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MHG7923 - Iron working site, Glen Docherty

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Type and Period (1)

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NB GR corrected to area of finds on knoll on S side of road. A832 widening pre-evaluation. Extensive spread of slag across top of knoll. CFA advised to try and locate associated structures and or buildings ASAP - HAW 2/2004

NH05NE 1 0690 5905.
(Area centred NH 069590 ) A large quantity of heavy black slag of the oldest variety in scattered heaps lies south of the road. Dixon states that there is no sign of the furnace, though Macadam mentions a building made of stones with slag on them.
J H Dixon 1886

(Area centred NH 070592) More extensive black slag heaps lie north of road and about 300 yds from it on the 1000 ft. contour.
W I Macadam 1888

At NH 06905905 there are traces of charcoal and burnt stones but no iron slag. No trace of iron workings could be found in the area NH 070592. Visited by OS (N K B) 26 October 1966

Following a baseline field survey in 2001 by CFA in advance of A832 construction work, where no trace of this site on the steep slopes below the road was found, it was considered possible that dumping had obscured and remains. In 2003, 35 test pits were excavated to establish whether and remains of the site survived. Large quatities of iron slag and a thick layerof very black carbonised soil, suggested the presence of a bloomery mound at NH 0686 5908. A series of trenches divided into seven areas (A-G) were subsequently excavated. Features identified comprised a partly disturbed bloomery mound, 10m long and at least 5m wide, composed of black charcoal-rich silt containing much iron slag and to the south-east of the bloomery mound, an area containing a complex sequence of layers containing slag and lenses of scorched and burnt material. A large slab of solidified slag was found beneath these layers. There was no evidence for a furnace or hearth, or any other associated structures, although these could have been present outside the areas available for investigation. A programme of post-excavation was recommended. <1>

The work an the site was subsequently published in 2009 in the Scottish Archaeological Jounal. This included radiocarbon dates. <2>

See link below to Scottish Radiocarbon Database for radiocarbon dates.

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 0686 5906 (40m by 40m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH05NE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	GAIRLOCH

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