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MHG59544 - Hut circle - Cnoc Dail-Chairn (D)

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

('A': NC 85072696) Enclosure (NR). ('B': NC 85132702; 'C': NC 85242704, 'D': NC 85362704) Enclosures (NR).
OS 6"map, (1962)

A settlement of four hut circles, two of which ('B' and 'C') were noted by the RCAHMS (RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909), accompanied by a few field clearance heaps.
Visited by OS (E G C) 31 May 1961

This is a settlement of three stone-walled huts (B-D) within an associated field system, situated on the south-facing lower slopes of Cnoc Dail-chairn. The alleged hut 'A' is a problematic circular enclosure levelled onto the gentle slope. It measures 10.0 m in diameter within a wall 1.1m wide, unusually narrow for a hut circle, and not of usual hut construction of boulder facings. The feature is largely turf-covered in common with adjacent shielings (See NC 82 NE M4), the huts being heather-covered. A lowering in the east arc of the wall may be an entrance. On balance the enclosure is probably associated with the shielings rather than being a hut circle.
Huts 'B' and 'C' are similar being 12.0 m NW-SE by 11.0 m within walls, 0.5 m high and spread to 3.0m maximum width in the south where the huts are built up on the slopes.
The entrances,of simple form,are in the SE.
'D' comprises a hut similar to 'B' and 'C' measuring 11.5m NW-SE by 10.0m, containing within it another, probably later hut, attached to the south side. It measures 5.5m in diameter within a turf-covered wall, whose inner face of stones on edge shows intermittantly to a height of 0.2m. The entrance is in the east arc. Some 17.0 m to the NW is a shieling (See NC 82 NE M4).
The field system, occupying five hectares, is defined mainly by scattered clearance heaps, with some lynchets and wasted field walls. One or two clearly-defined plots can be seen, 40.0m by 20.0m average size.
Revised at 1/10,000
Visited by OS (J B) 31 January 1977

There are at least three hut-circles (B-D) and an enclosure (A) set on a series of terraces. amidst a scatter of small cairns and banks to the N of the Abhainn na Frithe.

A. NC 8507 2969 This enclosure measures 9.3m in diameter within a turf bank 1.3m in thickness and 0.2m in height. It may be a decayed turf stell.
(KILD91 38)

B. NC 8513 2702 This hut-circle measures 9.5m from NW to SE by 8.3m transversely within a bank 3m in thickness and 0.7m in height. The entrance is on the SE and the interior has been levelled into the slope. (KILD91 39)

C. NC 8524 2704 This hut-circle measures 10.7m from WNW to ESE by 9.2m transversely within a stone-faced bank 3m in thickness and 0.7m in height. The entrance is on the ESE and the interior has been levelled into the slope. Rabbit burrows into the bank reveal an earth and stone content.
(KILD91 278)

D. NC 8536 2704 This hut-circle measures 10.2m from NW to SE by 9.2m transversely within a stony bank 3.2m in thickness and 0.6m in height. The entrance is on the SE, outside which there may be a denuded baffle-wall. A hut, 5.5m in diameter, occupies the SW of the interior. There is a gap in the bank to the N outside which, and abutting the hut-circle bank, is a sub-rectangular hut measuring 5m from N to S by 3m transversely within a bank 1.7m in thickness and 0.4m in height. A drain runs around the N end of the hut.
(KILD91 276, 277)

There are small cairns measuring up to 6m in diameter and 0.7m in height scattered amidst and to the W of the hut-circles. To the NW of hut-circle 'C' there are short lengths of bank and lynchets although no plots were seen.
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 5 May 1991.

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Location

Grid reference	Not recorded
Map sheet	Not recorded
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	KILDONAN

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