Print

MHG57731 - Hut circle - Creag Doire na Suaine (MM008)

Summary

A hut circle at Creag Doire na Suaine.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A hut circle at Creag Doire na Suiane.

In the area centred at NG 818 781 between 300 and 375 ft OD., on the sheltered southern slope of a hill, there are the heather covered remains of three hut circles and several greatly mutilated enclosures. The enclosures which are now barely visible have been constructed with large boulders and a hut circle falls on the perimeter of one of them. The hut circles, which all have 1.0 metre wide entrances in their SE peripheries, are constructed of large stone, forming an inner and outer kerb with small stone infilling, and their dimensions are as follows;- 'A' - Internally 7.0m in diameter with walls 0.5m high by 2.0m thick. 'B' - Internally 7.5m in diameter with walls 0.5m high by 1.0, thick. 'C' - Internally 6.5m in diameter with walls 0.5m high by 1.5m thick. Visited by OS (R D) 31 March 1965; Visible on RAF air photographs CPE/ Scot/UK 183: 1290-1.

NG8203 7815: A hut circle is situated at an elevation of 100m at the bottom of the steeper slope on the north side of the stream Abhainn Achd a' Chairn and 300m to the east of the southeast end of the crags called "Creagan Doire na Suaine". It lies 15m below (to the southeast of) a small boundary dyke. Another hut circle Creagan Doire na Suaine (3) lies on the hillside above, 60m to the north (see MHG57730). The probably pre-1840's road of a' Seann-rathad runs past a few metres to the west. The diameter of the circle is 7m with the walling of stones; the entrance is at 100 degrees grid. The ambient vegetation is grass, moss and heather inside and outside the circle. A setting of isolated stones runs from the circle to enclose an oval area of ground on the hillside above and on the north-east side of the circle of ca. 40m extent. This setting of stones crosses the old road in two places. The hut circle and part of the setting of stones are shown on the OS Maps. <1>

The site was not detected during a walkover survey in April 2008 due to dense heather cover. <2>

182037 878143 Creag Bo Maoile 2 MM008: The hut circle was visited by M Marshall and A MacInnes in 2010 as part of research for a dissertation on hut circles in Wester Ross for A Welti. This circular stone structure is in fair condition and sits on a platform dug into and built out from a very gentle south facing slope with panoramic views inland. The site is 200m north of both the river Abhainn Achadh a Chairn and the A832 road. It is 400m from freshwater Loch Creagan Doire na Susine and 2000m from the sea. The surrounding landscape is mainly heather covered with some grass and rushes. The interior of the structure is covered with a mixture of heather and grass. Many facing stones are visible, both inner and outer. In the eastern sector there is a 4m length of intact double walling faced internally with stones around 0.6m in length (see photo). Average inner diameter is 6.0m, outer diameter is 9.2m. The double skinned wall is 1.1m thick with maximum height 0.6m. The probable entrance faces east with internal width 1.0m, external width 1.5m and passage length 1.5m. This HC is one of a group of 4, MM005 (see MHG), MM006 (see MHG7721), MM007 (see MHG57730), and MM008, three of which are recorded under Canmore id 11950. MM008 is at a distance of 300m from MM006, 100m from MM007, and 400m from MM005. <3> <4>

[Note: a database was set up as part of research for the dissertation and was subsequently expanded as an extension of the We Digs Project (see website link below). The full access database can be made available to enquirers/researchers if requested - contact HER for details].

GIS spatial data amended in 2018 to location as shown on 2009 APs. <5>

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 8203 7815 (16m by 16m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG87NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	GAIRLOCH

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (2)

External Links (2)