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MHG44649 - Shielings etc, Achiltibuie

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Thumbnail photo of shieling huts
Wester Ross Project - Cathy Dagg, 02/04

NC00NW 2.06 centred on 0278 0834

(Formerly NC00NW 18 029 083)
The site comprises a sub-rectangular enclosure bounded within a stone wall, with the uphill side utilizing the low cliff which takes its name from it. The "pound", according to a local from Polglass, was used by the Tacksman to impound cattle which had strayed across the township boundaries between Achiltibuie, Polglass and Badenscallie.
Visited by R Gourlay (Highland Region Archaeologist) 14 September 1988.

(Formerly NC00NW 19 029 082)
'On the hillside close to the "pound" (NC00NW 18) are at least two small rectangular footings of buildings which may be shielings of an unusually large size, or perhaps the houses of landless cuttars. Not accurately located.'
Visited by R Gourlay (Highland Region Archaeologist), 24 August 1988.

On the moorland terrace to the rear of the lower, southernmost, Achiltibuie crofts there are a series of buildings, probably shielings, associated with the crofts, and a number of other buildings which may represent an earlier phase of use.
The shieling buildings probably associated with the crofts are situated, from S to N, at NC 0302 0799 (ACHIL94 388), NC 0305 0804 (ACHIL94 387), 0298 0808 (ACHIL94 389), 0289 0814 (ACHIL94 390), 0284 0823 (ACHIL94 392), 0299 0830 (ACHIL94 393). They comprise rectangular, rubble-walled buildings measuring from 3.6m to 4.6m in length by 1.9m to 2.6m in breadth internally. What may be a final shieling hut (ACHIL94 321) lies within the subrectangular, stone-walled enclosure (possibly a cattle pound) below Creag a' Phuind (formerly NC00NW 18). The function of a further hut in this area (ACHIL94 391, NC 0280 0811), which is larger than the shieling huts measuring internally 5.7m by 3.0m, is unknown. The only other structure in this area is a pair of lambing pens (ACHIL94 396; NC 0305 0795) lying between the southernmost hut and the township boundary. Some of the huts in this area may be those referred to by Gourlay (formerly NC00NW 19).
Between the enclosure at the foot of Creag a' Phuind and the NE-SW division in the grazings, there are ten buildings, most of which are of a different character to those listed above; they have been heavily robbed, possibly to build the head-dyke.
Two (ACHIL94 395 and 503; NC 0281 0840 and NC 0274 0848) have been terraced into the slope and measure internally 6.5m by 2.7m and 6.0m
by 2.1m respectively; the former was reduced in length in a second phase.
While the remainder of the buildings may be shieling huts, it is possible that, originally, they formed parts of a pre-crofting township. One loose cluster is centred at NC 026 084 and comprises the wasted remains of three buildings (ACHIL94 394, 398-9) which measure respectively 6.9m by 4.2m, 7.6m by 4.1m and 8.8m by 4.6m overall. The first is attached to a small enclosure, and the last is adjacent to a number of pits, possibly only quarries excavated to build the head-dyke.
The remaining five buildings (ACHIL94 500-02, 504-05) lie a short distance to the NW. Three lie in a line roughly at right angles to the head-dyke and measure respectively 4.6m by 2.7m internally, 6m by 3m externally and 6.4m by 3.8m externally; the lowest of the buildings is open ended and may have been a shed. The remaing two buildings are situated a short distance to the N and measure, over heavily-robbed walls, 9.5m by 4.2m and 6.7m by 3.9m respectively. One of the buildings (ACHIL94 500) is depicted as unroofed on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Cromartyshire 1881, sheet iii).
(ACHIL94 321, 387-96, 398-9, 500-05)
Visited by RCAHMS (JBS) 11 August 1994

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 0278 0833 (20m by 20m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC00NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	LOCHBROOM

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