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MHG59840 - Hut circle - Bruthach na Garbh Coille

Summary

A hut circle at Bruthach na Garbh Coille.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A hut circle at Bruthach na Garbh Coille. Recorded as hut circle 'B' by the OS. It is associated with remnants of a field system (see MHG7831).

Centred at NH 120 856, on the brink of the steep E slopes of Strath Beag, is a settlement of three circular stone-walled huts (A - C) and traces of contemporary cultivation.
Hut 'A' measures 8.0m in internal diameter. Both inner and outer wall faces are visible intermittently, indicating a wall thickness of 1.5m, widening to 2.6m at the clubbed entrance in the SE. The latter, though obscured by tumble, appears to have been about 1.5m wide.
'B' situated in a saddle, measures c. 12.5m in diameter between the centres of a denuded wall of indeterminate thickness. The outer face of stones placed edgewise is visible in the S arc. The position of the entrance is not apparent.
'C' survives as a platform built up on a S-facing slope, surrounded by a denuded wall in which only the discontinuous outer face of stones on edge can be seen, giving an overall diameter of 11.6m. The ill-defined entrance is in the SE.
In the vicinity of the huts, and particularly on the slopes to the SE of hut 'A', are several clearance heaps and occasional field walls, but no measurable cultivation plots.
Area of cultivation delineated on 6" sheet.
Visited by OS (N K B) 25 September 1970

Surveyed at 1:10560 (A & B) and 1:2500 (C)
Visited by OS (J M) 8 October 1974

212018 885630 SM100 Bruthach na Garbh Choille 2 (B): The hut circle was visited by A Welti, S Mackenzie and C Boyd 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 circular stone structures at a high elevation on the slopes of Meall an Dubhe and situated near to the 'Croftown track ' leading from near to Dundonnell House, over steep terrain to Achlunachan and Clachan. The elevation of SM100 is 225m. It is in fair condition, is 20m from a stream and is 300m from the Dundonnell River which flows along the base of the steeply sloping sides of the valley below. The sea loch Little Loch Broom is 5km downstream. The river is wide and may have been partly navigable. The HC platform sits on a natural saddle which dips away to the east and to the west. To the south the land rises to a rocky knoll and to the north there is a steep upward slope. The site is very exposed to the weather; vews from here are spectacular; 270 degrees panoramic inland and to the sea. The vegetation in the surrounding landscape is a mixture of heather bracken and grass. Inside the structure there is no heather, just bracken and grass. There are field boundaries of indeterminate age in the area. Average inner diameter is 11m, external diameter is 13m.The double skinned wall is 1.5m thick with maximum height 0.4m. The NW section of the wall has been robbed. No entrance is discernable. SM100 is at a distance of 70m from CB100 (see MHG59839) and 130m from SM101 (see MHG59841). <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].

GIS spatial data created in 2019 according to location as shown on 2009 APs. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 1201 8564 (22m by 22m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH18NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	LOCHBROOM

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