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MHG53542 - Sheepfold, Allt a'Ghuibhais

Summary

A rectangular sheepfold, possibly incorporating two earlier buildings.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

A walkover survey in April 2010 identified a visible standing structure on high ground above the Allt a’Ghiubhais. This is
recorded on the 1st edition OS and subsequent maps as ‘sheepfold’ and presumably dates to the period between 1838 and 1872 when sheep farming was the main activity on the then Torridon estate, and would have become redundant when the estate was converted to deer forests. The layout visible on the ground consists of two rectangular enclosures and a small roofed bothy behind the footings of a building of two compartments which originally ran the full length of the south edge of the structures. The east gable end of this building stands high enough to show the concrete surrounds of a window opening and a concrete platform blow this, suggesting the building was standing and in use in the early 20th century, although it does not appear on mapping. There is the possibility that this is an earlier building, converted for later use. The west gable end stands to 2m in height, as does walling of the rectangular enclosure to the north. Both have neat stonework in contrast to the rough rubble walling elsewhere, which suggests the possibility of two buildings, and that these might have been a farmstead pre-dating the sheepfold. However, the site is exposed with no improved ground or adjacent watercourse. To the south and east of the standing walls are the
indistinct banks of a further enclosure. These banks drop SE from the SE corner of the building, turning NE to form an enclosure 12m wide and 28m long. <1>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 86619 45880 (27m by 23m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG84NE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	APPLECROSS

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Related Investigations/Events (1)

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