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MHG66406 - House, byre and pen - South Screapadal

Summary

A sub-rectangular building measuring 13.6m x 3.8m lying approximately north to south.

Type and Period (3)

Protected Status

Full Description

(NG 581 443) North and South Screapadal: depopulared by 1877.
OS 6"map, Isle of Skye, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1877)

South Screapadal, separated from North Screapadal by An Leth-allt, comprises some 17 ruined houses.
There are lazy-beds in the area especially upon the higher slopes to the west.
These townships were probably depopulated by Mr Rainy of Edinburgh, who bought the island of Raasay in 1846, sending large numbers of the inhabitants abroad, and to Rona (Information from Miss Nicholson, 'Eilean Tigh', Raasay and from Mr Macleod, shoemaker, Clachan, Raasay). Visited by OS (A S P) 12 June 1961

Twelve unroofed buildings are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire, Isle of Skye 1881, sheet xxiv). Sixteen unroofed buildings are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1988).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 18 October 1996

An Archaeological Survey of the townships of North & South Screapadal, with a survey of the surrounding area, on Raasay was undertaken by ACFA in 1998.

Feature 13; House, Byre and pen. A sub-rectangular building measuring 13.6m x 3.8m lying approximately north to south. The building slopes from south to north and is recessed into the side of the hill. The walls are of dry stone construction and have an inner and outer skin. They measure 0.8m wide and reach a height of 0.8m The bottom course is covered in moss. The comers are rounded both externally and internally. There is one entrance 0.8m wide, carefully constructed from shaped stones, situated in the east wall 6m from the north east comer. Situated internally 7m from the south end there is a platform. The platform occupies the whole of the south end of the building and is probably primary. It remains as a plinth of stones. There is a possible entrance to this platform situated on the east side. At the west end of the platform is a possible cruck slot. Also situated at the south end of the building is an internal secondary partition delineating a compartment 3.8m x 3m. In this compartment is a small recess measuring 1m x 1m, which is probably a modem lambing pen.

The north gable has been partially reconstructed. The west half is original but the east has been reconstructed as a single skin of stones. Attached to the outside of the north gable is a modem lambing pen. There is a drainage ditch 1m wide and 8m long around the south end of the building. Lying on the south east side of the building is a bank 7m long and 2.3m broad. <1>

NGR adjusted based on 2009 vertical aerial photographs. <2>

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 5812 4423 (9m by 19m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG54SE
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	PORTREE

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

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