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MHG57604 - Hut circle - Loch Feur B (Sidhean Donne 3)

Summary

A Hut circle near Loch Feur.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A Hut circle near Loch Feur. Hut circle B in the original 1965 OS survey. (Formerly included as part of MHG7720.)

In area centred at NG 804 779 about 300 ft. OD. On sheltered SE slope of the hill above Loch Feur, there are the remains of 3 hut circles, several greatly mutilated enclosures and the footings of a rectangular building 5m x 3m. X 0.3m high. The enclosures were constructed with large boulders but are now almost completely overgrown with heather. The hut circles, which have 1m wide entrances in E, apart from 'A', are constructed of large stones forming an inner and outer kerb and small stone infilling. Their dimensions are as follows:
'A' Internally 9m diameter with walls 3m thick by 1m high. A significant feature of this hut circle is entrance which is 1.3m wide in the inside and 2m on outside.
'B' Internally 8m diameter with walls 1.7m thick by 0.6m high overgrown with heather.
'C' Internally 6m diameter with walls 1.8m thick by 0.6m high almost completely heather covered.
Surveyed at 1/2500 and 1/10560. Visited by OS (RD) 8 April 1965; Visible on RAF air photographs CPE/ Scot/UK 183:1288-9.

NG8048 7799: On a north-east facing slope in a' Chlib of Gairloch is a hut circle at an elevation of about 88m OD; another hut circle lies at a slightly higher elevation 100m to the S west. The internal diameter is 9m-9.4m and the walling of stones spreads to a thickness of 1.8m-2.8m. The doorway is evident at a bearing of 102 degrees grid and the structure extends 2m externally from the doorway. The vegetation inside the structure is heather, Molinia, moss and bracken. Approaching to about 20m to the north west of the circle a setting of isolated stones encloses a bean-shaped area of ca. 60m x 30m extent whose long axis runs NW-SE. The hut circle but not the setting of isolated stones is shown on the OS map. <1>

This site was not detected during a walkover survey in April 2008 due to thick heather cover. A buffer zone of up to 20 metres is recommended to avoid any accidental damage during site works. <2> NOTE: it is clear that this site was not actually visited as 2009 APs show the hut circles to be largely clear of vegetation - IS-L 24/01/2018.

180482 877978 Sidhean Donne 3 MM004: The hut circle was visited by A Welti and M Marshall in 2009 as part of research for a dissertation on hut circles in Wester Ross. This was part of a degree course overseen by Aberdeen University. This circular stone structure is in fair condition. It is one of a group of 3 HC's (MM004, JW002 (see MHG7720), JW003 (see MHG57605) set on an E facing slope above Loch Feur with panoramic views inland. The site is at a distance of 400m from a stream, 400m from freshwater Loch Feur and 1000m from the sea. The surrounding landscape is mainly heather covered with some grass and some marshy areas. The HC interior is substantially heather covered, with some moss. There is an enclosure to the north of the HC but the enclosures mentioned in 1965 record are no longer visible.The HC platform is built out from a gentle east facing slope. The HC walls are substantial and thick. Average internal diameter is 9.0m, external diameter is 14.7m. The double skinned wall is 2.5m thick with maximum height 0.5m. A definite entrance faces southeast, with internal width 1.5m, external width 1.9m and passage length 3m measured at the southern edge of the entrance. This indicates at least one extended terminal. MM004 is at a distance of 100m from JW002 and 300m from JW2003. <3> <4>

GIS spatial data amended in 2018 to location as shown on 2009 APs. <4>

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 8047 7799 (18m by 18m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG87NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	GAIRLOCH

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