Print

MHG58216 - WWII Defences - Ploc an Rubha

Summary

WWII Path, Hut Stances, Water Tank, Gun Emplacement, part of a wider netwok of WWII defences.

Type and Period (4)

Protected Status

Full Description

Renumbered from NG88SE0024A
JHooper, 29/08/2002
-----
NG88SE 21.02 859 839

The remains of 5 collapsed Nissen huts are situated on two terraces to E and SE of OS triangulation pillar on the top of Ploc an Rubha. The edges of the huts are marked by irregular lines of boulders and the stumps of timber posts, suggesting a raised wooden floor rather than the concrete bases at the two other locations on the peninsula (NG 851 835, NG88SE 21.01 and NG 849 835, NG88SE 21.03). Flat and corrugated (square-section) asbestos sheeting is littered across the terraces, together with C-shaped iron roof trusses and wooden louvred windows. Stone paths, about 1.2m across, connect some of the huts and run up to the circular gun-platform (probably for an anti-aircraft
gun of about 20mm calibre (pers comm Mr R Mowat, RCAHMS)) just to the W of the triangulation pillar on the top of Ploc an Rubha. An iron water tank is located on the ridge to the E of the Nissen huts with a pipe running down to one of the huts (Inverewe 19). A second pipe runs from the tank down the hill to the SW to a concrete stance, beside a dam, which presumably supported a pump. The paths between the Nissen huts join and run down the hill to the SW, past the dam, and to a jetty in the bay. A second path, perhaps uncompleted, runs intermittently from the vicinity of the jetty to the W, for about 160m, in the direction of the two other groups of nissen huts on the peninsula (NG 88SE 21.01 and 21.03).
Four of the huts were standing in October 1946 (visible on RAF 1:10,000 vertical aerial photograph CPE/SCOT/UK/83 No. 4253) but by 1948 all were ruinous (visible on RAF vertical aerial photograph CPE/SCOT/321 No. 4382).
(Inverewe 17-22)
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 8 June 1994.

INVG009 - WWII path, five hut stances, water tank and gun emplacement identified in a DBA and walkover survey undertaken by the National Trust for Scotland at their Inverewe Estate in 1998.
These structures form part of the Ploc an Rubha section of the military training area on this peninsula which have been fully surveyed bystaff from the RCAHMS.
The remains of 5 Nissen huts can still be seen on two terraces immediately below the summit of Ploc an Rubha, the largest being c11 .5m by c5.5m. The edges of the huts are marked by irregular lines of boulders and the stumps of timber posts, interpreted as providing the footings for timber, rather than concrete, floors. Flat and corrugated asbestos sheeting is littered across the terraces along with the C-shaped iron roof-trusses and wooden louvred windows from the Nissen huts. The line of the stone path from the dam to the gun emplacement on the summit of Ploc an Rubha is mainly visible in its upper-most section. The gun emplacement is made up of fractured stones which cover an area c2.6m in diameter.
The RAF aerial photos show 4 of the Nissen huts still standing in 1946 but all are in ruins by the RAF fly-over of 1948.
The site was at minor threat from natural regeneration and it was recommended that it was photographed once every five years. <1>

See MHG58220 for location of watertank.

Features not seen on aerial photography or OS maps. GIS spatial data based on grid reference from NTS 1998 report but these conflict with ALS 1994 grid reference. Individual locations of each feature are uncertain.
GW 18/07/18

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 8590 8380 (100m by 100m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG88SE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	GAIRLOCH

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (2)