Field Visit
Date 7 March 1991
Event ID 1107852
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1107852
There are at least five hut-circles (A, B, D, F, G) and three enclosures (C, E, H) set on a series of slight natural terraces overlooking the boggy ground at the W end of Loch Ascaig and lying to the ESE of Ceannabhaid township (NC82NW 14). Small cairns, banks and lynchets are scattered across the better-drained ground.
A. NC 8325 2562 This hut-circle has been excavated by Curle (1911) and appears to either have two phases or an inter-mural cavity. It measures 10m in diameter within a stone-faced bank, 3.4m in thickness and up to 1.6m in height, which has intermittent depressed stretches along the centre of the bank. The S side of the interior is levelled into the slope. The entrance lies on the ESE. Although there may have been an external baffle wall this is not mentioned by Curle and it may be the spoil from the excavation of the interior and the entrance passage.
The saddle quern mentioned by Curle was not located on the date of visit (Curle 1911, 26)
(KILD91 29).
B. NC 8332 2561 There are two distinct structural phases visible, both of which may be hut-circles, although the later structure is rather irregular. The earlier hut-circle measures 9.3m in diameter within a bank 2.8m in thickness and 1m in height. The entrance is on the ESE and the interior is terraced into the slope. The N side of the hut-circle is overlain by an oval enclosure measuring 8.5m from NW to SE by 4.6m transversely within a stone-faced bank 1.2m in thickness and 0.6m in height. The entrance lies on the ESE and is protected by a baffle wall.
(KILD91, 30, 31)
C. NC 8344 2557 This sub-rectangular enclosure measures 13.7m from E to W by 5.6m transversely within a stone-faced bank 3.4m in thickness and 0.8m in height. The entrance lies on the S and outside it there is what may be a reduced baffle wall.
(KILD91 36)
D. NC 8345 2553 This hut-circle measures 7.7m in diameter within a stone-faced bank 1.8m in thickness and 0.5m in height: the entrance lies on the SE.
(KILD91 37)
E. NC 8354 2552 This C-shaped enclosure measures 9.1m in diameter within a stone-faced bank 3m in thickness and 0.4m in height. There is a possible entrance on the E and the enclosure is open to the S.
(KILD91 34)
F. NC 8344 2563 This hut-circle measures 8.2m in diameter within a stony bank 1.3m in thickness and 0.2m in height. To the S and W there is an arcuate bank about 4m from the hut-circle and although there is no clear relationship, this may be the remains of an earlier structure.
(KILD91 270)
G. NC 8348 2566 This hut-circle measures 10.7m in diameter within a stony bank 1.9m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is on the SE and a drain bisects the interior.
(KILD 269)
H. NC 8356 2556 This D-shaped enclosure measures 14m from NE to SW by 12.2m transversely within a bank 2m in thickness and 0.5m in height. It overlies the more southerly of two turf banks emanating from Ceannabhaid township, and there are amorphous fragments of what may be other structures in the vicinity.
(KILD91 35)
There are small cairns measuring up to 6m in diameter and 0.5m in height to the N and W of hut-circle 'G'. Much of the rest of the better-drained land, within two turf banks extending westwards from Ceannabhaid township, is ridged and there is a thin scatter of small cairns. To the SE of hut-circle 'E' there are at least three approximately parallel lynchets, set along the contour defining at least two plots, the central element of which may join the hut-circle bank.
(A O Curle 1911)
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC), 7 March 1991.
