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MHG62603 - Hut circle - Peinchonninchh (B)

Summary

A hut circle at Peinchonninch.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A hut circle at Peinchonninch. Originally recorded by the OS as hut circle 'B'.

Centred at NG 402 645 is a settlement of five circular stone-walled huts (A to E) and traces of a contemporary field system.
All diameters are given between wall centres.
Hut 'A' measures about 10.0m in diameter with the wall spread to about 3.0m all round. One outer wall facing stone is visible in the S. The mutilated entrance is in the SSW.
'B' is identical to 'A' with the entrance in the same arc. A rectangular building measuring internally about 3.5 by 2.0m with an entrance in the SW has been built within the hut against the wall in the NE.
'C' measurs 8.5m in diameter with the wall spread to 2.5m. A ruinous modern wall running NW/SE crosses the mutilated SW arc. The entrance is not evident.
'D' measures 10.5m with the wall spread to 2.5m. The E and S arcs have been mutilated by peat diggings. The entrance is not evident.
'E' measures 7.5m with the wall spread to 2.5m The illdefined entrance is in the S.
In the vicinity of the huts, and particularly to the E of them, several stone clearance heaps and traces of walls probably part of a contemporary field system mainly obscured by peat. To the W the ground is occupied by lazy bed cultivation with comtemporary walls.
Visited by OS (A A) 4 November 1971.

140272 864511 Peinchonninch 4 AW669: The hut circle was visited by A Welti and M Wildgoose in 2019 as part of research for a dissertation on hut circles in Wester Ross. This was part of a degree course overseen by Aberdeen University. A cluster of at least 5 circular stone structures lies on a gentle South facing slope which forms a plateau bounded to the west by steep slopes down to Uig Bay and to the north by the River Rha. Vegetation is mainly grass with moss submerging many of the visible stones. The area is grazed. A possible burial cairn lies nearby (see sketch of group positions). There are signs of long term agricultural usage in the form of ruinous boundary walls, enclosures, clearance cairns and lazy beds. The structure is 180m from a stream, 250m from a river and 1000m from the sea at Uig Bay. The site is surrounded by many old field walls. 25m to the N is a stone boundary wall running E/W and 11m to the W is a turf and stone boundary running N/S. On the SW wall of the structure are some gorse bushes and there are rushes in the interior. The platform is built out from the slope. The ring bank is visible as are some walling stones although the structure is fairly well submerged in moss and bog. Average inner diameter of the HC is7.95m, outer diameter is 12.25m. The double skinned wall is 1.4m thick with maximum height 0.3m. A definite entrance faces S with passage width 1.0m both internally and externally and length 1.4m. A shieling has been built inside the walling of the NE arc (see sketch). AW669 is 90m from AW666 (see MHG62605) and 180m from AW670 (see MHG62607). <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 2022 according to the location of the feature as seen on 2021 vertical APs. <1>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 4027 6452 (20m by 20m)
Map sheet	NG46SW
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	SNIZORT

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