MHG9982 - Hut circle - Choire Mhoir (A, N)

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (1)

  • HUT CIRCLE (Neolithic to Late Iron Age - 4000 BC? to 560 AD?)

Protected Status

  • None recorded

Full Description

Hut circle at Allt a' Choire Mhoir in Glen Loth, originally recorded by the OS as NC91NW25 [A], subsequently renumbered by the OS as NC91NW1 [N].

NC91NW 25 915 185.
On crest of a gently sloping NE- facing ridge is a settlement of three hut circles and a sub-rectangular footing ('A'-'D').
Hut 'A' the largest and best preserved is 9.5m in diameter within a wall spread to 2.5m. Occasional inner facing stones are visible around wall and two outer facing stones at entrance in E give wall a width of 3m at this point. Within the hut a denuded wall running from N side of entrance bisects hut.
'B' is a slight ill-defined hut of 9m internal diameter, with occasional inner facing stones visible. The wall is of indeterminate thickness with the entrance in the E.
'C' is set on a small knoll and is severely denuded with intermittent traces of walling and two inner facing stones visible. It measures about 8.5m in interanl diameter and was probably entered from E.
'D', the sub-rectangular footing has same appearance and construction as hut circles 'B' and 'C' and may be associated. It does not resemble an 18/19th century deserted house. It measures 9m E-W by 4m within a wall spread to 2m. The wall is bowed at either end and slightly curved along flanks. The entrance is at E end.
See NC91NW 1 for details of the field system.
Surveyed at 1:10,560. Visited by OS (J B) 4 May 1976.

291546 918515 Glen Loth 2 AW202: The hut circle was visited by A Welti, A MacInnes and A Coombs in 2016 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 circular stone structure is one of a group of around 14 HCs sited in Strath Kildonan. Some of these are oval, some circular. In the wider area in the vicinity of the Strath there are numerous other similar stone structures interpreted as brochs, cairns and groups of hut circles. Two brochs sit within 11000m of this group. AW202 sits in a gently NE sloping grazed landscape, surrounded by field walls and some clearance cairns. Surrounding vegetation is mostly grass with some rushes. Inside the structure vegetation is similar. The HC is in poor condition and sits on a platform built out from the slope with panoramic views inland. The HC is 300m from a stream and 1800m from the navigable river Helm which flows eastwards. The ring bank is hardly visible although the platform is clear. Only three wall facing stones are visible and the southern arc of the HC shows no signs of walling. The average inner diameter of the HC is 10.15m. The outer diameter is approximately 14.0m, although the presence of much tumble hinders the measurement. The double skinned wall is 2.25m thick. A possible entrance faces E. AW202 is 25m from AW203 (see MHG) and is in a close cluster of 3, including AW204 (see MHG) which is 20m from AW203. <1> <2>

GIS spatial data created in 2022 according to location of feature as seen on 2009 vertical APs. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred NC 9154 1852 (24m by 24m)
Map sheet NC91NW
Geographical Area SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish KILDONAN

Finds (0)

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External Links (1)

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