evaluation work was undertaken on seven sites.
Sponsor: Historic Scotland
S Halliday 2001

This site comprised eight buildings with associated banks and cultivation remains situated to the west of
Kinloid overlooking Mointeach Mhór. It formed part of a now-abandoned settlement depicted on the first edition OS map and named Achraig. Three of the structures were depicted on the map as roofed buildings. An additional five buildings were not mapped, and were identified during a walk over survey by CFA in 2000 in advance of a road development. Four buildings were subsequently selected for evaluation to test for the presence of earlier (pre-19th century) settlement on the site by Headland Archaeology. <1>

Four buildings were selected for evaluation. In orderto increase the possibility of identifying earlier components of the township, three of the buildings were examples of those not depicted on the first edition OS map and were believed to pre-date the map. A trench was cut across the walls of each of the structures to evaluate the date and nature of these sites. Two of the four structures were defined by turf and stone walls, the other two were built with dry-stone walls. The structures were interpreted as the remains of small heavily robbed enclosures and buildings. The finds assemblages from the sites were of early to mid 19th-century date. No evidence was obtained for settlement pre-dating the 19th century. <2> <1>

The area was closely watched during the topsoil stripping prior to the construction of the road to record any early remains of the township not visible on the surface. A number of 19th-century glass and ceramic finds were recovered from the topsoil and two features were recorded: a large field bank seen during survey and an oval clearance cairn. The field bank comprised a single homogeneous deposit of earth with no evidence for a prolonged or complex history. Two small pits were also recorded, 0.3 and 0.5m in diameter and 0.1–0.2m deep. The larger and shallower pit contained a primary fill with fragments of charcoal and burnt bone. The bone fragments were too small for identification and none of the pits contained any datable artefacts. The watching brief did not yield any evidence of an earlier phase of the township pre-dating the 19th century. <2> <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NM 6577 8782 (167m by 215m) (9 map features)
Map sheet	NM68NE
Civil Parish	ARISAIG AND MOIDART
Geographical Area	LOCHABER

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (2)

External Links (2)