Field Visit

Date 10 July 2017 - 14 July 2017

Event ID 1038965

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1038965

NM 38350 18972 (centred on) A walkover survey, including digital survey, was undertaken 10–14 July 2017, over an area of land at Ardchiavaig. The work was commissioned by Ross of Mull Historical Centre and funded by the HLF. The fieldwork was led by Clare Ellis assisted by a number of volunteers from the local community and a number of tourists. Training was given on a daily basis on how to record sites utilising sketch plans, measured drawing, photography, GPS and an EDM. The volunteers were also trained in data download, manipulation, presentation and dissemination. A total of 51 individual structures or suites of features, mainly dating from the 18th or 19th centuries, were recorded within

a c28ha area. Some earlier structures, platforms and walls were also noted.

NM 38420 19080 – Track, lined by walls, shown on 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881).

NM 38515 19087 – Structures, enclosure – Two rectangular structures, the W one 10m long and 5.8m wide, with a 3m wide passage way between it and the smaller structure on the E. The enclosure isn’t square, the E side is 12.8m long and the W side 18.5m long with a probable 2.6m wide entrance. Squared corners to stone walls which are up to 0.85m wide. Enclosure and buildings are shown on the 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881). The longer structure is roofed. Lies within a larger stone enclosure field system.

NM 38539 19033 – Structures – Gable ended structure with mortared walls, stone dressed. Previously the school. Gable end 3.4m high. Foundation stones of earlier building at S end, 2m N/S x 2.4m E/W. This appears to have been built over by rounded corner dry stone building which is 5.2m long N/S and 5.3m wide E/W, with entrance on W side. The more modern school abuts the remains of this building on the N side. The school is 10.3m N/S and 5.40m E/W. It has two blocked windows on the W side and an entrance. There is a blocked fireplace in N gable. An enclosure wall runs from the W walls off to the S and N. Shown on the 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881).

NM 38514 19048 – Enclosure – Low and discontinuous stone and earthen bank, 11.7m N/S x 14.3m E/W and up to 0.7m high, sub-rectangular. Shown on 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881) as triangular enclosure with wall leading off to W.

NM 38584 19018 – Possible structure – Low, wide stone and earthen banks, discontinuous defining rough rectangle 4.5m N/S and 3.35m E/W. Large stones at the end of each wall on E side, 0.6m high wall.

NM 38608 19039 – Clearance cairn, 3.4 x 2.9m E/W. Large boulders set around the edge, smaller stones within.

NM 38498 19082 – Stone revetment wall, collapsed wall on W side of slope, oriented N/S, c8m long by 0.95m high.

NM 38514 19100 – Sub-rectangular structure, c2.8m wide and 4.6m long. Wall 0.6m wide, low rubble stone walls. Located on steep slope below (Site 2 – NM 38515 19087).

NM 38614 18993 – Wall-lined track shown on 2nd Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1900). Oriented NE/SW.

NM 38652 19024 – Clearance cairn, 1.2 x 1.2m x 0.6m high. Large and small boulders around in a square. 5m to SW another pebble clearance cairn.

NM 38689 19011 – Clearance cairn, small pebbles over bedrock.

NM 38714 19008 – Possible gravel quarry, c30 x 30m, adjacent to road so gravel may have been used to build the road.

NM 38692 18989 – Possible structure, sub-rectangular, few stones and outline of bank, 3.8m N/S and 3.5m E/W.

NM 38682 18930 – Field boundary, low stone and earthen wall, oriented NW/SE, 0.3m high and 0.8m wide.

NM 38573 18923 – Structures and enclosure – Suite of features. Structure A, a round cornered dry stone structure 11.4m long x 5.5m wide and walls 1.4m high. Substantial construction with attached enclosure on W side. Enclosure – 8.1m E/W and 16.2m N/S. Northern entrance. Shown as unroofed on 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881). 15m

to the E is Structure B – Dry stone 6.4 x 4.6m and walls 1.1m high. Rounded corners on the outside. Wall extension leading off NW corner. Immediately to the E is a stone enclosure, 8.5 x 7m. Located along the northern edge of a double wall lined track which runs SE and also turns on the W side to run up the hill in a SW direction. Part of extensive wall lined track system.

NM 38660 18849 – Three structures superimposed, B on C and A on B? The southern most (A) is the largest 11.5m N/S and 5.6m E/W and wall 0.58 m wide and tall. Smaller structure (B) abuts on N side, 7.5m N/S with N-facing entrance. Next c4.7m N/S x 5.0m E/W. Western wall extends for 1.9m to abut natural stone cliff which runs parallel N/S. An enclosure wall runs from the S c17.8m S of A and curves around to join western wall of triangular shaped enclosure on the E side of the structures. This enclosure is 33.3m long and 8.7m wide. Just to the N is a wall that defines the track/ access which is oriented E/W and leads W up over a rocky outcrop. On 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881).

NM 38315 19073 – Structures – Dry stone dwelling, possibly three phases of development. B superimposed on A, C superimposed on B. C rectangular, with outside rounded corners and squared internal corners. Current doorway into C narrowed from 1.7m to 0.8m. Later internal division c2.33m off southern external wall, with blocked up cupboard 0.7m wide and blocked up arch-shaped fireplace c1.2m wide. Collapsed lintel. Lime mortar visible in the S gable end. Stone foundations stand out half a stone width. Wall 0.8m wide and up to 3m high. Narrow doorway on W elevation, 0.7m wide, blocked. Structure B c5.5m long and slightly narrower than B and A even narrower and hard to discern. C shown as roofed on 1st Edition OS map (sheet CXVII 1881) with no roof on 2nd Edition OS map (1900).

NM 38317 19099 – Dry stone enclosure, 12.5 x 18.7m N/S. Wall 0.8m wide and 0.4m high. Enclosure slight irregularity to the shape. On both 1st and 2nd Edition OS maps.

NM 38268 19213 – Sub-rectangular structure, 11m N/S x 6.2m E/W, rounded corners of dry stone walls. 0.8m wide walls and max height of 0.9m. Later curvilinear internal wall (sheep pen) and twinning pen located on SE outside corner. Shown as unroofed on 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881).

NM 38315 19250 – Dry stone structure, opposite entrances. Wall 0.65m high and 0.8m wide. W entrance 1.4m wide and E 0.7m wide. Possible earlier wall to N side, 2.5m long. Clearance cairn c7.6m N of the structure. Shown as unroofed on 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881).

NM 38431 19202 – Boulder wall, many orthostats. Oriented E/W.

NM 38225 19327 – Track, runs NNW/SSE, as on 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881).

NM 38164 19129 – Rectangular structure, 11.4 x 5.9m, dry stone walls up to 2m high and 0.9m wide. Blocked doorway on S side. Internal, later, mortared wall set at odd angle to structure. Not shown on 1st Edition OS but unroofed on 2nd Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1900).

NM 38133 19118 – Flat terrace or platform on hillside near NM 38164 19129. Looks man made, possible platform of early structure.

NM 38204 19054 – Structure, enclosure, twinning pen – Main rectangular building lime mortared with square corners, oriented W/E, 9.8 x 5.7m. East gable end 3.8m high. Enclosure on W and S side 17.5 x 16.5m. West gable collapsed. Internal twinning pen on N wall, cliff forms western side. Probable store outside enclosure on E side 2.4m E/W x 3.4m N/S. Shown as roofed on 1st and 2nd Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881/1900).

NM 38198 19030 – Possible structure – Two parallel barely visible stone walls, oriented N/S forming rectangle 4.5m wide, E wall 10m long and W 12.8m long.

NM 38185 19076 – Remains of wall, just one or two large stones left, oriented SE/NW, runs into a gully and then disappears.

NM 38159 18976 – Ruined wall. Short pieces of dry stone wall between gully. Possibly starts at NM 38206 18988 – NM 38212 19005. Bank parallel to track.

NM 38662 18866 – Stone enclosure located W of NM 38660 18849. 11.9m N/S x 11m E/W. Stone wall prominent on N and E sides, steep rocky cliff on S and W sides.

NM 38305 19212 – Enclosure – Low and discontinuous stone wall, only 1 stone high. Enclosure 10m E/W and 13m N/S. Two slab edged stones lie parallel on W side. Site slopes down to the S.

NM 38264 18935 – Structures, enclosure – On E side of site small rectangular structure 4.8 x 5.2m with a 3.1m high W gable. Dry stone construction with rounded corners on S side and square corners on N side. Wall 0.67m wide. Blocked window in W elevation. Iron bars in wall to hold roof down. 4m to W large rectangular structure, 10.2m N/S x 5.8m E/W. Gable ends up to 3.5m high, appears structure underwent reconstruction and wall height increased. Internal division, later leaving S room with no visible means of access. Blocked fireplace in S elevation. Fireplace and cupboard in N gable end. Entrance on W side, with window on either side. Stone enclosure wall runs from SE corner of structure around to NW corner, c25.3m wide E/W and 22m N/S. Wall of enclosure 1.55m high. N gable with extant chimney, plastered inside. Squared corners, internal concrete floor. Walls 0.68m wide.

NM 38233 18897 – Clearance cairn, 5 x 3m oval mound, 0.7m high.

NM 38216 18891 – Clearance cairn, 4.5 x 4.5m and 0.3m high.

NM 38216 18915 – Large clearance cairn, 10 x 5m and 1m high.

NM 38217 18925 – Clearance cairn, 6 x 3m x 2m high.

NM 38370 18870 – Boundary wall, 0.94m high and 0.73m wide. Oriented E/W.

NM 38246 18886 – Barely visible stone and earthen bank. Curvilinear, ends at more modern wall. NE/SW.

NM 38522 18837 – Field clearance cairn, 2 x 2m.

NM 38542 18826 – Wall, 0.7m wide and 0.3m high, oriented NE/SW.

NM 38601 18812 – Clearance cairn, on W-facing slope 2 x 4m, small pebbles.

NM 38623 18817 – Wall, oriented N/S, 0.4m high and 0.4m wide.

NM 38588 18777 – Curvilinear wall, 0.7m wide and 0.5m high.

NM 38442 18926 – Clearance cairn, 1 x 2m.

NM 38404 18754 – Structures and enclosures (farmstead) – Small store (3) on E 5.6 x 4.20m, N side abuts natural bedrock. SW-facing entrance. Wall 1.5m high and 0.6m wide. Enclosure wall attached on SE side runs over to NE/SW oriented rectangular structure (1) 4.7m x 4.8m, with extension or earlier building? on E side, NW-facing entrance, rounded

corners. To NW main structure (2) 11.6m NW/SE x 6m NE / SW. Entrance on W side, blocked opposite entrance (barn?). Enclosure on SW side and enclosed fields to the N. Fireplace and cupboard in N internal elevation. Rounded corners, walls 0.85m wide, mortared, 1.95m high at N end. On 1st Edition OS map, though unroofed so abandoned by 1881.

NM 38442 18814 – C-shaped enclosure, E side consists of bedrock cliff and the rest rubble dry stone wall 0.5m high and 0.75m wide. Entrance on NW side.

NM 38314 18992 – Rectangular structure 9.8m long NE / SW. Rounded outer corners, mortared. Entrance on SE side, blocked up window in SE wall and blocked entrance in NW wall. Enclosure attached on N and E side with possible twinning pen on NW side. Flat area just to the N, possible

platform for earlier building? On 1st Edition OS map (Sheet CXVII 1881).

NM 38493 19014 – Enclosure – Low, 0.3m, wall/bank, suboval 13.75m E/W and 11.3m N/S. Few stones visible, steep W edge.

NM 38517 18970 – Enclosure, 14m N/S x 11.4m E/W with incomplete earthen bank, 0.3m high.

NM 38631 18756 – Enclosure, 9.9 x 9.9m edged on E and N side by very steep ground. Walls 1m wide and 0.9m high. Attached to structure 8.2m E/W and 5m N/S. Wall 0.7m wide and 1.12m high, rounded corners, much obscured by bracken. Narrow reveted path leads down the gully to SW. W side of revetment ends at cliff and E side continues down the gully. Forms part of field system on SW side of this farm. Another wall runs SW from enclosure to cut-off animal access down the natural bedrock cliff. Shown as unroofed on 1st and 2nd Edition OS maps.

NM 38557 18730 – Low wall, max of 0.75m high, oriented E/W.

NM 38501 18746 – Clearance cairn, 8 x 2m, almost a wall, set against a steep slope.

Funder: Heritage Lottery Fund

Clare Ellis – Argyll Archaeology

(Source: DES, Volume 18)