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MHG7833 - Hut circle - Meall an Duibhe

Summary

A hut circle at Meall an Duibhe.

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Full Description

A hut circle at Meall an Duibhe.

Hut Circle (NR) OS 6"map, (1969)
Built-up, on a shelf on a W-facing hillside, is a circular stone-walled hut. Several inner and outer facing stones on edge are visible, indicating an internal diameter of 6.5m, and a wall thickness of 1.8m all round. The "sample" entrance, 0.8m wide, is in the NNE. There is no trace of contemporary cultivation.
Visited by OS (N K B) 25 September 1970

No change. Visited by OS (J M) 8 October 1974

212800 885850 SM001 Meall an Duibhe 1: The hut circle was visited by A Welti, S Mackenzie and C Dagg in 2009 as part of research for a dissertation on hut circles in Wester Ross. This was part of a degree course overseen by Aberdeen University. This is one of a group of circular stone structures at a high elevation on the slopes of Meall an Dubhe and situated near to the Croftown Track leading from near to Dundonnell House, over steep terrain to Achlunachan and Clachan. The elevation of SM001 is 295m. It is in fair condition, is 20m from a small watercourse to the south and 175m from the Allt an Dubhe to the west. It is 1500m from the junction of Allt na Chairn with the Dundonnell River. The latter flows along the base of the steeply sloping sides of the valley below. A freshwater loch is 750m away to NE. The sea loch, Little Loch Broom, is 4.6km downstream. The river is wide and may have been partly navigable. From the site there are panoramic views of inland mountains, including An Teallach. Vegetation surrounding the HC is mainly grass with some heather. Inside the structure vegetation is mainly heather with some grass. The walls are submerged in heather. SM001 is sited on a small terraced shelf on the W side of a hill. A 5m crag to E of the HC overlooks it. The walling is revetted on the downhill slope to the west side. A section of the outer wall to the North shows 3 courses of stone. Internally a few upright leaning slabs were visible to the South, East and West of the structure. An orthostat stood on the East interior edge, with height 0.45m width 0.88m, and thickness 0.3m. Average inner diameter is 6.45m, outer diameter is 10.40m. The double skinned walls are 1.45m thick with maximum height 0.61m. A definite entrance faces NE with passage width 1.2m internally and 1.3m externally. Passage length is 2.6m on N side and 2.9m on S side, indicating extended terminals. However in this HC the terminal extension is on the inside of the entrance passage. SM001 is at a distance of 250m from AW150, and these structures are visible to one another. <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 amended in 2019 to location as shown on 2009 APs. <3>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 1279 8583 (16m by 16m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH18NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	LOCHBROOM

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