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MHG48668 - Settlement - Storr Forest

Summary

A settlement of at least seven buildings, including a kiln barn and two rectangular enclosures.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A walkover survey was carried out by M Wildgoose and S Birch in 2004 prior to the start of works for a new water treatment works and water main, on ground lying to the W of Storr Forest. A well-preserved 18th/19th-century farmstead, areas of lazy bed cultivation and a shieling mound were recorded. Previously surveyed by the Ordnance Survey and shown on modern OS mapping. A compact group of 5, stone built, round cornered structures lying on a natural terrace on the open hillside above Storr Loch and the A855. The group consists of at least two houses and 3 related structures (byres). All 5 structures lie on the west side of a prominent fast flowing burn. On the east side of the burn, and approximately 30 meters lower down the slope, is a rectangular enclosure which measures 40 meters NW-SE by 25 meters NE-SW over earth and stone dykes 1.5 meters thick. 85 metres to the SW of the main cluster of buildings stands a round ended, stone built, structure lying on a NE to SW alignment which measures 10 meters long by 4.5 meters wide over walls spread to 1.2 meters thick. <1>

This site was investigated during Scotland's Rural Past Storr Loch Project in 2011. This township was situated on a gentle SE facing slope between the Storr Ridge to the W and Loch Leathan to the E. There were at least seven buildings, including a kiln barn, and two rectangular enclosures, lying on both sides of an un-named, fast-flowing stream. The buildings were all of dry-stone construction with a rubble and earth core, and their walls, which were predominantly grass and moss-covered, stood up to 2m high, although most were lower. The enclosure walls were built of turf and stone. Discontinuous sections of head dyke ran in an E-W direction across the hillside above the buildings, and below them, lay an extensive area of rig and furrow. A substantial dry-stone sheep dyke rans downhill in a SSE direction through the E part of the field system, dissecting a small farmstead (see MHG538003). This settlement was part of the tack of Tottrome. In 1745 it was held by MacQueens from Lord MacDonald of Sleat. By 1816, along with the tack of Rigg, it was held by the Nicolson chiefs of Scorrybreac. In 1827 Tottrome became part of the large sheep walk called Scorrybreac Sheep Farm, which, by the mid-nineteenth century had become one of the largest sheep farms in Scotland. Some of the buildings may date from the period of the Sheep Farm, unlike the other buildings on site which appear to be earlier. The whole settlement was clearly unoccupied well before 1878 when the 1st Edition OS map (Inverness-shire, Island of Skye 1878, sheet xviii) was published, showing no settlement at this location. <2>

See link below to HES Canmore record for more detailed information from the SRP project, photos and plans of the site.

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 500 525 (91m by 95m)
Map sheet	NG55SW
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	SNIZORT

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (2)