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MHG9525 - Hut circle - Strathy

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

Tumuli (NR) Supposed Site of Conflict between the Clans Gunn and Sinclair (NAT) OS 6" map (1908)

(NC 8332 6468 and NC 8344 6474) (Two) Enclosures (NR)
OS 6" map (1962)

(NC 8331 6468) Settlement and Field System (NR)
OS 25" map (1974)

In 1594 James Sinclair of Murkle was sent by his brother the Earl of Caithness against Clan Gunn in Strathy, Strathnaver where he killed seven of them including their chief.
R Gordon 1813

On an E-facing slope S of Strathy Church is a hut circle. Some 30 yards NW of it is a structure formed of two or three conjoined circles, entirely heather overgrown, and nearby and further to north are several small mounds. In the hut interior is a central mound outlined with large stones, and on the south side of the interior a wall curving from the mound to the side forms the back of an enclosure; abutting outside in the south is another enclosure apparently entered from the main circle.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909

Newly located NE of hut circle, at NC 8344 6474, are possible remains of an enclosure.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 27 April 1960

The alleged enclosure at NC 8344 6474 is a natural formation. The hut circle and its accompanying features are generally as described. The conjoined circles are slight hollows overgrown with peat showing no sign of structure. Mounds of field clearance nearby may account for the tradition of a battle here.
Visited by OS (AA) 9 November 1972

This is a hut circle of Kilphedir Type II (H Fairhurst and D B Taylor 1971) accompanied by a small field system. The hut is set into the slope and measures about 8.2m diameter inside a wall 1m high at best with a varying width 1.2-1.8m increasing to 2.7m in E side of an entrance from SE; the last has door jambs halfway along its length. The wall has an appreciable inner face of coursed stone and boulder slab, but outside only a few actual facing stones are discernible. The central mound, about 4m diameter by 0.8m high, is speculative but is apparently loose, content could well be debris from the hut wall and may indicate a spoil heap of sorts; however a sepulchral inference cannot be discarded. (See NC76SE 4 and NC86SE 6).
Some structure has occupied the south quarter of the hut interior denoted by an arc of inner facing stones crossing from the west side and slightly cut into the mound periphery and by general disturbance in an around the interior of the south side of the entrance. The footings of a small bipartite enclosure abut on south exterior of the hut; an entrance is not apparent.
The field system extends over two hectares and is marked by stone clearance heaps and lynchets; two cultivation plots, 30 by 15m and 15 by 8m were noted.
Planned at 1:625. Visited by OS (JM) 6 July 1977.

NOTE: For some reason the assigned NGR for this hut circle had been moved to that of the supposed enclosure seen by WDJ (OS) in 1960. However, this feature was subsequently found to be a natural formation. As such, the NGR has been corrected - ISL- 27/02/2024.

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 8331 6468 (28m by 29m)
Map sheet	NC86SW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	FARR

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