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MHG7721 - Hut circle - Creag Na Bo Maoile (MM006)

Summary

A hut circle at Creag Na Bo Maoile.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A hut circle at Creag Na Bo Maoile.

In the area centred at NG 818 781 between 300 and 375 ft OD., on the sheltered southern slope of a hill, there are the heather covered remains of three hut circles and several greatly mutilated enclosures. The enclosures which are now barely visible have been constructed with large boulders and a hut circle falls on the perimeter of one of them. The hut circles, which all have 1.0 metre wide entrances in their SE peripheries, are constructed of large stone, forming an inner and outer kerb with small stone infilling, and their dimensions are as follows;- 'A' - Internally 7.0m in diameter with walls 0.5m high by 2.0m thick. 'B' - Internally 7.5m in diameter with walls 0.5m high by 1.0, thick. 'C' - Internally 6.5m in diameter with walls 0.5m high by 1.5m thick. Visited by OS (R D) 31 March 1965; Visible on RAF air photographs CPE/ Scot/UK 183: 1290-1.

NG8183 7806: A hut circle is situated at an elevation of 90m on a dry shelf 100m north of the stream Abhainn Achd a' Chairn and 200m south of the southeast end of the crags called "Creagan Doire na Suaine"; it is some 30m to the southeast of a small fail-dyke. The diameter of the circle is ca. 8m and the entrance is at 113 degrees grid. Walling is of stone, some of the stones being quite large. The ambient vegetation is fine grass, moss, heather inside the circle; sedge moss and heather outside. A setting of isolated stones runs at 33 degrees grid from the circle wall for 40m; there are also short lines of isolated stones to the west and southwest of the circle and about 40m from it. The hut circle is shown on the OS Maps but not the settings of isolated stones. <1>

The site was not detected during a walkover survey in April 2008 due to dense heather cover. <2>

181820 878054 Creag Bo Maoile 4 MM006: The hut circle was visited by M Marshall and A MacInnes in 2010 as part of research for a dissertation on hut circles in Wester Ross for A Welti. This slightly oval stone structure sits on a platform built out from a very gentle south facing slope with panoramic views inland. The surrounding landscape is mainly heather covered, with some grass and rushes. Vegetation in the interior of the structure is a mixture of moss with finely cropped grass, possibly indicating more recent usage as a sheep enclosure. The site is 60m from the river Abhainn Achadh a Chairn, 70m from the road A832, 500m from the freshwater Lochan nam Breac and 2000m from the sea. Average inner diameters are 7.1m (N/S) and 8.2m (E/W). Outer diameters are 10.3m (N/S) and 11.4m (E/W). The double skinned wall is 1.6m thick with maximum height 0.5m. A clearly defined entrance faces east and has width 1.0m internally and 1.2m externally, with passage length 2.0m. The entrance is blocked with tumble, but the terminals seem to be extended. Nearby there are low turf footings of an oval structure aligned NE/SW, 3m X 1.5m internally, a possible sheiling. This HC is one of a group of 4, MM005 (see MHG), MM006, MM007 (see MHG57730) and MM008 (see MHG57731), three of which are recorded under Canmore id 11950. MM006 is at a distance of 300m from both MM007, MM008, and MM005. <3> <4>

[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 amended in 2018 to location as shown on 2009 APs. <5>

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 8181 7806 (20m by 20m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG87NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	GAIRLOCH

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