Print

MHG4474 - Croft - Buail an Amadain

Summary

Croft - Buail an Amadain

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

The name of this ruined croft was Buail an Amadain - The Fool's Fold. Information contained in Letter from D C Murray, Tighandallan House, Evanton, Ross and Cromarty, to OS 23 January 1978.

A project to survey and record archaeological features at Inverlaidnan and Sluggan (originally named Inchluin) was undertaken by NOSAS members in 2018.

Buail an Amadain Croft (alternative names Carn Challard, Fools Fold). This croft 400m to the NW of Sluggan Bridge is located in birch woodland on a south facing slope at an altitude of 350m. It comprises 2 buildings (sites 54 and 56), possibly a third (site 53) and 2 enclosures (sites 55 and 64) with several clearance cairns some of which probably have prehistoric origins. At least half of the croft is covered in dense juniper and it may be that some features are obscured by this, other areas have dense bracken. The farmstead does not appear on the 1st edition OS map of 1875 but it is seen on an estate plan of 1860 (RHP14036) with 3 unroofed buildings and 2 enclosures and appears on the current OS map as a ruin.

54 Building – centred on NH86639 22277 The foundations of a substantial rectangular house are aligned E/W and measure 12m x 5m externally The interior of the house is filled with mature gorse so no internal features were noted and only the E gable wall is currently obvious. The low walls survive to one course high and are perhaps c.0.65m thick. (see MHG60901)
55 Wall/Enclosure – centred on NH 86644 22265 A roughly rectangular enclosure (the westmost of two) aligned NW-SE is mostly surrounded by the remains of a substantial drystone wall/clearance material. The enclosure is roughly 50m x 30-40m and slopes significantly to the south. Much of it is overgrown with dense juniper scrub, particularly in the north part. To the west a stub of wall may mark a trackway but it is heavily obscured by juniper.
56 Building - centred on NH 86747 22312 A substantial rectangular building 14m x 5m externally is aligned SW/NE. The remains of the stone walls are 0.3-0.5m high, and grossly overgrown with bracken. (see MHG60902)
64 Wall/enclosure – NH86651 22256 (W end) to NH 86747 22305 (E end) The remains of this substantial stone wall on a ENE-WSW alignment bound the southern edge of the improved land in the E part of the croftland. Wall/enclosure 55 is contiguous to the west. The wall abuts building 56 at its east end and is up to 0.5m high with a spread of 1m.
53 Building – centred on NH 86766 22434 Located in the NE part of the croftland, on the north side of the forest road and NE of the deer fence/forest road intersection. The footings of this rectangular building on a NNE-SSW alignment measure 15m x 3-4m internally and are covered in blaeberry bushes. The turf and stone banks are substantial and up to 0.5m height with a spread of 1.5m, but they are indistinct and disturbed by road construction in places. A small outshot at the SW end measures 1m in length by 2m in width. <1>

Note: Limit of croft not visible on aerial photographs so location approximate. (T. Blackie 2/8/19)

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 8670 2228 (162m by 104m)
Map sheet	NH82SE
Civil Parish	DUTHIL AND ROTHIEMURCHUS
Geographical Area	BADENOCH AND STRATHSPEY

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (1)