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MHG63127 - Field system and clearance cairns - Dell Farm (Inverarnie Wood)

Summary

Field system and clearance cairns at Dell Farm (Inverarnie Wood).

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

Field system and clearance cairns surrounding a post-medieval farmstead (see MHG14170) near Wester Lairgs, Strathnairn.

Aerial photographs taken by R Gourlay of Highland Regional Council in 1985 revealed significant remains in this area. The photographs show extensive areas of stone clearance heaps and the remains of a small post-medieval farmstead centred at NH 6975 3495. <1> <2> <3>

A farmstead, comprising the footings of two buildings and an enclosure, with a third building to the SE, is visible on aerial photographs (RCAHMSAP 1994). To the WSW of the farmstead there is a scoop, possibly a quarry, along the N side of which there are eight pits which may have been potato clamps. There are two blocks of rig to the NW and E of the farmstead, and a scatter of small cairns extending over an area of about 300m from E to W by 200m in a swathe of rough grassland to the NE of Inverarnie Wood Some of the small cairns have been robbed and rig, which appears to post-date the small cairns is also visible on the aerial photographs.
Information from RCAHMS (DCC) 31 January 1997

An archaeological survey of the site was undertaken by Wordsworth Archaeological Services in association with Headland Archaeology in 1999. This work was carried out prior to proposals to establish a sand and gravel quarry. An EDM survey was carried out on the 21st May 1999 to record all the visible archaeological features. A second visit was carried out on the 3rd June to check the survey data. The recorded structures and features were all consistent with an C18th mixed farm growing corn, potatoes and keeping stock. It was probably absorbed by the larger settlement to the east at Wester Lairgs when this was converted to a sheep farm, perhaps in the early C19th. The survival of the clearance cairns suggested that it had not been recently ploughed, though it may have been lightly harrowed and reseeded in places. <4>

An archaeological trial trenching evaluation was carried out at the site by Headland Archaeology in 2003 also in advance of proposals for the extension of the existing quarry to the east and to test interpretations of features recognised on the basis of the original survey data. It was also undertaken to determine whether the features were of national importance or of lesser significance. Three trenches were hand-excavated across the features in question. A hand-excavated trench across the centre of the building recovered substantial quantities of artefacts associated with its occupation, none of which needed to be earlier than C19th in date. The building was identified as a farmstead that went out of use in the mid-C19th. Four cairns, originally thought to be field clearance cairns associated with prehistoric cultivation, had been indicated as possible Pictish burial cairns. Trenches excavated through two of these confirmed that they were clearance cairns. One produced no artefacts and therefore remained undated; the other contained finds indicating recent disturbance or modification, although the original construction of the cairn may have been significantly earlier. It was concluded that the features investigated were of local importance only. <5>

The area of the farmstead and clearance cairns was subsequently deep-ploughed, ostensibly for planned forestry planting, though this is not much in evidence until what can be seen of the site on vertical aerial photographs taken in 2015.

NOTE: Given the proximity of some of the clearance cairns next to the current field boundaries, it is entirely possible that their original extent was greater and some may still survive within the plantations to the north and south [IS-L 21/02/2024].

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 6971 3510 (366m by 448m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH63NE
Civil Parish	DAVIOT AND DUNLICHITY
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (1)