MHG51314 - Head dyke at Clais Bhreac, Ardtornish
Summary
A turf dyke surrounding an enclosure at Clais Bhreac, associated with a small settlement, survives as a substantial earth and stone feature.
Type and Period (1)
- HEAD DYKE (Constructed, 19th Century - 1801 AD? to 1815 AD?)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
The boundary or head dyke surrounding an enclosed field at Clais Bhreac was noted during a walkover survey in 2008. A substantial earth and stone dyke, 0.80m in width and 0.70m in height, encloses a sub-rectangular area on the west bank of Allt na Claise Brice. This enclosure was labelled as "outfield" on Langlands Map of 1815, and the map depicts a small settlement of three buildings lying within it. The interior of the enclosure is mostly steeply sloping with two more level areas. The south side of the dyke peters out in the hummocky marshy ground and cannot be traced beyond MN 7288 4713. The dyke lies just to the north of the proposed storage pond and should not be affected by the works, but it should be marked on the ground to avoid damage during any road reconstruction. <1>
The site was marked out in August 2009 to either side of an existing access road which cuts through the feature. The access road will need to be slightly widened which will lead to the loss of a small part of the basal layer of the dyke on the south side. <2>
Sources/Archives (2)
- <1> SHG23890 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Robertson, J G. 2008. An Archaeological Survey of River Rannoch and Loch Tearnait, Ardtornish Estate, Morvern, Lochaber. Jennifer G Robertson. Digital. Site 9.
- <2> SHG24507 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Robertson, J G. 09/2009. Loch Tearnait Hydro Scheme, Ardtornish Estate, Morvern, Lochaber, Highland: Report on the protection of archaeological sites. Jennifer G Robertson. Digital. Site 9.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NM 72898 47333 (155m by 411m) (3 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NM74NW |
| Civil Parish | MORVERN |
| Geographical Area | LOCHABER |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Investigations/Events (2)
External Links (0)
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