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MHG57780 - Hut circle - Rubha Na Guailne (Hut circle C)

Summary

A Hut circle at Rubha Na Guailne.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A hut circle at Rubha Na Guailne, recorded as Hut circle C (but see note below) by the OS in the original 1965 survey.

Hut Circles (NR) and Old Shielings (NAT)
OS 6"map, (1969)

A poorly-preserved settlement of 6 hut circles (A-F) with traces of one or two probably contemporary walls in the vicinity.
'A', set into a slope, is 6.5m in diameter internally with the inner and outer facing stones well preserved in the W giving a wall thickness of 1.4m. A shieling overlies the wall in the E and intrudes into the interior of the hut. The entrance is not evident.
'B' is a slight platform at the bottom of a W-facing slope with the E half edged by an arc of stones on edge. It measures 5.0m N-S. There are no structural remains in the W but these may be obscured by a pile of debris, and a large boulder which has apparently fallen down from the crag above. The entrance is not evident.
'C' is a faint platform about 8.5m in diameter. The centre is occupied by a shieling but a few set stones round the E half indicate the inner and outer face of a wall 1.4m thick. The entrance is not evident.
'D' is set into an E-facing slope and is 6.2m between wall centres. The inner face can be seen in the W and the N. Two outer facing stones in the W give a wall thickness of 1.3m. A lambing pen is built against the inner face in the W and a wall runs off to the S from the SE arc of the hut. Entrance is in the S.
'E' is 9.5m between centres of a wall obscured by peat. Entrance is in the SW.
'F' is 7.5m between centres of a wall spread to 1.5m in the SW but scarcely visible elsewhere. The entrance is not evident.
About 50m SSE of 'F' is an arc of a peat obscured wall suggesting the NW half of a hut circle about 8.0m in diameter. There is no trace of the SE arc. The entrance is not evident. A further 50m SSE is a vague circular platform 8.5m in diameter overlaid by a shieling in the E and another in the N but a heavy growth of bracken makes classification uncertain. No entrance evident.
Surveyed at 1:10560. (visited by OS {R D} 21 April 1965)
Visited by OS (J M) 4 June 1974.

169222 845892 Rubha na Gualine 2 HK002: The hut circle was visited by A Welti and H Keiro in 2010 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 is one of a group of around 6 HCs together with sheilings recorded by OS in 1965. In 2010 it was not possible to locate all of these 6 HCs. 3 (HK004, HK002, HK001 (see MHG7689)), were recorded clustered near to the banks of a stream. A fourth was observed at NG69111 45716, 200m downstream from this group of 3, but was too badly damaged to be recorded (see MHG57785). A second nearby grouping is sited to N on flat marshy land. The HC HK002 sits on a gentle slope sheltered by a low cliff to the NE. Average internal diameter was not measurable, external diameters were 9.3m and 13m, making an oval shape. The double skinned wall was 0.4m high. A possible entrance was 1.5m wide and the entrance length was 2m. A sheiling has been built inside the HC, probably with robbed stones. Another shieling is sited 30 m to S of the HC. HK001 is 30m to W of this HC. <1> <2>

[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].

Note: On the original 1:10,000 SMR map, a hut circle in this location has been labelled 'B', however, the description above from the original 1965 OS survey seems to be a more accurate match for feature 'C' and this has been followed here [IS-L 17/04/2018].

GIS spatial data amended in 2018 to location as shown on 2009 APs. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 6922 4588 (18m by 18m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG64NE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	APPLECROSS

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