Field Visit

Date 6 June 1991

Event ID 1107938

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1107938

RCAHMS Afforestable Land Survey, Strath of Kildonan

There are four hut-circles (A-D), a field-system, an extensive spread of small cairns, and a row of shooting-butts on the S flank of Learable Hill. The small cairns extend over some 400m from E to W by 300m transversely, covering the whole slope of the hill between the top and a boggy sump, which occupies the saddle between this hillside and the SE spur of the hill. A number of linear clearance banks were observed amongst the small cairns, including the interrupted NE, NW and SW sides of a large sub-rectangular field which encloses an area some 110m from NE to SW by at least a similar distance transversely, the SE side being ill-defined. A bank, which runs along the contour to the ENE from hut-circle 'C' for some 50m before turning up-slope, may form part of a separate field to the E. Three of the hut-circles (A, C and D), one of which (D) occupies a small enclosure, are situated within the sub-rectangular field, but the fourth (B) lies on its own some 250m to the E. Towards the top of the hill, and near the edge of the clearance, there is a row of three drystone shooting-butts running along the contour; they are evenly spaced, about 30m apart, each measuring some 2m to 3m across.

A. NC 8909 2410 This hut-circle is situated on a natural terrace in the middle of the area of small cairns and measures 5.6m in diameter within a stony bank spread to 1.8m in thickness and 0.4m in height with an entrance on the SE.

(KILD91 426)

B. NC 8935 2412 Situated some 250m to the E of hut-circle 'A', this hut-circle is set somewhat apart from the rest of the site on a natural terrace, which appears to have a bank running along its back edge; it measures 9.5m from WNW to ESE by 8.8m transversely within a stony bank spread to 2m in thickness and 0.6m in height with an entrance on the ESE. An arc of a bank defines a subsidiary terrace on the S side of the hut.

(KILD91 425)

C. NC 8912 2401 This terraced hut-circle is situated lower down the slope, it measures 10.5m from WNW to ESE by 7.5m transversely within a bank spread to a thickness of 1.8m and 1m in height with an entrance on the ESE, from the SW side of which a bank leads off along the contour. (KILD91 427)

D. NC 8910 2400 An oval enclosure surrounding a hut-circle is situated some 20m SW of 'C'. The enclosure measures 17m from NW to SE by 12.8m transversely with an opening on the ESE. The hut-circle, which is set against the back or NW end of the enclosure, measures 8m in diameter and is marked by a low arc of a bank, 0.4m in height on the SE, where it is not subsumed in the bank of the enclosure. The SE part of the enclosure provides a forecourt for the hut-circle.

(KILD91 428)

Visited by RCAHMS (PJD) 6 June 1991.