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MHG54441 - Farmstead and enclosure - Strone, Loch Achilty

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Type and Period (2)

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Full Description

This farmstead centred on NH 423 565, recorded by NOSAS in 2007 as part of the Scotland's Rural Past Project, occupies a SE facing natural terrace above crag, at a height of 110m overlooking Loch Achilty. The core of the farmstead comprises a range of buildings, two enclosures and a number of clearance cairns within a larger enclosure. The site extends across an area of approximately 130m x 120m and has been planted with trees, many of which have subsequently fallen. The site appears as a roofed building and enclosure on 1st edition OS, it was not recorded as part of FESP. Two roofed buildings adjacent a small garden plot located on the SW side of a large enclosure surrounded by woodland are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet lxxxvii). The map also shows a smaller plot of enclosed ground W of the farmstead of Strone and a trackway leading E toward Loch Achilty. Census records show the farmstead as being occupied from 1871 to 1891 but deserted by 1901. The main enclosure (001) measures approximately 70m x 80m and appears to have been extended on the S side to encompass the buildings of the farmstead. It comprises a substantial drystone wall of single boulder thickness standing to an average height of 0.5m and to a maximum of 1.5m in places. There is a small platform 3m x 2m constructed against the interior of the W wall. The principal building (002) is of substantial drystone construction and measures 20.5m x 5m overall on a NE-SW alignment. It comprises three compartments,the core building being a dwelling, with outshots at each end. The walls and largely intact standing to a height of 1.2m and are 0.5m thick. The core building measures 8m x 4m internally and was originally of three bays, evidence derived from 2 cruck slots in the rear wall and a single survival in the front wall adjacent the central entrance. There appears to have been at least a partial rebuild in the front wall which has removed any evidence for a fourth cruck slot, which may also relate to an altered roofing regime. One of the cruck slots clearly tapers towards the wallhead suggesting the liklihood that the walls were built around an original cruck framed structure. One small window opening survives to the right of the entrance but the destruction of the other side of the front wall by fallen trees has removed any evidence for another window here. The W compartment is not as broad as the dwelling, measuring 7m x 3m with a wide entrance in the SE, front wall. The E outshot is the smallest compartment and measures 3m x 3m with a narrow entrance in its SE front wall, neither compartment having windows. The larger of two smaller buildings (003), probably a byre located a few metres NW of the main building. Roughly constructed boulder walls stand to a maximum 0.6m height on three sides measuring 3m x 2.5m internally with no S wall evident. Behind immediately W are the remains of a smaller sub square building (010) of similar construction built into the slope and with an entrance at the SE corner. A sub-rectangular enclosure (004) formed of a roughly laid boulder wall measuring approximately 40m x 20m. The wall encloses a level grassy interior; it is tumbled in parts but stands to 1m in places with an entrance at the E corner 1.2m wide. A small open ended pen (008) measuring 3m x 1.5m abuts the inside of the enclosure on its N side. A small platform (009) is attached to the south (inside) of the NE wall of the large enclosure (001) 3m x 2m. PossibleByre/Pen (010) - The northern of two small buildings a few metres to the north of the main building. This pen almost abuts 003 and is 2m square internally and abuts a rock face which forms N wall. The walls are roughly constructed of a single thickness of boulders and recessed into slope at west side where wall is 1m in height. The east wall is 1m in thickness and 0.6m in height. There is an entrance at the SE corner, 0.9m in width. The boulders are generally moss covered and the structure has been planted with trees. <1>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 4233 5655 (168m by 158m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH45NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	CONTIN

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