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MHG54429 - Clearance Cairns - Kilbraur Wind Farm

Summary

During a watching brief at Kilbraur Windfarm, two clearance cairns were excavated and other sites were marked and avoided, and tree stumps were recovered showing cut marks and possibly charring. Subsequent trees recovered were recorded and examined in detail.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

RCAHMS Canmore description:
NC 7850 0750 Several phases of work were undertaken at the site of the Kilbraur wind farm, Strath Brora. This work was commissioned by Kilbraur Wind Energy Ltd and followed a specification by the Highland Council Planning and Development Service (Archaeology Unit). The fieldwork was undertaken between December 2006 and September 2007 and comprised (i) an archaeological evaluation on the site of the proposed onsite borrow pit, (ii) an area excavation on the site of the on-site borrow pit, (iii) a field survey of the adjacent prehistoric remains, (iv) an evaluation of a rectilinear stony mound in the SW of an extension to the borrow pit and (v) a watching brief over all groundworks associated with the wind farm.
The area excavation was undertaken on the proposed on-site borrow pit in January 2007 following an evaluation in December 2006 that had identified the remains of two stone cairns. During the excavation a further round cairn and curvilinear stone heap were identified below the peat. All stone features were fully excavated and recorded. At the same time as the area excavation, a detailed instrument survey was undertaken on sites close to the borrow pit that were not to be affected by the ground works. This involved the survey of the prehistoric settlement remains immediately to the W of the borrow pit area (Site 3) and the settlement and field systems immediately to the E (Site 4/5).
A further evaluation was undertaken in May 2007 on a rectangular stone mound in the SE of an extension to the borrow pit. Excavation proved this to be a field clearance cairn. The watching brief aspect monitored all groundworks for the wind farm. This phase of the project located 20 clearance cairns and a linear stone bank, of which all except one cairn were in the borrow pit area. Of these features 17 were excavated with the rest being unaffected by the wind farm excavations. All the cairns excavated were shown to be to be simple field clearance cairns, associated with the settlement. <1>

See MHG60365 for tool marked tree stumps.


 

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	NC 7849 0749 (point) Approximate. Point generated from 2011 NMRS download data
Map sheet	NC70NE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	CLYNE

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (1)