Archaeology Notes

Event ID 649574

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/649574

NC60NE 1 6920 0529.

(NC 6920 0529) Lettie's Grave (NAT)

OS 6"map, (1969)

'Lettie's Grave' is a rectangular construction set on the flat haunch of the hill about 150ft above the Lettie River. It has apparently been about 7ft square internally with sides lying N-S and E-W. Only the E side seems to be complete; it consists of an upright stone at each end with two flat stones set on edge between them. Along the N side lie two stones, one small and just visible, and the other 4ft 5ins long. Three large boulders, which probably formed part of the structure, lie towards what would have been the SW corner.

About 40ft to the NW there is another rectangular structure about 5ft by 6ft internally, formed of boulders set on edge but with no standing stones at the corners.

A semblance of a third structure similar to the latter lies about 30ft to the west of 'Lettie's Grave'. Remains of crofter settlement occur in the immediate vicinity (NC60NE 2).

RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909.

Lettie's Grave, the position of which was indicated by Mr Bierman (Information from L Bierman, Blarich to OS), who says it is the grave of a local chief, is generally as described by the RCAHMS. The larger of the upright stones is 1.0m high. The other two structures mentioned by the RCAHMS are probably associated with the nearby depopulated settlement.

Visited by OS (W D J) 7 July 1963.

The area is named 'Lettie' by Morrison (1853) and was originally so named in the ONB (1872), but the spelling was changed to 'Leudaichte' by Rev Jas Joass. By 1908 it had become 'Leataidh' (OS 6"map, Sutherlandshire, 2nd ed., {1908}) which was probably pronouced the same as Morrison's form. It is presumably from this that the name 'Lettie's Grave' is derived.

H Morrison 1853; Name Book 1872.

No change to the previous field report.

Visited by OS (J M) 8 October 1980.