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MHG9416 - Creag Nan Caorach

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

(NC 866317) Settlement & Field System (NR) (NC 865311) Settlement & Field System (NR) (eight hut circles shown A-D & L-O).
OS 25"map, (1970)

(E: NC 86513093 F: NC 86653095) Enclosures (NR) (NC 866307) Enclosure (NR) (four shown G, H, J & K)
OS 6"map, (1964)

Along the lower west slopes of Creag nan Caorach are numbers of small mounds and also remains of old enclosures and walls. Two hut circles,'C' and 'F', are specified, and in the interior of the latter a stone platform, 6 foot wide, projects from the centre of the back wall for about 18 feet into the interior towards the entrance. Hut 'F'is planned. RCAHMS 1911, visited 1911

These are ten circular enclosures (A-K). 'B' is illustrated.
Visited by OS (1909)

Four further huts (L-O) and an extensive field system were found. Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (N K B) 28 Feburary 1968

Four of the huts (B, C, D & F) appear to be of the Kilphedir Hut II type.
H Fairhurst and D B Taylor 1974

This is a settlement of seventeen hut circles (A-R) including three newly recognised examples (P-R) in association with a large fairly well-preserved field system.
The huts, circular and generally heather covered, are set into or levelled upon the slope or resting on a natural slope; an entrance is evident in nearly every one and is from either the south or west quarter.
The huts can be separated into two main categories. One comprises eight huts (B-F, H-K) of more robust construction varying in diameter between 6.0 to 11.0 m inside walls of main spread 2.5-3.0 m broadening to 4.0 m at the entrances, some of which appear clubbed. Hut 'B' is the best defined. Its wall, 1.3 m actual width and 0.7 m high, has an inner facing of coursed stone to three levels; however this may indicate a later re-use. In hut 'E', estimated wall width 1.4-1.6 m, the noted internal feature is only visible as a low, disturbed, mound, about 2.0 m diameter, of rubble stone. In the interior of hut 'C' are vague footings, 5.0 by 3.0 m of a rectangular structure.
In the second category huts 'A' and 'L' are small and slightly built being; respectively, 5.0 m and 4.0 m diameter within low spread walls 1.0-1.5 m broad; huts 'Q' and 'R' remain as peat silted platforms 7.0 m and 11.0 m diameter respectively; the other huts range from 6.0 m to 8.0 m diameter internally, and have reduced walls spread from 1.5-2.0 m. A wall width of 1.1-1.2 m is estimated in hut 'A'.
The field system extends more than 2000.0 m in length and is about 500.0 m at its widest. It is amply denoted in stone clearance heaps, lynchets and banks, the last two being most noticeable in the region of the main grouping of the huts. Some cultivation plots, varying from 25.0 by 20.0 m to 35.0 by 25.0 m, are discernible.
Huts E-K: Surveyed at 1/10,000.
Huts A-D: Surveyed at 1/00,000.
Huts L-R: Surveyed at 1:10 560.
Visited by OS (J M) 26 January 1977
NC83SE 2 866 312.

(NC 866317) Settlement & Field System (NR) (NC 865311) Settlement & Field System (NR) (eight hut circles shown A-D & L-O).
OS 25"map, (1970)

(E: NC 86513093 F: NC 86653095) Enclosures (NR) (NC 866307) Enclosure (NR) (four shown G, H, J & K)
OS 6"map, (1964)

Along the lower west slopes of Creag nan Caorach are numbers of small mounds and also remains of old enclosures and walls. Two hut circles,'C' and'F', are specified, and in the interior of the latter a stone platform, 6 foot wide, projects from the centre of the back wall for about 18 feet into the interior towards the entrance. Hut'F'is planned. RCAHMS 1911, visited 1911

These are ten circular enclosures (A-K). 'B' is illustrated.
Visited by OS (1909)

Four further huts (L-O) and an extensive field system were found. Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (N K B) 28 Feburary 1968

Four of the huts (B, C, D & F) appear to be of the Kilphedir Hut II type.
H Fairhurst and D B Taylor 1974

This is a settlement of seventeen hut circles (A-R) including three newly recognised examples (P-R) in association with a large fairly well-preserved field system.
The huts, circular and generally heather covered, are set into or levelled upon the slope or resting on a natural slope; an entrance is evident in nearly every one and is from either the south or west quarter.
The huts can be separated into two main categories. One comprises eight huts (B-F, H-K) of more robust construction varying in diameter between 6.0 to 11.0 m inside walls of main spread 2.5-3.0 m broadening to 4.0 m at the entrances, some of which appear clubbed. Hut 'B' is the best defined. Its wall, 1.3 m actual width and 0.7 m high, has an inner facing of coursed stone to three levels; however this may indicate a later re-use. In hut 'E', estimated wall width 1.4-1.6 m, the noted internal feature is only visible as a low, disturbed, mound, about 2.0 m diameter, of rubble stone. In the interior of hut 'C' are vague footings, 5.0 by 3.0 m of a rectangular structure.
In the second category huts 'A' and 'L' are small and slightly built being; respectively, 5.0 m and 4.0 m diameter within low spread walls 1.0-1.5 m broad; huts 'Q' and 'R' remain as peat silted platforms 7.0 m and 11.0 m diameter respectively; the other huts range from 6.0 m to 8.0 m diameter internally, and have reduced walls spread from 1.5-2.0 m. A wall width of 1.1-1.2 m is estimated in hut 'A'.
The field system extends more than 2000.0 m in length and is about 500.0 m at its widest. It is amply denoted in stone clearance heaps, lynchets and banks, the last two being most noticeable in the region of the main grouping of the huts. Some cultivation plots, varying from 25.0 by 20.0 m to 35.0 by 25.0 m, are discernible.
Huts E-K: Surveyed at 1/10,000.
Huts A-D: Surveyed at 1/00,000.
Huts L-R: Surveyed at 1:10 560.
Visited by OS (J M) 26 January 1977

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 8717 3108 (1495m by 1771m) (18 map features)
Map sheet	NC83SE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	KILDONAN

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