Print

MHG44775 - Buaile Chomhnard

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

Buaile Chomhnard (NR). Supposed Remains of Fort (NR)
OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1905)

"..... a large circular enclosure .... known as 'Bual Aonarach, the solitary fold; Bual-a-choranaich, or fold of the coronach; Bual Chomhraig, or fold of battle; and Bual Chonard, the fold of the plain. It forms a great circle, about 80 feet in diameter, enclosed by walls built of red sandstone flags of the district.... 10 to 12 feet wide on the average, and still 5 to 6 feet high in parts and 4 feet high in general. It is complete in outline, and seems to have been most carefully constructed, with a probable entrance on the S.E. It encloses a concentric circle, about 40 feet in diameter and about 40 feet from the outer circle.... with a probable entrance on the same side, This inner circle seems to have had standing stones, two of which still remain, one 8 feet X 3 feet, the other 9 feet X 3 feet, of the same red sandstone."
It is said that human bones were at one time found within the enclosure. (ISSFC 1898)
W Jolly 1882; ISSFC 1891

Generally as described above, this circular feature is 44.0m in diameter overall with walls of uncoursed rubble up to 4.0m wide and 1.3m high. A gap, now 1.0m wide in the E probably marks the original entrance.
No trace can be seen of the inner concentric circle described by Jolly (W Jolly 1882). The interior is heather-covered and rises to a maxinium height of 1.3m above the ground level at the entrance. There are two large recumbent stones in the interior and the suggestion that these were standing stones cannot be entirely discounted, although their sockets are not evident.
The position of this site is not particularly defensive there is much dead ground close by on the N. and E. due to its not being on the highest part of a broad ridge, and it actually lies in a very slight hollow.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (R D L) 3 September 1963.

Not a dun or a fort, but a stock enclosure, probably associated with a drove road which passes it nearby to the W. There is no trace of an inner circle, and the two recumbent stones within are probably fortuitous; but otherwise it is as described by OS field surveyor (R L). The name is still well-known locally.
Visited by OS (A A) 4 March 1970.

A large circular drystone-walled stock enclosure is situated on a heather-clad spur in a clearing within a forestry plantation.
Visited by RCAHMS (PJD) 17 November 1992.

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 6213 3326 (6m by 6m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH63SW
Civil Parish	DORES
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (0)

External Links (1)