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MHG63709 - Field system - Cnoc na Mòine Duibhe (Achinduich)

Summary

A field system at Cnoc na Mòine Duibhe (Achinduich).

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

A field system at Cnoc na Mòine Duibhe (Achinduich), probably associated with two hut circles (see MHG9290 and MHG63708).

At NH 5867 9910 ('A') and NH 5867 9926 ('B') are two stone-walled huts, and an associated field system.
Hut 'A' is set into a steep SW slope and is circular within a stone wall spread to about 3.0m at the rear and 5.5m at the clubbed entrance in the SW. It measures 14.0m NE-SW by 13.0m between wall centres.
Hut 'B' occurs on level ground, and is circular with a wall spread to about 1.8m all round. It measures about 7.5m in diameter between wall centres. There is an ill-defined entrance in the SE.
The field system centred at NH 584 993 is defined by stone clearance heaps, with lynchets and occasional field walls forming cultivation plots of about 30.0m by 20.0m average sizes.
20 metres SE and 95m NNW and 100m NW of 'A' and 40m SW and 70m SSE of 'B', are five platforms, two of which are probably natural, and three probably due to cultivation, although somewhat resembling huts.
Huts 'A' and 'B' surveyed at 1:10 560.
Visited by OS (A A) 20 September 1973.

No change to previous field report.
Surveyed at 1:10 000.
Visited by OS (J M) 27 October 1976.

Full name: Cnoc Na Mòine Duibhe.

No change to previous report, except that hut-circle 'B' was not found. Visited by RCAHMS (JRS) October 1989.

A desk-based assessment and walkover survey was undertaken by CFA Archaeology in 2017 of the proposed Garvary Wind Farm development site.

Field survey, in December 2019, recorded a number of features related to the field system, many of which have been badly eroded and damaged by recent tree planting and
fence construction, with machine tracks crossing much of the boggy site. A modern track also appears to have been recently widened, bisecting one of the linear features (15f). At least 15 possible clearance cairns were recorded during field survey:
• 15a: (258239, 899484) Poorly preserved oval, turf and bracken-covered stony
mound, 4 m x 5 m, 0.3 m.
• 15b: (258263, 899436) Well preserved circular cairn defined by large stones
covered in dense bracken, 5 m diameter, 0.7 m in height.
• 15c: (258267, 899426) Circular cairn covered in dense bracken, 5 m diameter,
0.9 m in height.
• 15d: (258251, 899426) Small oval bracken covered stony cairn, 4 m x 3 m x
0.5 m.
• 15e: (258248, 899432): Small irregular oval, bracken covered cairn, 3 m x 2 m
x 0.3 m.
• 15g: (258361, 899317) Circular turf-covered cairn, 6 m diameter, 0.6 m high.
• 15h: (258369, 899300) Small circular turf covered stony cairn, 3 m diameter,
0.4 m high.
• 15k: (258325, 899473) Circular bracken-covered cairn, 7 m diameter, 0.8 m
high.
• 15l: (258318, 899452) Circular bracken covered cairn, 5 m diameter, 0.5 m
high.
• 15m: (258325, 899473) Circular cairn, 3 m diameter -0.3 m high.
• 15n: (258315, 899475) Circular cairn, 4 m diameter, 0.4 m high.
• 15o: (258306, 899473) Oval cairn, 5 m x 3 m, 0.7 m in extent.
• 15p: (258289, 899478) Oval cairn, 4 m x 2.5 m x 0.3 m.
• 15q: (258285, 899487) Irregular oval cairn, 4 m x 2 m x 0.3 m.
• 15r: (258303, 899542) oval cairn, 2.1 m x 1.5 m x 0.5 m.
Three linear features were also recorded during the field survey:
15f: Field bank, running from northwest to southeast, marked on current maps but possibly of some antiquity. Turf, heather and bracken-covered bank constructed of large stones. A modern track has been constructed through it, destroying a portion of it and splitting it into two sections. Variable height of 0.5 m to 0.7 m, 1 m wide. In good state
of preservation.
15i: (258341, 899420) Short length of turf and moss-covered stony bank, curving from north to south in a crescent, possibly defining a platform area to the east, c.10 m x 1 m x
0.6 m.
15j: Linear turf covered stony bank running northeast to southwest down the west facing slope, to the south of the group of clearance cairns, 43 m x 1 m x 0.4 m in extent.
A possible shieling site or small structure contemporary with the clearance cairns was also recorded during the field survey:
15s:(258306, 879508) Comprising of two compartments, defined by dry stone wall, 0.6 m in height in three courses, 1.5 m in diameter, with open ends to the west, on each
side of a central mound 7 m in length. <1>

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5849 9930 (690m by 568m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH59NE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	CREICH

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (1)